Title
Amend Scheduling/Dispatch Software Agreement to Include Additional Peak Vehicle Licenses (Ordinance S-46141)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to enter into a contract change order to Agreement 98517 with GIRO to increase the total number of peak vehicle licenses as part of the HASTUS scheduling/dispatch software system from 700 units to 800 units. Further request authorization for the City Controller to disburse funds in an amount not to exceed $121,660.
Report
Summary
The Public Transit Department (PTD), regional partners, and transit operations contractors currently utilize the GIRO-HASTUS software program for various transit planning and operations functions. HASTUS is the scheduling and dispatch system used by the PTD and the Regional Public Transportation Authority (RPTA) for creating bus and rail routes and schedules, performing multi-modal transit service planning, and managing bus operations. The PTD has been using the HASTUS proprietary scheduling software since 2001. As transit-scheduling software, HASTUS enables regional transit planners and schedulers to create bus and rail schedules and plan region-wide transit services. Transit schedules created in HASTUS are then imported into the Computer Aided Dispatch and Automatic Vehicle Locator (CAD/AVL) system on buses, whereby bus operators use the integrated system information to operate transit services. Regional planning staff also use the system to analyze bus service data and plan for future service improvements.
Transit operations contractors, operating from the region’s transit garages, use the HASTUS system to manage their daily bus operations and work assignments. The software provides transit operations contractors with the following functionality:
- Operator check-in/check-out process at dispatch;
- Creation of operator work schedules;
- Management of bus assignments;
- Ability for operator bidding on work schedules; and
- Payroll generation using operator assignments and shift data.
The HASTUS scheduling software is a critical component of transit service planning, scheduling, and management; it provides critical information into the CAD/AVL system, which in turn provides information to the fare collection system. The fare collection system further enables the City to collect transit fares and track bus ridership for the region. Transit operations, planning, and contractor staff rely on this information to ensure efficient service planning and delivery to our passengers.
Licensing for HASTUS is based on the number of peak vehicles used in the region, and the PTD and its partners plan on using more than the currently stipulated number of licensed peak vehicles (700). The PTD requests to increase the number of available licenses to accommodate the regional transit fleet, while also planning for future fleet expansion. The next available level of peak licensing is 800 vehicles, which will meet the department’s and region’s fleet needs over the next several years. The PTD uses an existing Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Valley Metro/RPTA to recover vehicle software license and maintenance costs.
This item has been reviewed and approved by the Information Technology Services Department.
Financial Impact
This change in the License and Services Agreement is a one-time payment, and the total amount of this change order will not exceed $121,660. Funds are available in the PTD's operating budget using Transportation 2050 funds.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
Agreement 98517 was originally approved by Council on Feb. 21, 2001.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Mario Paniagua and the Public Transit Department.