Testimonials
“Easier than we thought possible. We haven’t regretted a day of it.”
“Our transit agency was hesitant to switch to PCTrans. We made an attempt to implement an expensive system that does automatic assignment of trips to routes, but it was extremely difficult to modify to a smaller, rural system, like we are. It was not user-friendly and we constantly “lost” routes in the middle of the day. So we went back to our old method and planned to continue our manual processes.
However, that all changed after we visited a site using PCTrans. As an administrator, I was excited to see the accuracy, time savings, data collection and all that PCTrans could do for our system. One problem, the dispatchers weren’t convinced. We implemented PCTrans into our scheduled routes, but not the on-demand side. At our first PC Trans conference, the dispatch team was able to talk with other dispatchers who had “been there, done that” with paper tracking. When the conference was done, they gave ME the deadline and I had to make things happen by then.
Overall, implementing PCTrans was easier than we thought possible. We haven’t regretted a day of it, and we cannot imagine going back to pen & paper ever again. The PCTrans staff are always willing to listen to concerns and answer emails, even at 11pm on a Saturday evening! If you haven’t considered PCTrans before this, don’t waste another minute. It is worth far more than any extra work that you have to put into it in the beginning. Thank you for making us more efficient, more dependable and more organized with PC Trans.
Billi Edmonds, General Manager
Prell Services LLC
Management Company for Thunder Bay Transportation Authority
“PC Trans puts customers first”
“Since going live in 2003, the PCTrans software and service just keeps getting better and better. From the beginning, the PCTrans staff took our suggestions and used them to enhance an already superior product.
Some enhancements that stand out in my mind include: location maps, MDOT reports with one computer click, and warnings for dispatchers when seating and/or wheelchair capacity is reached, or when a ride has not yet been assigned to a bus or route. These are just a few of the enhancements that came directly from us and other PCTrans users.
The annual PCTrans Users Conference is a great opportunity for our dispatchers and me to compare notes with our colleagues and to brainstorm new ideas. We also find out how other transit agencies use the software to its best advantage. We get a lot accomplished in a 24-hour period.
All in all, PCTrans is the best vendor we’ve ever had. I highly recommend that you give them a try. You won’t regret it!”
Lawrence S. Alpert, Executive Director
Shiawassee Area Transportation Agency (SATA)
“With PCTrans we increased passengers per hour and decreased expenses.”
“Both Doug {Britz, Director of LETS} and I are numbers and stats people …..we have a great team all striving to make L.E.T.S. the most efficient, successful and safest transit agency. PCTrans has made this possible! Since going live with PC Trans, LETS has increased their passengers per vehicle hour by 24% and at the same time has decreased eligible expenses by 9%.
Katrina Maxwell, LETS operations manager
“PC Trans simplified our process and delivered real results.”
“In the past, Bay Metro Transit used a computerized map-based program to assist with the scheduling of demand response [dial-a-ride] service in Bay County. We had many problems with the program and when time came to replace it, staff made the decision to look for something more simple, less costly, and, hopefully, more reliable. We feel that we accomplished our goals with the acquisition of the PCTrans program.”
PCTrans simplified our process and delivered real results. We have seen significant improvement since implementing the PCTrans system. From 2005 to 2007, the county wide dial-a-ride system provided rides for 7,000 more riders [+13%], scheduled 3,000 fewer driver hours [-9%], with demand response vehicles traveling 18,000 fewer miles [-3%].
Mike Stoner, General Manager,
Bay Metro
“The efficiency gained through PC Trans allows us to provide better service to our passengers…”
Previously, all scheduling was done manually with day before call in necessary. Now, dispatchers are able to view the driver’s routes as live and changeable to better serve our passengers. Scheduling the trip while the passenger is on the phone eliminates the need for them to call back to get a pickup time, thus reducing repeat phone calls and leaving the lines available for more passengers. We have been able to continue to increase ridership by an average of 7% with many same day add-ons and decreased ride rejections.
Yet it does not end there. The most wonderful time savings have been administrative with statistics available at the fingertips to print at month end. The passenger counts are no longer manually counted from handwritten, sometimes legible, manifests. The separate recording of vehicle mileages and computing on multiple spreadsheets are replaced by easy to use reports that are ready to print as needed. When we had a special need for invoicing, one phone call changed the driver check in and the invoicing is automatically calculated for “actual time” billing.”
The efficiency gained through PCTrans also allows us to provide better service to our passengers. For example, riders are benefiting when we locate missing insulin on a vehicle and are able to track the pickup location which led us to the passenger name and phone number for a one time only rider. Our seniors with dementia are able to be coached when they call in and can’t remember their address or phone number or where they go to get their hair done because PCTrans displays that information each time the dispatcher accesses their name to book a trip. The dispatchers are finding more time to interact with office staff, drivers are working the check-in, bookkeeper’s invoicing is much more efficient, and management loves the wide flexibility in reporting. All in all, a success!
Dawn Benson, Operations Supervisor
Clinton Area Transit System (CATS)
Ready to talk about your agency’s specific needs? Contact us today.
