In demand-responsive transport (DRT) and Dial-a-Ride services, efficiency and accuracy are critical to smooth operations.
Transport operators, whether small community services or larger organisations, must handle many bookings while ensuring minimal schedule disruptions. Manual entry and scheduling have been the go-to method for many years.
Some software solutions came along, but they still required the admin team to work out the pickup and drop-off times manually. In essence, spreadsheets with poorly designed user interfaces and not much happening behind the scenes.
But then Road XS arrived with its DRT solution in early 2024, and the landscape has transformed dramatically.
How Much Time Road XS will Save You With Just 10 Passengers per Day
Time saved per day: 3 hours
Time saved per week: 18 hours
Time saved per month (4 weeks): 72 hours
Time saved per year (52 weeks): 39 days
How Much Time Road XS will Save You With Just 25 Passengers per Day
Time saved per day: 7.5 hours
Time saved per week: 45 hours
Time saved per month (4 weeks): 180 hours
Time saved per year (52 weeks): 2340 days
The Manual Booking Process
Let’s first examine what manual entry involves when booking a DRT or Dial-a-Ride service for one passenger.
The process typically follows these steps:
- 1) Receiving the Booking Request:
An operator from the transport team takes down the passenger’s name, requested pickup and drop-off locations, and the time they wish to travel (which might include an arrival time). - 2) Calculating the Route and Travel Time:
The operator then uses Google Maps or another tool to estimate the travel time between the pickup and drop-off points. This depends on traffic, the route taken, and other factors subject to change. - 3) Providing a Pickup Time:
Based on the estimated travel time, the operator then calculates a potential pickup time to ensure the passenger arrives at their destination as close to their requested time as possible. - 4) Checking Vehicle Availability:
The operator then needs to check whether the chosen vehicle has enough capacity for the passenger. If not, they must go back to step two and find an alternative time or route to re-doing the above. - 5) Follow-Up Communication:
If the admin needs to adjust the time or vehicle, they must contact the passenger to confirm any changes. - 6) Handling Cancellations and Rebookings:
If a passenger cancels or there’s any disruption, the admin has to rework the entire schedule to accommodate new passengers or fill gaps created by cancellations. - 7) Vehicle Allocation:
The admin must determine which vehicle the passenger will use based on availability, vehicle size, or other requirements.
Time Taken
- For each passenger, this manual process can take 20 minutes on average.
- For a transport team handling 10 passengers daily, that’s 200 minutes per day (or 3 hours and 20 minutes), which adds up to 20 hours per week.
The Road XS Process
Road XS transforms this complex process. The software automates much of the work (entirely if passengers book themselves using an app).
Let’s take a look at how Road XS simplifies the booking process:
- 1) Entering the Booking Details:
The operator enters the booking details, selects the passenger name, enters the arrival or pickup time of the journey, where they will go, and whether they are booking a return, in-only or return-only. - 2) Instant Confirmation:
The passengers receive an immediate confirmation of their booking via the app or SMS, removing the need for follow-up calls. This happens in less than a second (unless an alternative time is offered, which adds a second to say yes or no). The system has factored in everyone travelling on the day, including maximum vehicle capacities, vehicle speeds, traffic, and the best times to ensure accurate arrival times or pickups (plus a lot more!). - 3) Dynamic Scheduling:
If a passenger cancels, Road XS automatically adjusts the schedule and reoptimizes routes for remaining passengers without any manual intervention.
With Road XS, passengers can book journeys an hour in advance, meaning you can offer an almost immediate service on the day.
Time Taken
- With Road XS, the entire process takes, at worst, just 2 minutes per booking.
- For 10 passengers per day, the admin team spends only 20 minutes per day handling bookings, or 2 hours per week.
Time Saved Per Day, Week, Month and Year
How Much Time Road XS will Save You Booking Just 10 Passengers per Day
Time saved per day: 3 hours
Time saved per week: 18 hours
Time saved per month (4 weeks): 72 hours
Time saved per year (52 weeks): 39 days
Let’s now break down and compare how much time you save using Road XS instead of the manual process and how these numbers accurately reflect reality:
Manual Process:
20 minutes per passenger × 10 passengers per day = 200 minutes per day (3 hours and 20 minutes per day)
Total per week: 20 hours
Road XS Process:
2 minutes per passenger × 10 passengers per day = 20 minutes per day
Total per week: 2 hours
Time saved per day: 3 hours
(200 minutes−20 minutes=180 minutes saved per day (3 hours))
Time saved per week: 18 hours
(20 hours−2 hours=18 hours saved per week)
Time saved per month (4 weeks): 72 hours
(18 hours × 4 = 72 hours saved per month)
Time saved per year (52 weeks): 39 days
(18 hours × 52 = 936 hours saved per year (or about 39 days of continuous time saved)).
Even More Time is Saved with Passenger’s Booking Via an App
The good news with Road XS, is that the transport team don’t have to handle all the bookings. Now, not every passenger (and especially community transport users), are going to be smartphone or tablet users. But for those that are, you can enable passengers to book journeys on themselves. If you offer a public transport service using DRT, then all bookings could potentialy be handled by the passengers themselves.
However, let’s have a look to see what happens if 60% (6/10) of passengers book themselves via the Road XS app; with the operator and admin team not needing to do anything at all:
- Passengers self-booking: 60% of 10 passengers = 6 passengers.
