July 06, 2020 12:00 ET | Source: StrataGen
Redmond, Washington, July 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — StrataGen Systems, a Redmond, Washington-based company, has been working with multiple paratransit agencies across the United States to assist with regional efforts to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with its ADEPT technology. Federal and State legislation requiring “Social distancing” and “Shelter in Place” has led to plummeting Paratransit ridership and subsequently to reduced work for many paratransit drivers. As a result, many paratransit vehicle operators are facing significant layoffs and the possibility that their drivers will find other employment and not be available to return after the pandemic.
StrataGen’s ADEPT technology is a powerful dispatch and route optimization tool to manage Paratransit door-to-door services efficiently by implementing intelligent ride-sharing in accordance with Americans with Disability Act (ADA) regulations.
StrataGen has enhanced its ADEPT technology to accommodate “No Ride Share” policies being enacted by many of its customers. In addition to enabling the new “No Ride Share” policy, the enhancements to ADEPT technology provided an added benefit by allowing trips to be spread evenly across the Paratransit provider’s fleet so that Paratransit Drivers remain employed. These enhancements help lessen the COVID-19 impact on paratransit providers, allowing them to provide safe service for their passengers by enabling social distancing, while at the same time decreasing the impact on their workforce of trained drivers.
In response to this challenge, many Paratransit service providers, such as Broward County, have introduced a “No Ride Share” policy to increase the safety of their riders and to maintain their workforce by distributing the reduced ridership. “Broward’s Paratransit customers are among the most vulnerable in our community and they, with our drivers who are in contact with them, are at a higher risk for exposure during this COVID-19 pandemic,” stated Paul Strobis, Director Paratransit Services at Broward County Transit Division. “StrataGen’s ability to quickly meet Broward’s request to alter the ADEPT scheduling rules by limiting scheduling more than one customer on the vehicle at a time supported the CDC recommended social distancing protocols. The software’s optimizer was able to ensure that those in need of paratransit services are able to do so while still social distancing. At the same time, we are able to balance the workload of vehicle operators and allow our employees to avoid layoffs.”
Other StrataGen customers including MBTA in Boston, and customers in New York, Washington State and California have benefited from these enhancements enabling them to continue to provide safe services to their customers, while at the same time keeping their paratransit drivers employed and safe.
StrataGen will continue working with its customers, leveraging ADEPT’s inherent flexibility and adaptability, to support new policies geared towards mitigating the impact of COVID-19.
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