DESCRIPTION DOCUMENT (Short Form)
INDEX
1 BRIEF SOFTWARE DESCRIPTION
1.1 Modes of Operation
1.2 Environment
2 MODULES
3 SCHEDULING PARAMETERS
4 USER INTERFACE
5 LICENSE COST (Prices)
5.1 Basic Package
5.2 Note:
6 MINIMUM CONFIGURATION AND SYSTEM INTEGRATION
7 FREE DEMO
8 FILE FORMATS
8.1 Trip List, ASCII input file (schedule.trp), option 1 (VB6 to VB2010)
1 BRIEF SOFTWARE DESCRIPTION
This Scheduling-Routing system consists of a set of modules (Software Tools) that can be used to generate vehicle scheduling and vehicle routing of any Demand Responsive Transportation Fleet. Typical applications are: Paratransit, Taxis, Ambulances, Couriers, Utility Companies, freight and any other Goods Pickup and Distribution fleets.
In the simplest implementation the client only has to produce a trip list and a vehicle list with the formats specified later in this document. The program will read both data lists and will automatically generate a vehicle schedule.
The objective of the optimizing function is to maximize the number of passengers served (goods transported) at minimum cost. The cost is a combined function of garage pullout cost, vehicle mileage, travel time, and level of service. Level of service is determined by trip time tolerances and passenger travel time (or goods travel time).
The distance calculation method may be Point to Point, Triangulation or actual Routing through the street network or road network. The most effective method is usually decided by a compromise between accuracy, computing power, staff resources, operation efficiency and cost.
1.1 Modes of Operation
The system can run both in MANUAL and AUTOMATIC modes.
In MANUAL mode the system does all the calculations associated with scheduling and routing a trip, presents the dispatcher with a summary of the calculations, the list of vehicles that can take the trip, the possible pickup/dropoff times, the impact on the existing schedule and let the dispatcher make the final decision as to which vehicle is assigned to the trip. A full fleet schedule can be built in manual mode if so desired.
In AUTOMATIC mode it does all of the above and the final vehicle assignment without operator's intervention.
For large properties dealing with multiple fleets a combined and coordinated vehicle schedule can be produced for all fleets. Up to 5 different fleets are allowed although the number of fleets can be increased if required. Trips can be targeted to specific fleets: for instance,
the school bus fleet,
the paratransit van fleet,
the taxi fleet,
The truck fleet
the volunteer fleet, etc.
Trips can be targeted to specific vehicles of one fleet, or vehicles of two or more fleets.
Priority between fleets can also be established. For instance, do not consider the taxi fleet unless the trip cannot go in the van fleet or the volunteer fleet. This is important when travel costs are different for different fleets.
2 ENVIRONMENT
The system runs in the Windows environment. It is of modular design and can be interfaced to almost any other Windows application. Oracle, Ms Access, Informix, SQL Server, etc.
2 MODULES
This software is packaged into several optional modules which give the operator a complete set of tools to carry out different operation functions such as: dynamic re-scheduling, trip insertion and cancellation after the vehicles are on route, declare failed vehicles out of service and dynamically re-schedule their load to other vehicles in the vicinity, etc.
In order to keep this description as short as possible only a small fraction of its functionality is described here. If there are any technical questions please send us a note to: info@saprasol.com.
There is enough modularity built into the system to allow different dispatchers to work simultaneously on the same schedule or in different schedules without mutual interference.
There is no requirement to have a minimum hardware configuration, or a network, or to have a machine specifically dedicated to be a scheduling server. Any module or modules can run on a
single machine or several machines across the network. At least one machine is required, preferably a minimum of 1Gig RAM, 1Ghz CPU, and 1 Gig free hard disk space.
3 SCHEDULING PARAMETERS
The following outlines some of the user controlled parameters. The user may specify any, or a combination of any of the following parameters:
4 USER INTERFACE
This software has been designed under the assumption that it will be running in the background as a COM component or DLL. As such, it does not exhibit a user´s interface. However, there are very significant developmental cost savings to be realized by allowing the client to keep his current user interface and existing applications as well as the existing operating rules and work methods. As a windows server it will run with any windows application and will respond to the scheduling or routing calls from the client's interface.
5 LICENSE COST (Prices)
The acquisition cost is based on a one time license fee for a specific client/site. The software can be installed without restriction in multiple computers provided it is used for the licensed client/site. The following are our current promotional prices for a standard site, for a “Batch Module”without customization, for different fleet sizes, and for markets in Europe, Asia and Africa.
5.1 Basic Package
For a property, or site, that does not have demand trips all is needed is a Batch Module. A typical example would be school buses. For licensing purposes a standard site is a geographical area of approx.
100 Kms x 100 Kms or 10000 square Kms.
The license fee for a standard site is calculated according to the following formula:
$59 per vehicle for every vehicle up to 20, plus
$49 per vehicle for every vehicle over 20
For fleets with less than 10 vehicles there is a minimum charge of $590.00. Included in the price are free updates for a year and 2 to 4 hours of free technical support depending on fleet size. Additional technical support and consulting services can also be arranged.
