4 Things Transit Agencies Should Automate Today with Workflows

Imagine a workday where everything runs smoothly, no matter your role in the transit agency. Whether you're an operations manager, eligibility manager, transit administrator or dispatch supervisor, you have full visibility and control. You know exactly when a rider's eligibility is expiring, you can manage driver behavior in real-time with prompt notifications, and you can rest easy knowing riders with too many no-shows are managed according to your cancellation policy. 

That's the promise of Workflows, our robust automation tool designed for paratransit and microtransit agency teams. At Spare, we understand the diverse challenges faced by different roles within transit agencies, and we're excited to introduce Workflows to streamline different areas of your operational processes, enhance visibility, and improve communication across your platform ecosystem. If you're already using Spare Platform, Workflows can seamlessly fit into your existing processes, helping you save time and reduce manual or duplicative work.

Workflows can be applied in many ways, so let’s explore a few critical use-cases that could save your agency time and effort today. 

Automate notifications – a key part of the rider eligibility process

1. Managing expiring eligibility applications

Keeping track of expiring eligibility applications can be a daunting task, leading to potential service interruptions for riders if not managed effectively. In addition, every agency embraces a different approach to these notifications; for example, some agencies prefer to send email or SMS notifications, while others prefer a nicely formatted letter. Understanding there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, Workflow automates notifications for expiring applications, ensuring that both staff and riders are informed well in advance.

Benefits for eligibility and client specialists:

• Proactive Management: Avoid last-minute scrambles by automating reminders and follow-ups for expiring applications.
• Better Rider Experience: Ensure continuous service for riders by managing renewals efficiently.
• Reduced Manual Work: Eliminate the need for staff to manually track and follow up on expiring applications.

When you automate notifications for expiring eligibility applications, you remove the guesswork and stress from managing renewals. By proactively addressing upcoming expirations, you ensure that no rider experiences service interruptions, all while reducing the manual burden on your staff. It’s a simple solution that keeps everything running smoothly, without last-minute scrambles.

Boost efficiency in rider communication

2. Automating Eligibility Determination Letters

One of the most tedious and time-consuming tasks for transit agencies is creating and sending eligibility determination letters. The larger the rider-base, the more exponential these letters grow. Whether it's for new applicants or renewals, this process often involves multiple steps and significant manual effort. With Workflow, agencies can build custom workflows that automate the entire process, from generating the letter to getting it mail-out ready. 

Benefits for eligibility and client specialists:

• Time Savings: Free up staff from repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on more strategic activities.
• Consistency: Ensure that every letter sent is accurate and compliant with regulations.
• Improved Customer Experience: Faster processing times mean that riders receive their determination letters promptly.

By automating eligibility determination letters, eligibility teams can significantly cut down on the time spent handling repetitive administrative tasks. This not only speeds up the entire process for riders but also ensures every letter is accurate and compliant, making your agency more efficient and reliable.

Manage rider suspensions more effectively

3. Automating Custom Cancellation and Suspension Policies

For many transit agencies, dealing with repeated no-shows or riders gaming the system by frequently canceling and rebooking to secure better pickup times can be a major administrative headache. This behavior not only disrupts your operations but also leaves other riders waiting longer for their trips. Keeping track of individual violations and manually enforcing suspension or cancellation policies can be time-consuming, prone to error, and can take valuable resources away from more pressing tasks.

With Spare’s Workflows, this entire process can be automated based on the rules you set, tailored specifically to your agency's unique policies. For instance, you can automatically suspend a rider for three days if they no-show three times within a 14-day period. Or set up a short-term suspension—say, one day—for individuals who cancel and rebook repeatedly to manipulate their pickup times. These custom workflows can enforce your policies consistently, ensuring that staff no longer need to spend hours tracking and managing rider behavior manually.

Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) in Attleboro and Taunton, Massachusetts and Truckee in California implemented Workflows for this use-case and saw significant improvements in their operational efficiency. For example, at GATRA, the team was able to take action on enforcing a ban on a rider who no-showed three or more times in the past 30 days using an automated workflow. Truckee on the other hand, was able to flag and charge a rider a penalty for completing a late cancellation, as per the agency’s policies.

Benefits for agency staff:

• Time Savings: Automating suspensions and bans drastically cuts down on manual tracking and paperwork, freeing up staff to focus on more strategic tasks.
• Consistency and Fairness: Workflows ensure that every rider is treated equally based on your set policies, reducing the chances of errors or biased decision-making.
• Reduced Operational Disruption: By managing repeat offenders automatically, you ensure that your system runs smoothly and other riders experience fewer delays.

When set up correctly, custom cancellation and suspension workflows provide immediate relief from the burden of manual monitoring, while enhancing the overall efficiency of your operations. It’s a small change that can make a big impact on how your agency runs day-to-day.

Take proactive visibility to the next level

4. Real-Time System Alerts for Driver Misbehavior

Managing a fleet of drivers can be challenging, especially when it comes to monitoring behavior and ensuring compliance with policies. Workflow offers dispatch teams real-time alerts for driver misbehavior, such as idling for too long, deviating from routes, or unauthorized stops.

Benefits for dispatchers:

• Enhanced Monitoring: Gain immediate visibility into driver activities, allowing for quick intervention when necessary.
• Improved Safety: Address issues promptly to maintain high safety standards for both drivers and passengers.
• Operational Efficiency: Reduce downtime and ensure that drivers adhere to schedules and routes.

With real-time alerts for driver behavior, you gain instant visibility into your operations, empowering your team to act swiftly when issues arise. This proactive approach enhances safety, minimizes downtime, and ensures drivers stick to their routes, ultimately leading to smoother, more efficient operations. 

A modern approach to managing end-to-end paratransit and microtransit operations

In today's fast-paced transit environment, building transit for the future means embracing automation to streamline operations and improve service quality. Workflows is your partner in achieving these goals, offering a robust set of tools to automate essential workflows, enhance visibility, and improve communication. 

Workflows are designed to be adaptable and easy to manage, providing long-term value without constant oversight. Agencies embrace automation when it’s valuable and straightforward to set-up. 

Workflows is designed with user-friendliness in mind, ensuring a smooth implementation process even for those who are not particularly tech-savvy. In addition, Spare’s Partner Success Managers and product experts are available to help iron out any kinks, ensuring that your transition to even more automated workflows is seamless.

Getting started with Workflows

Ready to transform your transit operations with Workflows? If you’re a customer, reach out directly to your Partner Success Manager or contact us directly to learn more about how our automation solutions can benefit your agency. We look forward to chatting!