Geographic Tools

The Geographic Tools provide three related but distinct functions. These functions are the following:

• Replay: This tool is useful for troubleshooting issues on the road ( schedule data refinements, operator training needs). Use Replay to retrace a vehicle’s movement on a map and in a data grid, like a bread crumb trail.
  • How Does it Work? Replay displays data records that were automatically collected from the vehicle, based on its GPS, and compares vehicle performance/activity against the live schedule. The Replay tool is useful for troubleshooting issues on the road, such as 1) on time performance metrics 2) vehicle adherence to schedule 3) system issues
• Trigger Boxes: These are virtual boundaries (geo fences) used to assign in- vehicle actions to occur automatically when vehicles enter or depart them at stop locations. For example, ADA announcements will play automatically. When vehicles depart trigger box locations, they automatically send an update for schedule adherence back to the dispatch office. Riders, too,  can rely on seeing real time updates for stop departures in the myStop© phone app and myStop website. 
  • How Does it Work? Trigger boxes are 400SQ in size by default and are adjustable. They are auto-generated for all stops in the digital schedule data after the initial import completes. 
• Route Traces: Use to define the visual paths between pairs of consecutive stops in the system/ defining the roads scheduled for use by vehicles in service. When routes traces are complete, they display for both dispatching monitoring tools and for public consumption ( myStop © applications.

Geographic Tools Main Page: Replay menu displayed

TIP: The functions ( functions are the menus for Replay, Trigger Boxes, Route Traces, Map Layers) that you see depend on your account permissions. For example, Customer Service Representatives and Dispatchers might be able to access Replay. On the other hand, Planners typically require access to all three functions.

The following features are common to all three major functions.

Schedule

The software defaults to display Future as best practice, however, you may use the Schedule drop-down menu to choose between the future schedule and the current schedule. A future schedule contains changes to the current schedule that myAvail will apply on a future date selected by the user. myAvail displays the Schedule drop-down menu only when you are authorized to access Trigger Boxes or Route Traces.

Future is the preferred as mentioned above. Making changes in the Future schedule allows the user to manage the data in an interim database, to ensure accuracy before deploying the schedule. You should not select Current because changes to the current schedule are not included when you build the new schedule using the Future schedule.

If errors are discovered in the current schedule and you cannot wait until the next schedule deployment process to correct it, you should setup a 'Correction' deployment using the Build & Deploy process. 

Append and Overwrite

Each time you click Load Data, you must choose either to Append or to Overwrite the data that are currently loaded.

• Append: Retains the current data and adds the new data. Use this option when you need to extend the time frame or add additional routes to the original data.
• Overwrite: Clears the current data and starts fresh with new data. Use this option when you are investigating a series of independent issues. This is the default option.

Highlight By

Use Highlight By to determine how ETMS color codes the location indicators on the Replay map. You can choose between the following options:

• Status: The colors of the location indicators match the operational status of the vehicle (Early, Late, On-Time, …).
• Comm: Red location indicators identify vehicles that have a Bad Communications status.
• Off Route: Red location indicators identify vehicles that are Off Route. ETMS considers a vehicle to be off route when the vehicle has deviated from the route pattern associated with the Trip ID by at least 500 feet (default).

Use the Comm and Off Route options when you are researching these types of problems specifically.

Map Layers

Use Map Layers to change what ETMS displays in the map area of the Geographic Tools tab. For example, use Map Layers to display intersecting routes or any route that you specify.

The changes apply to all three functions (Replay, Trigger Boxes, and Route Traces). The map Layers function provides three groups of controls.

Visibility

Use these toggle switches to hide or display the data that the Replay, Trigger Boxes, and Route Traces features present. Suppose a Planner selects Replay data and Trigger Boxes data for a route to diagnose a problem. The Planner can hide the Replay data without clearing it, which allows verification of a Trigger Box adjustment without reloading the replay data.

Stops

This switch toggles between showing only Time Point Stops and showing all stops for the selected routes. Use this feature to reduce screen clutter when displaying specific stop locations is not important to the task at hand.

Routes

Use to display a Route Trace that displays the trace and all stops for all patterns. If you choose a specific pattern in Trigger Boxes, ETMS displays stops for that pattern only, in addition to loading the trigger boxes in the order in which they will be serviced. Selecting the route in map layers displays all stops.

Load Data Button

Click this button to load data based on which control is open and your specifications. There is a minimum set of parameters for each function type.

Clear All Button

Click this button to clear all settings and displayed information for all functions. This button returns the entire tab (all sections) to its default state.

Geographic Tools Page Layout

The Geographic Tools page contains three regions:

• Selection Toolbar
• Map Region
• Data Grid

You can modify or hide these regions. However, their relative locations on the screen are fixed.

To change the width of the Selection Bar, position the pointer on the line between the Selection Toolbar and the Map region or Data Grid. When the pointer changes to a double-headed arrow, click and hold the left mouse button. Then, drag either right or left to change the relative widths of these areas.

To change the height of the Map Region/Data Grid, position the pointer on the line between the Map and Data Grid. When the pointer changes to a double-headed arrow, click and hold the left mouse button. Then, drag either up or down to change the relative height of these fields.

To hide the Selection Toolbar, click the small white arrow in the center of the line dividing the Map Region and the Data Grid. Click the same spot again to restore the Selection Toolbar.

How to Change Visible Data Grid

The Map Region displays the data from all three functional areas unless you alter it by using the Map Layers function. The Data Grid displays only one set of data at a time. Click the tabs on the Data Grid to change the data that myAvail displays in the grid.

What Replay Information is Available

You can display the following columns in the replay data grid.

If there is a blue save icon in the upper right corner of the table grid, you have permission to change the columns displayed and to alter the layout.

If there is a yellow/gold save icon above and on the right of the table grid, you have permission to change the default columns displayed, and the ability to alter the overall layout for all users. The yellow icon is typically assigned to managerial, supervisory staff. 

Below is a table that displays each column available in Geo Tools, and whether or not it is readily visible. 

If you want to adjust the columns that display, press the three dots on any column header, then select 'columns', to access the menu for column arrangement- NV-not visible or V- visible. Check the box in the menu to hide or show columns:. Those with a blue check are visible: