How Transit Scheduling Can Help Dispatch & Drivers

In a time of next-day delivery, ridesharing apps, and Google Street View, customers have high expectations not only of a service provider’s digital tools but also of their ability to deliver the responsive and personalized experience they deserve. And when it comes to their daily commute, transportation to and from doctor’s appointments, or running necessary errands, the need for visibility is even more important.

That’s where having the right transit scheduling software for your dispatchers and drivers can be a real differentiator for your users. Not only does first-class software help your customers stay informed, but it also delivers a host of benefits for your drivers and operations.

What can the right transit scheduling technology do for your business? Discover how it can help dispatchers and drivers alike in their efforts to provide top-notch service.

How Technology Changes the Game for Drivers and Dispatchers

When it comes to running efficient operations and delivering for your customers, data truly is king. And transit scheduling technology is designed to do exactly that: Give your schedulers, drivers, operations managers, and customers the real-time data they need when they need it.

Armed with that information, transit scheduling technology can:

Empower dispatchers and drivers to be more proactive. 

Forget about inefficient, bulky, and manually driven spreadsheets. Modern dispatching solutions give dispatchers and drivers the information they need to make real-time routing and scheduling decisions, pivot their plans in the event of an issue or traffic delays, and respond precisely to questions from customers.

Even better? All this data is supplied automatically, allowing drivers and dispatchers to focus on what matters most: providing safe, reliable service.

Allow drivers to check on driver status.

More of our personal and professional lives are shifting to mobile devices. That’s why enabling customers to check on driver and route statuses from the device in the palm of their hand can be a make-or-break move for retaining riders.

In fact, industry-leading transit scheduling software allows riders to see exactly where a vehicle is, know when it is expected to arrive, and even deliver customizable notifications to help them better prepare for their trip.

Spotlight: Ecolane Mobile App

Take customer service to the next level by giving customers the ability to proactively schedule—and, more importantly, cancel—their own trips via the Ecolane mobile app. When changes are made, the technology reroutes drivers in real time and optimizes agency resources.

The app empowers riders and agencies to communicate and coordinate with one another, but it doesn’t do it alone. You can also deliver important service messages and on-the-way notifications via SMS messages or schedule interactive voice response calls to remind passengers of their trips the night before—complete with the option to cancel.

Whether you’re serving one customer or dozens, Ecolane’s transit scheduling software provides responsiveness—allowing riders to interact directly with the service schedule—without bogging down dispatchers or drivers.

Streamline route management to increase responsiveness. 

The last thing riders, drivers, and dispatchers want is a figurative bump in the road—in addition to the real ones during travel—to throw off their plans. However, because they’re bound to see a few curveballs, transit scheduling software can make pivoting to new plans faster and communicating updates easier. 

The best systems automatically update driver schedules based on weather conditions, traffic congestion, and out-of-service calls. Ecolane does this and then some, providing the information drivers and riders need in the palm of their hands. The technology uses data from driver tablets to make real-time dispatching decisions, flexing to reroute trips when vehicles need to be taken out of service and minimizing schedule disruption.

The result?

No more time-consuming manual scheduling, tight schedules, or long gaps between appointments. Instead, get more on-time arrivals and better customer experience.

Elevate Your Transit Scheduling Software

No two transportation organizations are the same, but the need to provide reliable, safe, and efficient service is universal. Transit scheduling technology from Ecolane delivers these basics but also does so much more. From saving hours of dispatcher and driver time on routing to providing the real-time updates riders want and expect, the right solution is in front of you. Now is the time to upgrade your scheduling technology.

Ready to learn more about how Ecolane’s solutions can make your agency more efficient? Get in touch to request a personalized demo with an Ecolane expert now!