Continuous dynamic optimization, or CDO, is an algorithm function used by modern paratransit software that automates scheduling and dispatching processes by considering trips just booked, changes to booked trips, cancellations, and day-of-service events, and reoptimizes the assignment of trips to achieve the desired balance of service efficiency and quality. With its implementation, transit agencies using legacy scheduling or dispatching software can radically change the way they operate and deliver paratransit service to their communities.
CDO was recently the subject of a major study, Continuous Dynamic Optimization: Impacts on ADA Paratransit Services, led by Will Rodman and Kelly Blume at Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s Transit Mobility Program, who collected, synthesized, and wrote the paper under the guidance of a panel of experts in the subject area. The objective of the study was to document the current use of CDO for ADA paratransit and its results in improving the efficiency of routing, and the overall productivity of on-demand service. Continue reading to discover the key findings from the study.
The development of CDO stemmed from the need to more effectively schedule trips left unassigned after schedulers left for the day. For example, events that happen during the evenings before, and throughout the day of service, can have a domino effect on productivity and on-time performance.
Some common events can include:
Proactive dispatchers can make a significant difference in mitigating service disruptions, but many agencies that offer paratransit service simply don’t have enough staff to handle real-time problems. With ongoing staffing shortages, CDO capabilities with next-generation paratransit software automate the proactive dispatching function by continuously optimizing the current day’s schedule in consideration of changes that happen after the scheduling process has been completed, as well as through the end of the service day.
Of the 11 transit agencies involved in the study’s survey, the majority were enthusiastic about the use of CDO as a way to automate the scheduling and proactive dispatching functions, reporting that CDO had a significant impact on operations and service delivery to their riders.
Some of the key benefits included:
CDO through RideCo’s industry-leading technology is powered by Solver, the patented optimization engine that produces service results and outcomes similar to the ones referenced in Rodman and Blume’s study.
Every 20 seconds, Solver re-optimizes all scheduled rides against guaranteed arrival times, vehicle locations, driver breaks, traffic conditions, and more, to ensure the most efficient routing and productive seat configurations across the entire vehicle fleet. Due to the near-constant optimization run by Solver, RideCo’s platform is responsive to changes in conditions, enabling agencies to operate paratransit service that is able to maintain high passenger satisfaction through delivering reliable, on-time service.
Prior to their partnership with RideCo, Guelph Transit was facing significant challenges with manual booking and scheduling for their dial-a-ride service. With the implementation of RideCo’s paratransit software, the agency introduced on-demand, same-day, and advanced booking options that riders could independently book through the Passenger App, or through the call center if they preferred. In addition to providing more flexibility for passengers, automating the booking process resulted in a 30% reduction in call center volume for the agency.
Loudoun County Transit (LCT) faced similar challenges using a legacy system and saw an improvement in dispatching and vehicle routing with CDO through Solver, resulting in an average 96% on-time performance and 15%+ increase in productivity.
Scheduling and dispatching have become so easy and the burden on our operations team has significantly reduced through automating the process. RideCo’s software is seamless and the increase in productivity allows Keolis to provide LCT paratransit customers with a more accessible on-demand, door-to-door service.
— Alvin Hampton, General Manager, Keolis
With such high demand for their Chair-A-Van service, Niagara Transit Commission (NTC) had to broker rides to local taxi companies or even turn trips away due to inefficiencies with scheduling and dispatching using legacy software. After partnering with RideCo and leveraging CDO through Solver, NTC saw a 49% increase in productivity with an average 1.7 passengers per vehicle hour, enabling the agency to efficiently service more rides as ridership continued to grow.
RideCo’s platform provides modern features that have removed barriers for riders and has allowed Chair-A-Van to find significant efficiencies and deliver more trips without adding funding to the program.
— Rob Salewytsch, Manager, Specialty Transit, Niagara Transit Commission
Similarly, Porter County Aging & Community Services, an organization that offers transportation service for senior residents and people with disabilities, was unable to keep up with increasing demand due to low productivity using manual processes. Within the first three months of launching, RideCo’s paratransit software increased productivity and service capacity to deliver 28% more rides, as well as a 22% reduction in cost per passenger.
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, one of the largest transit systems in the United States, was having significant challenges operating and delivering efficient paratransit service using legacy software that was implemented 15 years ago. In order to future-proof their paratransit system, the agency sought out RideCo to improve operations and increase cost efficiency using their modern software solution. What resulted from the successful partnership was more than $5M in annualized cost savings within four months of the completed implementation, a decrease in cost per passenger from $55.13 to $51.40, and a 7.2% increase in passengers per vehicle hour.
[We] are taking definitive steps to enhance mobility for the residents of Philadelphia. SEPTA’s partnership with RideCo and the adoption of their software is turning [our agency’s] vision into reality—transforming our paratransit system in record time, delivering a better experience for our riders, and enabling us to achieve new milestones at a lower cost.
— Leslie S. Richards, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager, SEPTA
Tulsa Transit was experiencing similar challenges trying to improve the delivery of their paratransit program using static, legacy software. In partnering with RideCo, the agency leveraged COD, powered by Solver, to increase efficiency across their entire operation. This enabled the agency the ability to configure and optimize service perimeters to deliver higher quality service to their riders, while simultaneously reducing operating costs by 14%.
RideCo’s agency partners and the agencies surveyed in Rodman and Blume’s study have seen substantial benefits such as addressing scheduling and dispatching challenges, increased productivity, and reduced overall and per-trip costs. It’s CDO technologies like Solver that have been instrumental in modernizing paratransit operations, allowing transit agencies to transition away from legacy software.
As the industry has witnessed, the ongoing innovation from technology partners like RideCo have proven that agencies can improve operations and continuously evolve service delivery to meet the needs and expectations of paratransit riders today.
Interested in learning more about how RideCo uses Solver and CDO to transform paratransit operations and service delivery? Reach out at letschat@rideco.com, we’d love to connect!