- Admin handles: 4 passengers per day at 2 minutes each = 8 minutes per day.
Time Savings with 60% Self-Booking
- Manual process:
20 minutes per passenger × 10 passengers = 200 minutes per day. - Road XS with 60% self-booking:
4 passengers handled by admin at 2 minutes each = 8 minutes per day.
How Much Time Road XS will Save You with 60% Booking on Themselves
Time saved per day: 3.2 hours
Time saved per week: 19.2 hours
Time saved per month (4 weeks): 76.8 hours
Time saved per year (52 weeks): 41.6 days
This is how that breaks down:
200 minutes − 8 minutes = 192 minutes saved per day (3 hours and 12 minutes)
Time saved per week: 19.2 hours
(192 minutes × 6 days = 1,152 minutes saved per week)
Time saved per month: 76.8 hours
(19.2 hours × 4 weeks) = 76.8 hours
Time saved per year: 41.6 days saved annually
(19.2 hours × 52 weeks = 998.4 hours saved per year)
The True Real-World Benefits of Road XS Software and Technology
If your service still relies on manual calculations, guesswork, and outdated systems, it’s time to embrace the future. As you now know, with Road XS, you can save over two full days a week in operational time.
1. Intelligent Automation: Transforming How You Operate
Gone are the days of juggling spreadsheets or manually calculating routes. Road XS automates every step of the journey-planning process, from the moment a booking is made to the instant the passenger arrives. The intelligent Road xS software considers real-world conditions, optimising routes with pinpoint accuracy.
Whether you’re managing Dial-a-Ride services or demand-responsive transport, Road XS handles complex routes in seconds, ensuring efficiency that would take human hours to calculate.
This automation doesn’t just save time—it eliminates costly mistakes and ensures that your drivers are always on the best possible route, reducing fuel costs and environmental impact. Imagine your team, no longer bogged down by manual tasks, focusing instead on enhancing the customer experience.
Road XS frees up time to invest in growth.
2. Real-World Timings: More Than Just Estimates
Traditional transport software often relies on basic algorithms or manual inputs, leading to inaccurate journey timings. Road XS breaks the mould by using real-world data to ensure your timings are accurate to the minute.
This precision is invaluable when it comes to managing passenger expectations and ensuring punctuality. The days of apologising for delays caused by inaccurate scheduling are over. With Road XS, you’ll always know the exact time your vehicles will arrive and depart.
3. No More Guesswork: True Route Optimisation
While other systems may leave you estimating arrival times or guessing the most efficient routes, Road XS provides true route optimisation.
Whether you’re managing multiple pick-ups or adjusting for last-minute changes, Road XS adapts on the fly, recalculating in real-time based on traffic conditions and other variables. This allows you to provide seamless service, even during peak times.
4. Reduce Your Costs by Streamlining Operations
Road XS isn’t just about saving time—it’s about saving money. By reducing the manual effort needed to run your transport services, your operational team can be smaller, more focused, and more productive.
Plus, because our system is cloud-based, you can manage everything remotely, cutting down on office overheads and providing your team with flexibility. Over time, these efficiencies add up, helping you grow your service without dramatically increasing costs.
5. Seamless Passenger Experience: 24/7 Bookings
With Road XS, your passengers can book their journeys anytime, anywhere. Our passenger portal provides 24/7 booking capabilities, with instant booking confirmation and real-time updates. This means passengers can schedule their journeys on their terms, not yours—improving user satisfaction and increasing ridership.
With fewer incoming phone calls and admin tasks, your team can focus on service delivery while your passengers enjoy a stress-free, transparent booking process.
6. Future-Proofed Technology That Grows with You
One of the most impressive aspects of Road XS is its commitment to continual improvement. Our team is always innovating, pushing updates that enhance your service without disrupting your operations. This means Road XS is not just relevant today, but future-proofed for tomorrow.
7. Enhanced Navigation: Pinpoint Precision
For drivers, Road XS provides an exceptional navigational experience, making sure they never miss a beat. With turn-by-turn directions, real-time updates, and the ability to adjust routes based on conditions, your drivers will always be on time, on track, and on target. This ensures passenger safety, satisfaction, and the smooth running of your service every day.
Why Road XS Is the Future
The time saved by Road XS—over two days a week (for just 10 passengers!)—translates directly into better service delivery, reduced costs, and the ability to grow without the growing pains. But more than that, Road XS is the future of transport software. It empowers you to deliver services that are precise, reliable, and efficient, all while scaling your operations smoothly.
Now is the time to future-proof your services with the power and efficiency of Road XS.
Summary
The difference between Road XS and manual entry is stark.
What used to take hours daily can now be done in a fraction of the time, with far greater accuracy and fewer headaches. By switching to Road XS, you not only save time but also improve the overall efficiency of your transport service, allowing you to focus on what matters—delivering excellent service to your passengers.
With even just up to 60% of passengers booking themselves via the app, the time savings are even more dramatic, reducing the administrative burden to just a few minutes a day.
All of this above is the time saved with just 10 passengers per day. Imagine the time you save with even more passengers travelling per day.
Road XS is a valuable investment. It saves hours, reduces errors, and makes your demand-responsive transport service run like a well-oiled machine.
