Reveal helped KCATA improve productivity & reduce total miles driven by 17%
Challenge
KCATA strived to improve productivity and efficiency, enhance the passenger experience, and collect more accurate data and reporting through a comprehensive technology platform.
Solution
The Reveal platform was applied to all areas of the KCATA’s paratransit operation following an initial operations assessment to achieve productivity at levels never experienced by KCATA.
Results
The agency attained greater operational control of their system, closer automated monitoring of their service, and higher customer satisfaction while reducing overall paratransit operating costs by 7%.
Challenge
The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) operates a variety of public transit options throughout the Kansas City region, including local and express routes, demand response, paratransit, bus rapid transit, and vanpool services. With a focus on furthering their mission to coordinate public transit options in a safe, courteous, efficient, and innovative manner, KCATA sought an all-encompassing technology solution that could introduce efficiencies and improve overall customer service levels.
In particular, KCATA wanted improve productivity of its Share-A-Fare (SAF) paratransit service. The SAF fleet is made up of 80 dedicated vehicles and a contracted network of taxi vehicles for overflow service during peak hours, and provides an average of 1,200 trips per day. After working with various vendors and products—including legacy technology—KCATA’s expectations were continuously failed to be met, and the agency came to Reveal for a platform that could help:
- Increase KCATA’s ability to schedule and provide more trips
- Enhance the passenger experience with better on-time performance
- Improve data collection and accuracy
- Introduce better reporting capabilities
Solution
After our initial operations assessment, Reveal studied KCATA's run-cut developed by the agency’s SAF service provider and compared it to actual paratransit demand. We then replaced the route structure, adding software automation to driver schedules for better trip grouping. Additionally, a new driver bid system was implemented for all same-day operations. Reveal’s Workflow application was added to reservations, scheduling, dispatching, and reporting activities to improve productivity to levels never before achieved. Reveal also brought a unique approach to how SAF operates; as Reveal’s Chief Operating Officer Mike Wade stated, “Our integrated approach to providing managed services and a technology platform allows us to execute systems and workflows effectively, inclusive of dedicated staff who provide scheduling and dispatch services for the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority.”
Results
Our turn-key technologies—inclusive of live dispatch services—allowed KCATA to achieve their goals for SAF service. KCATA’s leadership and quality assurance staff were able to leverage Reveal to monitor transportation service closer than ever and have greater operational control of their system, allowing the agency to focus on providing exemplary customer service to the community.
The key benefits Reveal introduced to KCATA include:
- An emphasis on quality customer service with fewer complaints
- 6% increase in ridership, due to better customer service
- GPS-verified productivity of 1.7 rides per revenue hour—a 14% increase
- 17% reduction in total miles
- 31% reduction in deadhead miles
- 7% decrease in overall SAF operational costs
Due to this success, KCATA is exploring the possibility of expanding this new technology model to other transportation agencies throughout the Kansas City region to introduce synergies for the region as a whole.
Testimonial
Choosing to work with the Reveal team was one of the best business decisions of my career. Their leadership team is extremely knowledgeable about how to run a successful transportation company, which results in a more efficient use of taxpayer dollars. Working with a company that will not compromise professionalism or integrity is a trait that allows Reveal to provide candid and frank assessments, based on real data that results in improved service delivery and financial efficiencies. The use of Reveal mixed with their scheduling and dispatch services has allowed our paratransit service productivity to increase from 1.45 to over 1.7 rides per hour and not sacrifice customer service.
Reveal has worked very closely with KCATA leadership, staff, partners, and the community to provide technology tools to improve both the service offering and the cost efficiencies. This is very exciting and seldom seen in our industry.