Gadabout to increase efficiency with new technology

Gadabout, a transportation service for older and disabled Tompkins County residents, is in the final stages of its Transit Technology Project, which is set to increase the efficiency of its operations. The project, scheduled for completion by early next year, will provide a new scheduling platform for drivers and equip each driver with tablets on the buses to be used for GPS tracking, accurate directions and direct access to drivers’ schedules for any changes.

Gadabout’s Transit Technology Project began back in 2017 when staff realized that Gadabout was greatly in need of a new scheduling platform, as Executive Director Kristen Wells explained.

“The one that we have right now was purchased outright about 20 years ago,” she said. “That’s pretty unheard of, to have software that’s purchased outright anymore. Everyone leases their software. So, we’re running software that is outdated. It’s still functioning, keeping our fingers crossed. And there’s better technology now than there was 20 years ago to increase efficiency with our system and to provide a better service for our riders.”

In addition to being outdated, the current scheduling platform is very manual, as Wells described. Rides get put into the system at least a day prior to the scheduled trip, and schedulers have to manually click and drag all the trips — usually anywhere from 200 to 240 per day — into columns according to drivers’ routes. And that’s on top of the many other factors that have to be considered when scheduling like a rider’s location in the county, whether they are being driven to an appointment and how long that appointment is.

Another big focus of the Transit Technology Project is the new tablets, with an especially beneficial feature being the GPS tracking.

“The scheduling platform was first and foremost, but we really wanted GPS on our buses,” Wells said. “Our dispatcher works off of a copy of the drivers’ manifest for the day. So, … my dispatcher has to look at the time and say, ‘OK, it’s about 10 o’clock, this driver should be around this place at the moment.’ … So, having GPS on the buses, and to be able to look at a screen and see where they are, is going to be huge.”

The tablets’ turn-by-turn directions for drivers will also be a big efficiency boost for Gadabout operations, Wells said.

“Right now, our drivers will have to radio and say, ‘Hey, where’s 123 Smith St.? Has anybody picked up here before?’” she said. “So, you’ll hear a lot of chatter on the radio amongst the drivers trying to find out, ‘oh, it’s the blue house on the right, second from the intersection.’ So, it’s great to hear them work together, but it’s not really efficient. To be able to put a GPS marker on the person’s house, the driver is going to have turn-by-turn directions within a matter of 50 feet for the pickup location.”

With more efficient scheduling and navigation comes more reliability for riders, Wells said. Another perk of the Transit Development Plan for riders is a new client notification system that will automatically notify riders the day before for their pickup times. Wells said that this system — which would be an opt-in service for riders — could help significantly cut down on the number of same-day cancellations Gadabout experiences as well as help riders better prepare for pickup and drop-off.

“The combination of the GPS and having the screen to view those cancellations and blocks of times when drivers are free will be better for our riders if they need longer at the doctor’s office, or even [to] accommodate some same-day trips,” Wells said. “Same-day service is not something we currently offer, and it’s really needed in the community.”

While it’s been a long journey to get to this point, Wells said it’s been worth it.

“The statistics for failure in technology for transit is immense,” she said. “We wanted to make sure that we were doing it right. We want to make sure that we are getting a product that will meet our needs and just not buy one off the shelf. There are a lot of products out there that you can buy off the shelf, and the vendors really don’t want to work with the transit agencies to customize them to make them their own.”

Wells said Gadabout hopes to have the new system and tablets in place by February of next year. In the meantime, Wells said she’s received lots of support from staff about the incoming improvements.

“Buy-in is huge when you have a new product like this coming on, and I think that the staff is excited to see what it’s going to bring,” she said. “Drivers are looking forward to the turn-by-turn directions, having more control in the vehicle of their schedule, … and instead of having to pick up the mic and radio in, it’s a simple one click on the tablet.”

Though many riders also expressed their appreciation for Gadabout’s efforts, Wells said she’s heard that some riders were a bit apprehensive about some of the changes, particularly the notification system. Some riders, especially those in the older population, struggle with new technology, so using a new system like that can be difficult. But Wells said she and other staff members anticipated that hurdle.

“We wanted to make sure that we’re still going to be offering the service where people can call in and book their rides, and you’re still going to talk to a human being,” she said. “Really, the automated call service will benefit the clients, but if for some reason somebody does not want to opt into that, they don’t have to.”

While these changes are set to greatly benefit Gadabout, the transportation service is still grappling with plenty of challenges, many caused by the pandemic. Ridership has picked back up, bringing numbers much closer to pre-pandemic levels, but Gadabout is experiencing a significant driver shortage.

“We’re doing the best to meet the demand for rides,” Wells said. “However, like everyone else, we’re hiring. It seems everyone’s short staffed these days and trying to do more with less. So, we’re trying to accommodate the rides as best we can.”

As far as the pandemic is concerned, recent increases in COVID-19 cases in the county have caused some anxiety to return for drivers and riders alike, but Gadabout’s consistent safety precautions have helped put many at ease. For example, everyone, drivers and riders, has to wear a mask while on board, and buses are routinely sanitized.

Though Gadabout won’t transport those who are experiencing COVID-19-like symptoms, Wells said they will continue to provide free transportation to any resident, regardless of age, to Tompkins County COVID-19 vaccination sites. For more information about Gadabout and the services it offers, visit its website at gadaboutbus.org or call (607) 273-1878.