PtMS for Windows: Scheduling with Deviated Fixed Routes

 
Deviated Fixed Route Definition

A deviated-fixed route service operates a bus or van along a fixed route and/or a set of prescribed stops and keeps to a timetable, but the bus or van can deviate from the route to go to a specific pickup or drop-off location, such as a house, a facility such as a child care center or employment site, or a doctor’s office.. Once the pickup or drop-off is made, the vehicle goes back to the place along the route and resumes the route.


Can PtMS be used to schedule and add trips to Deviated Fixed Route services?

 

Yes.  First the fixed route must be setup in PtMS as a set of standing order trips that define the route.  Next, demand trip requests can be easily added into the fixed route schedule as scheduled deviations to the route using the PtMS Interactive Scheduler. 


Setting Up a Deviated Fixed Route in PtMS

 

Create a Provider Code for Fixed Route Vehicles

 

In the PtMS Setup menu select Providers and add the provider code you will use to group all the Fixed Route vehicles codes under – for this example we have set up the provider code “FXD” for “Deviated Fixed Routes”.

 

 

 


Add Fixed Routes as Vehicles to the PtMS Vehicle Table

 

 

 

 

Add each fixed route as a vehicle to the Vehicle Table.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Add Each Route Stop to the PtMS Destination Table


Each route stop must be entered into the destination table and geocoded.  Here is the list of stops for this fixed route example:

 

1.  Granite Run Mall

2.  Riddle Memorial Hospital

3.  Media Post Office

4.  Springfield Mall Shopping Center

5.  Springfield Hospital

6.  Healthplex Sports Club

7.  Lawrence Park Shopping Center

8.  Newtown Square Shopping Center

9.  Delaware County Community College

10. Granite Run Mall

Each destination must be geocoded using the PtMS mapping software.

Once all the stop locations are entered into the destination table the route can be setup.


Set Up a Fictitious Client Record for Entering Fixed Route Scheduled Trips


A client record is needed to enter a service request in PtMS.  A simple fictitious client record needs to be entered to allow the user to enter a Service Request for each stop in the route.

 

 


Enter Each Stop on the Route using the Service Request screen


Once all the stops are entered, the route is setup and ready to be used for scheduling additional demand trips as “deviations” to the fixed route. 


Designing the Route to Allow for Deviations


The route map below shows that the travel time to complete this route without stops is approximately 30 minutes.  Adding stop times of 5 minutes (which is generous and most likely not needed to board and discharge passengers)  per stop and the completed route would take about 70 minutes.  The route has been scheduled to run from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM.  This means there is plenty of slack in the schedule for adding new trips as deviations to the fixed route.

 

 


Starting Clock: 09:00 AM

Visit Time: 0 hr(s), 5.00 min. (= 0.083 hrs)

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Start: 1. Granite Run Mall

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    Go southwest, 0.3 mile(s),  on US Hwy 1.

    Turn left, go southeast, 0.3 mile(s),  on Granite Dr.

    Turn left, go northeast, 0.2 mile(s),  on Northbrook Dr.

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Stop: 2. Riddle Memorial Hospital

    Clock (arrival): 09:01 AM

    Time (from start): 0 hr(s), 1.28 min. (= 0.021 hrs)

    Distance(from start): 0.8 mile(s)

    Clock (depart): 09:06 AM

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    Go south, 0.2 mile(s),  on Northbrook Dr.

    Turn right, go northwest, 0.3 mile(s),  on Granite Dr.

    Turn right, go northeast, 0.8 mile(s),  on US Hwy 1.

    Slight turn left, go northeast, 1.8 mile(s),  on Baltimore Pike.

    Turn left, go north, 105 ft,  on Monroe St.

--------------------------

Stop: 3. Media Post Office

    Clock (arrival): 09:11 AM

    Time (from last stop): 0 hr(s), 4.26 min. (= 0.071 hrs)

    Time (from start): 0 hr(s), 10.53 min. (= 0.176 hrs)

    Distance(from last stop): 3.1 mile(s)

    Distance(from start): 3.9 mile(s)

    Clock (depart): 09:16 AM

--------------------------

    Go south, 105 ft,  on Monroe St.

    Turn left, go east, 1.5 mile(s),  on Baltimore Ave.

    Continue, go east, 0.4 mile(s),  on Baltimore Pike.

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Stop: 4. Springfield Mall Shopping Center

    Clock (arrival): 09:18 AM

    Time (from last stop): 0 hr(s), 2.58 min. (= 0.043 hrs)

    Time (from start): 0 hr(s), 18.11 min. (= 0.302 hrs)

    Distance(from last stop): 1.9 mile(s)

    Distance(from start): 5.8 mile(s)

    Clock (depart): 09:23 AM

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    Go east, 0.2 mile(s),  on Baltimore Pike.

    Turn left, go north, 0.6 mile(s),  on State Rte 320.

