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Tahoe Transportation District: Adapting to Changing Conditions with IoT

Technology Category

Functional Applications - Transportation Management Systems (TMS)

Applicable Industries

Automotive
Transportation

Applicable Functions

Logistics & Transportation

Use Cases

Autonomous Transport Systems
Public Transportation Management

About The Customer

The Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) is a rural transit system that serves approximately 50,000 people. The organization operates four bus routes and is known for its nimble operations that adapt to varying seasonal demands. TTD typically holds three bids each year to staff their fixed-route bus network, catering to the winter sports season, summer, and the shoulder season. The organization had been using Remix Planning and Scheduling products to streamline these processes. However, the team faced a significant challenge when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted ridership patterns and led to driver shortages.

The Challenge

The Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) operates a nimble transit system that caters to a varying seasonal demand. This necessitates the organization to hold three bids each year to staff their fixed-route bus network: one for the winter sports season, one for the summer, and one for the shoulder season. The TTD team had been using Remix Planning and Scheduling products to keep these processes smooth. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly changed ridership patterns, leading to driver shortages. Additionally, the agency's dedicated scheduler left the team, leaving the TTD in a challenging situation. The team had to adapt to these changes and continue to provide consistent, high-quality transit service to the 50,000 people they serve, without any full-time schedulers.

The Solution

In response to the challenge, the transit planners at TTD, who had never scheduled a service before, stepped in and utilized the intuitive, powerful Remix interface. They conducted emergency re-bids to adjust for a smaller-than-expected driving pool and optimized their winter and summer bids to different conditions than before. They had to adapt once to a lower bus count and another time to produce rosters that were severable in the event drivers called out. With Remix, none of these bids started from scratch: the planners could build from old schedules, and import new route information directly from Remix Planning. Despite not having a dedicated scheduler, the TTD team was able to block, runcut, and roster each new bid in approximately three weeks’ time.

Operational Impact

Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the departure of their dedicated scheduler, the TTD team was able to adapt and continue providing high-quality transit service. They utilized the Remix interface to conduct emergency re-bids and optimize their winter and summer bids to the changing conditions. The team was able to build from old schedules and import new route information directly from Remix Planning, ensuring a smooth transition. This allowed them to keep up with the changing conditions and continue to offer consistent, high-quality transit service, demonstrating their resilience and adaptability.

Quantitative Benefit

TTD serves approximately 50,000 people
The organization operates four bus routes
Despite challenges, TTD was able to block, runcut, and roster each new bid in approximately three weeks’ time