Ad Hoc Announcements

The Ad Hoc messaging feature resides on the Public Messages tab in myAvail. myAvail provides your agency with the ability to create on-the-fly audio/text messages to immediately send to fleet vehicles. Vehicle equipment includes the capability of displaying these messages on internal signage for visual reference for riders. These messages also have an audio component, so riders will hear the message, too, as it plays via the PA system. You can select to use one or both features, as preferred. 

TIP: This tool is very useful for quickly conveying valuable information to ridership.

The Ad Hoc announcements tab will display a list of any existing announcements. Each Ad Hoc message includes the destinations (where the messages are scheduled to go), the message itself, and the date and time when the message was generated. Existing Ad Hoc messages are not editable as they have already been deployed [immediately]. It should also be noted that only vehicles that are logged in when the message is saved/ deployed are those that will receive the message. 

Ad Hoc messages can easily be recycled through the Copy function:

After selecting the icon you can edit the message as needed. When you select the  icon, the message is generated again and then deployed immediately.

TIP: If you don't see the Ad Hoc tab on the Public Messages screen, check with your manager, as this indicates your myAvail position does not include permissions to create Ad Hoc messages.

Defining a New Ad Hoc Announcement

Begin by selecting the green plus sign to create a new message:

This Ad-hoc Messages popup appears:

To create a new Ad Hoc message: 

  1. Select the destinations.
  2. Type the message to convey in the grey field, being mindful of the available character count noted near the bottom of the message box.
  3. To preview the message, use the button to play and hear the audio message for your text.
  4. Add the internal signage text that will display for ridership.
  5. Select the icon.
  6. The message deploys to the selected destinations immediately.

Selecting Destinations

Who needs the message? Destinations determine where to send the message. To select destinations for ad hoc messages, select the blue destination buttons to display options. Destinations include:

  • Vehicles: Select individual vehicles or groups of vehicles to receive the Ad Hoc message
  • Operators: Select individual operators or groups of operators to receive the Ad Hoc message
  • Runs: Select individual runs or groups of runs to receive the Ad Hoc message
  • Routes: Select individual routes or groups of routes to receive the Ad Hoc message

Example Destinations

Here are a few examples to illustrate making selections:

Vehicles: Vehicle 202 has been selected to receive the Ad Hoc message

Runs: Runs 301 and 312 have been selected to receive the Ad Hoc message

TIP: When you open a menu in myAvail, it will display until you close it. Click on the selection button again to collapse it.
TIP: Be mindful of the character counts. Destinations will have different character allowances:
TIP: Selections that you make for vehicles, operators, runs, and routes are cumulative. In other words, making multiple selections for destinations will generate only one message in cases where duplication occurs. For example, if you include two routes and three vehicles for your destinations on those two routes, the vehicle will receive only one message, to avoid unnecessary duplication.

Bilingual Messages

myAvail has an optional configuration to support English and Spanish Ad Hoc messages. If myAvail displays separate tabs for English and Spanish, you are able to include the message in one or both languages.

After typing in a message, click Preview to hear the announcement as it will be played/ heard in the vehicle. You are able to preview both English and Spanish messages.

Internal Sign Text

Type the message that you want to display on the vehicle’s internal sign: 

Inserting Special Spanish Characters

To use special Spanish characters in the message, use the Extended ASCII chart below. To insert an extended ASCII character, press the ALT key on your keyboard while you type the character code. You must use the numeric keypad to enter the code.

Table

Description automatically generated

Cancel/Save

After you have defined your message, click the Save icon in the upper right to save the message, or click the Cancel icon if you do not want to publish the message.

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