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Stop: 5. Springfield Hospital

    Clock (arrival): 09:24 AM

    Time (from last stop): 0 hr(s), 1.00 min. (= 0.017 hrs)

    Time (from start): 0 hr(s), 24.12 min. (= 0.402 hrs)

    Distance(from last stop): 0.8 mile(s)

    Distance(from start): 6.6 mile(s)

    Clock (depart): 09:29 AM

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    Go north, 162 ft,  on State Rte 320.

    Turn left, go west, 199 ft,  on Thompson Ave.

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Stop: 6. Healthplex Sports Club

    Clock (arrival): 09:29 AM

    Time (from last stop): 0 hr(s), 0.12 min. (= 0.002 hrs)

    Time (from start): 0 hr(s), 29.23 min. (= 0.487 hrs)

    Distance(from last stop): 361 ft

    Distance(from start): 6.7 mile(s)

    Clock (depart): 09:34 AM

--------------------------

    Go east, 199 ft,  on Thompson Ave.

    Turn left, go north, 2.9 mile(s),  on State Rte 320.

    Turn right, go northeast, 518 ft,  on Lawrence Rd.

    Turn right, go southeast, 0.2 mile(s),  on _local (134873380).

--------------------------

Stop: 7. Lawrence Park Shopping Center

    Clock (arrival): 09:39 AM

    Time (from last stop): 0 hr(s), 4.43 min. (= 0.074 hrs)

    Time (from start): 0 hr(s), 38.66 min. (= 0.644 hrs)

    Distance(from last stop): 3.2 mile(s)

    Distance(from start): 9.8 mile(s)

    Clock (depart): 09:44 AM

--------------------------

    Go northwest, 0.2 mile(s),  on _local (134873380).

    Turn left, go southwest, 518 ft,  on Lawrence Rd.

    Turn right, go northwest, 0.9 mile(s),  on State Rte 320.

    Slight turn right, go north, 0.5 mile(s),  on Sproul Rd.

    Turn left, go west, 2.1 mile(s),  on State Rte 3.

    Hard turn left, go southeast, 0.2 mile(s),  on State Rte 252.

    Turn left, go northeast, 270 ft,  on Alpha Dr.

--------------------------

Stop: 8. Newtown Square Shopping Center

    Clock (arrival): 09:49 AM

    Time (from last stop): 0 hr(s), 5.65 min. (= 0.094 hrs)

    Time (from start): 0 hr(s), 49.31 min. (= 0.822 hrs)

    Distance(from last stop): 4.1 mile(s)

    Distance(from start): 13.9 mile(s)

    Clock (depart): 09:54 AM

--------------------------

    Go southwest, 270 ft,  on Alpha Dr.

    Turn left, go southeast, 1.6 mile(s),  on State Rte 252.

    Turn left, go northeast, 0.3 mile(s),  on Timber Lake Dr.

--------------------------

Stop: 9. Delaware County Community College

    Clock (arrival): 09:57 AM

    Time (from last stop): 0 hr(s), 2.82 min. (= 0.047 hrs)

    Time (from start): 0 hr(s), 57.13 min. (= 0.952 hrs)

    Distance(from last stop): 1.9 mile(s)

    Distance(from start): 15.9 mile(s)

    Clock (depart): 10:02 AM

--------------------------

    Go west, 0.3 mile(s),  on Timber Lake Dr.

    Turn left, go southeast, 1.9 mile(s),  on State Rte 252.

    Turn right, go southwest, 2.0 mile(s),  on US Hwy 1.

    Slight turn right, go southwest, 0.7 mile(s),  on Baltimore Pike.

--------------------------

Stop: 10. Granite Run Mall

    Clock (arrival): 10:08 AM

    Time (from last stop): 0 hr(s), 6.11 min. (= 0.102 hrs)

    Time (from start): 1 hr(s), 8.24 min. (= 1.137 hrs)

    Distance(from last stop): 4.9 mile(s)

    Distance(from start): 20.8 mile(s)

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Clock (final): 10:08 AM

Total Distance: 20.8 mile(s)

Total Drive Time: 0 hr(s), 28.24 min. (= 0.471 hrs)

Total Visit Time: 0 hr(s), 40.00 min. (= 0.667 hrs)

Total Time: 1 hr(s), 8.24 min. (= 1.137 hrs)

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Adding Scheduled Deviations to a Fixed Route


Once demand trip requests are entered into PtMS, they can be efficiently added to existing trip schedules using the PtMS Interactive Scheduler.

 

 

 

 

When you click on a trip in the Trips to be Scheduled window, it automatically does a “trial” schedule of the trip on every vehicle in the list.   The impact of adding the trip to vehicle’s schedule is measured in terms of added vehicle miles and travel minutes. 

 

In this example we click on the demand trip for Thomas Jefferson and the Interactive Scheduler instantly displays the results for scheduling this trip on every vehicle in the vehicle list. 

 


This new trip is 2.0 miles door to door.  However, it will only add 4/10 mile to the Deviated Fixed Route because the client’s destination is already on the route. 

 

 

 

 


Right click on the fixed route in the Vehicle List to add the trip to the schedule.

 

 

 

The demand trip is now a part of the deviated fixed route F1A for Monday 05/11/09.

 

 

 

 

 

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