length for NTD reporting ; instituting essential integrations necessary for the Transit app , Google Maps , Bing and Apple ; planning for SMS text and Interactive Voice Response ( IVR ) capabilities for rider updates .
The onboarding process “ They started with an onsite visit and fleet analysis to determine the condition of our fleet , all the integrations that would need to take place , and to get a feel for what the technical capacity of our maintenance team was ,” Keel said . After a thorough configuration assessment , EQUANS prepared a comprehensive training program for the Greenlink drivers and operation staff that would launch with the first stages of the installation process . “ We always train on site ," Ollivier said . " We are with them in the same room and that usually starts at the pilot stage and is continued throughout the entire installation process . We have class sessions , but we also have hands-on sessions where we use a bus-in-the-box to train for real-world scenarios .” Maintenance training also happens during this period . According to Ollivier , during the installation process , maintenance staff are brought on site to observe installation in order to gain a better knowledge of hardware , maintenance and troubleshooting . Once the primary training has been completed , EQUANS provides a full year of free follow-up training for agency staff , which Olliver says is a critical time frame when introducing a new system . “ That first year is key ,” Ollivier said . “ You are starting to use a brand-new system , so you want your staff to be as comfortable and capable as possible . As humans we have a hard time with change . We ,
at EQUANS , understand that , so we want to make sure that we are available to help our client through that change .”
The results Once equipment installation and staff training were complete , a 30- day testing phase was implemented to ensure the system was up and running effectively . “ It has very much been a methodical process of looking at what is the facility capacity , where do the people have our proficiency , getting them trained , implementing , and then go live with it ,” Keel said . “ All of that took months to pull off , but at the end of the day very little went wrong in any of those phases that wasn ' t rectified within a couple of hours or a couple of days .” Greenlink then began its campaign to introduce the new system to its ridership and encourage users to download the updated Transit app . “ We really started pushing the public to download the Transit app , stop calling our dispatch booth , call or text this new automated number .” According to Keel , with the installation of the new ITS system and the integration for SMS and IVR , Greenlink has seen a significant decrease in the number of phone call requests for a live agent and a simultaneous increase in the number of SMS and IVR uses from riders . “ It has made life easier for our riders , our operators and it has made hiring and training easier ,” Keel said . “ There is a lot of information up there , and honestly we were nervous that some of our dispatchers and supervisors were going to have a hard time adopting and adapting to a new system , but we all think that it is just the best thing ever .”
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