Optibus > Case Studies > Optimizing Public Transportation Amid Driver Shortages: A Case Study on Western Reserve Transit Authority (WRTA)

Optimizing Public Transportation Amid Driver Shortages: A Case Study on Western Reserve Transit Authority (WRTA)

Technology Category

Functional Applications - Transportation Management Systems (TMS)
Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Application Development Platforms

Applicable Industries

Automotive
Transportation

Applicable Functions

Logistics & Transportation
Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Driver Performance Monitoring
Public Transportation Management

Services

Testing & Certification

About The Customer

The Western Reserve Transit Authority (WRTA) is a public transportation agency serving the greater Youngstown, Ohio area. The agency operates thirty scheduled bus routes and caters to over one million annual passengers. WRTA plays a crucial role in the community, with 48% of its riders relying on its services to get to their jobs and 69% of riders not owning cars. The agency was facing a significant driver shortage, leading to service cancellations, delays, and increased pressure on drivers, agencies, and operators. Despite these challenges, WRTA was committed to maintaining its services and optimizing its operations.

The Challenge

The Western Reserve Transit Authority (WRTA), a public transportation agency in the greater Youngstown, Ohio area, was grappling with a significant driver shortage. This led to large-scale service cancellations, delays, and increased pressure on drivers, agencies, and operators. The agency, which operates thirty bus routes and serves over one million annual passengers, was struggling to maintain its services. The situation was further complicated by the fact that a significant portion of their ridership, 48% use WRTA to commute to their jobs and 69% do not own cars. The challenge was to manage the driver shortage without compromising the quality of service, while also optimizing their budget and improving the quality of drivers' work shifts.

The Solution

To address the driver shortage and its associated challenges, WRTA turned to Optibus' planning and scheduling modules. The agency used Optibus' Multiple Scenario Creation to create a valid weekday run cut with no part-time runs, a 17% reduction in average split duration, and nearly identical service levels. This allowed WRTA to customize runs to meet drivers' preferences while reducing runs, maintaining peak services, and minimizing splits. Optibus also made it easy for WRTA to perform accurate spread premiums and other calculations per their union contract. Furthermore, WRTA switched from using two separate systems for planning and scheduling to Optibus' comprehensive, end-to-end platform. This move simplified route planning and calculations, saving the agency significant time in the planning process.

Operational Impact

The implementation of Optibus' planning and scheduling modules led to several operational improvements for WRTA. The agency was able to customize runs to meet drivers' preferences, which improved driver relationships and reduced call-outs and complaints. This was particularly important during a driver shortage. The ability to perform accurate spread premiums and other calculations per their union contract also made operations smoother. Furthermore, the switch to Optibus' comprehensive platform eliminated WRTA's data migration issues, making route planning and calculations simpler and faster. The agency was able to maintain its service levels despite the driver shortage, ensuring that it continued to serve its community effectively.

Quantitative Benefit

Reduced runs by 12% over the course of half a year, eliminating the need for part-time runs.
Reduced average split duration by 17%.
Saved significant time in the planning process by switching to Optibus' comprehensive, end-to-end platform.