Keeping on schedule means keeping participants safe, satisfied and happy. Providing excellent service is the mandate and state requirement of every NEMT provider. So how can we work together to create a better system and keep the vehicles running on time? One of the key signs that automated non-emergency medical transportation software is needed is when service begins to fall short. When your call center gets overrun with demands for knowing “where my ride” is, this can be a sign that schedulers and dispatchers are in need of better tools for routing and time management.
The pickup time for return rides is often unknown until the passenger calls and says that they have finished and are ready to return home. Automated scheduling software should have functionality to efficiently process these “will call” trips and schedule them to the most appropriate vehicle’s route. In some operations up to 50% of their trips fall into this category, so it represents a critical portion of your trip volume. Scheduling software, which does not allow re-scheduling and routing of trips on the day of service, fails to take into account the reality of daily operations.
Isolating the Areas of Inefficiency
Before a remedy can be chosen, a provider must discover where the problems lie. Examine your current system and take note of the number of complaints you receive as well as how many scheduled trips run late. One of the main reasons why a return ride can run late is because of unexpected and unforeseen events. How flexible is your current routing system? Can it adapt to changes due to:
- Traffic congestion
- Canceled trips
- Unique participant requests and special needs
- Weather or construction delays
- Vehicle breakdowns
- Unscheduled breaks
Once you’ve identified the weak link in your logistical chain, talk to a TripSpark Product Manager to learn more about an affordable solution. Our NEMT software products can be scaled to fit and enable any transit agency. No matter the size of a operation, scheduling and efficiency always matter.
How NEMT Software Improves Service
Dispatchers and schedulers can now have a real time view into operations on the street. Notifications and alerts are created by the NEMT software system to immediately enable the dispatcher to address the unexpected. Rather than having to shift routes around in their mind or on paper, dispatchers have the power to oversee and adjust routes right on their computer screens. For return rides, where the pickup time is known, the trip is built into the schedule and automatically updated depending on incoming data. This can help to cooridinate return rides for multiple riders simultaneously. For will call trips, as soon as the passenger requests a pickup, a time is established and the trip is scheduled. If a vehicle is running late or off its assigned route, dispatchers can alert the driver or move trips to another vehicle to get the driver back on schedule.
The Power to See Into the Future
With the in-vehicle technology component, dispatchers can monitor the location of each vehicle and the status of every ride. The constant stream of data can be analyzed in order to anticipate problems before they arise. As well, keeping participants updated with the ETA of their return rides is easy due to the CAD/AVL. This allows them the security of knowing they haven’t been forgotten and that their return ride can be anticipated. The future is unpredictable enough. The flexibility of NEMT software automation absorbs much of the risk.
Start optimizing today by analyzing your current service offering. Then contact us to learn more about the type and scope of products we deliver that can help you with your specific scheduling needs.