5.2 Note:
The vehicles that you count for licensing purposes are only those needed to make a schedule. Unused vehicles are not counted for licensing purposes. For example, a site with 200 vehicles in the garage but it only requires 20 vehicles to schedule a "daily trip load" would only buy a 20 vehicle license.
6 MINIMUM CONFIGURATION AND SYSTEM INTEGRATION
Everything has been kept as plain and simple as possible. Some of the modules are optional. In order to create a routed schedule all is really required, as a minimum, is a Batch Module. The Batch Module will execute and produce a coordinated vehicle schedule for single or multiple fleets even without a user's interface provided the user can create the 2 files described below:
1) A geo-coded trip list: “schedule.trp”. The format for this file is indicated below at the end of this document under the heading “Trip List, ASCII input file…”. A sample file can also be downloaded from this link: http://www.saprasol.com/schedule.trp
2) A list of vehicles available for service indicating their load capacities, operating hours and other general scheduling parameters “schedule.ini”. A sample file can be downloaded from this link: http://www.saprasol.com/schedule.ini This file can only be displayed or modified with our free program “default2.exe”
To accelerate the initial setup you can use our free program “default2.exe” to create or modify your vehicle list “schedule.ini”. The program is available at: http://www.saprasol.com/default2.exe
The program default directory is set at “c:\schsvr08”. It is recommended to download the program and the input files to this directory. Your computer must have the “.NET framework 2.0” or better installed. Normally Windows Vista and Windows 7 come with the “.NET framework 2.0” installed.
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7 FREE DEMO
Our company is prepared to provide a free demo of our software and some pre-sale technical support without cost. This software supports a multitude of functions (some simple, some complex) which are normally used during a day of operation by a transportation provider in order to manage his/her fleet and run an efficient operation and on time. Our demo has been kept as simple as possible and is about creating an automatic fleet schedule from a simple trip list and a simple vehicle list. However, our software is not intended for the totally un-experienced computer user and we do not have unlimited resources to provide an unlimited number of demos and unlimited free technical support.
A prospective user that requests a free demo for his location and his real trip data should prove that he/she is serious about it and have some basic computer skills and resources by including with his/her request a simple trip list with 50 to 100 trips and according to the file input format shown below. You can send it to info@saprasol.com. We will be glad to review your trip list to make sure the format is correct. We will return it to you along with the real demonstration program. In order to keep the demo independent from your current applications the trip list can be created as an ASCII file with any text editor or as *.csv file with MS Excel.
You may also see a sample of some of the scheduling functions supported by the software by downloading and extracting this dummy program demo.zip and all its sample data files to the default directory “c:\schsvr08”. The program is available at: http://www.saprasol.com/demo.zip
One of the standard file specifications currently supported by the scheduling server is shown below.
8 FILE FORMATS
8.1 Trip List, ASCII input file (schedule.trp), option 1 (VB6 to VB2010)
A trip is specified by 2 consecutive lines in the file. The pickup line and the dropoff line. The pickup line consists of a data fields related to the trip pickup point and the dropoff line consists of data fields related to the trip dropoff point. Trips can be in any order as long as the pickup line and corresponding droppoff line are consecutive. All fields must be separated by spaces or commas. String values must be included in quotation marks.
Pickup line:
on board factor, default value=0
early tolerance, default value=0
late tolerance, default value=0
number of wheelchairs
number of ambulatory passengers
number of stretchers
requested pickup time, military format
load time, in minutes
longitude, no decimal point
latitude, no decimal point
passengerID as string * 12
street As String * 24
prior As String * 8 'fleet priority , default value="0000000˙"
onoff As String * 32 'vehicle code, default value="˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙"
Dropoff line:
Your unique record number, default value=0
early tolerance, default value=0
late tolerance, default value=0
number of wheelchairs, reserved and must be set =0
number of ambulatory passengers, reserved and must be set =0
number of stretchers, reserved and must be set =0
requested drop off time, military format
unload time in minutes
longitude
latitude
passengerID as string * 12, reserved and must be set = "000000000000"
street As String * 24
prior As String * 8 'trip priority, defaultvalue="00001000"
onoff As String * 32 'vehicle code, default value="˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙"
*************************************************************
End of file spec
If the trip is specified with a pickup time the dropoff time does not have to be specified and can be set=0. Similarly if the dropoff time is specified the pickup time does not have to be specified and can be set=0. There are some circumstances when it is desirable to specify both the pickup time and the dropoff time but not for the demo. For simplicity, where default values have been identified the same default values can be used for all the trips.Longitude and latitude values should be replaced by those of your geographical location. For information purposes, here is below what a schedule.trp file (a sample trip list) with a single trip specified looks like: -
0,0,0,0,1,0,956,2,-106428379,52103122,"Trip 10001","P Address of 10001","0000000˙","˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙"
0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,-106725940,52171702,"000000000000","D Address of 10001","n0001000","˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙"