Detours in the ETMS

Overview

The Detour functionality is fully integrated into the ETMS and provides agencies with a centralized, map-driven workflow for creating, managing, and organizing service detours. This enhanced experience replaces legacy detour workflows with a more visual, flexible, and technically robust approach, while maintaining compatibility with existing reporting and data structures.

The primary objective of the Detour module is to allow users to quickly identify affected routes, define detour paths using map-based tools, and deploy detours with greater accuracy and efficiency.

Selecting the card opens the Detour Management interface, where all existing detours can be viewed and new detours can be created.

Managing Detours from the List View

The Detour List View provides a centralized location to search, filter, manage, and perform actions on existing detours. The design mirrors other ETMS list-based modules (such as Incidents) to ensure consistency and usability.

Filters 

Users may refine the detour list using the following tools:

Standard Filters

Filter detours by predefined criteria like Route, Stop, or Date to narrow results.

Quick Filters and Include Expired 

Advanced filtering options allow more granular control over which detours are displayed.

The Include Expired filter enables inclusion of expired detours. Unlike legacy Dispatch limitations, this view is not restricted to a 90-day window.

Expired detours remain available for review, duplication, and reporting purposes. Only the Copy action is available; other actions are not displayed.

Search 

The search field actively searches across the following data fields: Detour Name, Route Farebox ID, Route Report Label, Stop IDs, Stop Report Labels, and Move Stop IDs.

Copying a Detour

Selecting Copy creates a duplicate of the detour configuration, allowing modifications without rebuilding from scratch.

Common use cases: recurring construction, seasonal events, adjustments to existing detours.

Expiring a Detour

Selecting Expire prompts a confirmation dialog before finalizing.

• Confirming expiration immediately deactivates the detour
• A loading indicator will appear while processing
• The page reloads upon completion and doesn't show the expired detour

Adding a Public Message on the Detour Record

Selecting Public Message opens the Public Messages functionality that allows to add a public message to the detour. 

After the public message is added, the check mark appears on the detour record in the Public Message column. 

Adding an Operator Message on the Detour Record

Operator messaging leverages ETMS Comms functionality and must be enabled for agencies opting into the new Detour workflow.

Selecting Operator Message opens the Public Messages functionality that allows to add a public message to the detour. 

Users can: 

• Select the affected route(s) as the recipient(s) of operator messages by clicking Add Recipient
• Add custom driver messaging
• Define effective date range 
• Select applicable days of week 
• Select Send

These operator messages are layered on top of the turn-by-turn navigation instructions.

After the operator's message is added, the check mark appears on the detour record in the Operator Message column. 

Creating a New Detour

Launching the Detour Workflow

From the Detour Management screen, select New Detour. 

This opens the new Detour creation interface, which features an updated map-centric layout.

Selecting Affected Routes

There are multiple methods for identifying routes impacted by a detour:

• Route Dropdown: Select routes directly from a dropdown list. Selected routes are automatically highlighted on the map.
  
  
   
• Search Functionality: Users can search by:
  • Street names
  • Coordinates
  • Stops 

Once a search is performed, the system places a marker on the map and visually highlights all affected routes.

• User can also click directly on the map to select affected routes which will appear on the left side of the screen right after clicking. 
  
  

Confirmation of Unselected Routes

After polygon is drawn, if the user selects Next and if any routes were not initially selected, a confirmation window will display all unselected routes and directions identified within the detour area and prompts the user to review them.

From this window, users can:

• Review all unselected routes and their directions
• Select or deselect specific routes as needed
• Choose All Directions to apply the detour across all unselected route directions
• Select Redraw to redraw the polygon

Once the selections are made, clicking Confirm finalizes the affected routes and proceeds to the next step of the detour workflow.

Route Outside Detour Area Warning

After defining the detour area, the system validates whether the originally selected routes and directions fall within the drawn boundary. If any selected routes are not fully included, a warning dialog appears indicating that some selected routes are outside the detour area. This step helps prevent unintended exclusions by ensuring that all intended routes are properly included before continuing.

This pop-up lists:

• Routes that are correctly included within the detour area
• Routes or directions that are missing (not captured by the current detour boundary)

From this dialog, users can choose to:

• Redraw the detour area to include the originally selected routes and directions
• Proceed with only the routes currently captured within the detour area

If the user clicks Proceed, another confirmation dialog appears warning that the detour does not include all selected routes. It asks the user to confirm whether to continue, noting that any uncovered routes will be removed from the detour.

From this dialog, users can choose to:

• Confirm that the user wants the uncovered routes to be removed from the detour
• Cancel if they do not want the removal

Defining Affected Directions

After routes are selected, users must specify the affected direction(s) for each route. This ensures the detour is applied only to the correct portion of service.

Select Start to proceed once affected routes are confirmed.

Select Continue to proceed once directions are confirmed. 

Editing Route Directions on the Existing Detour

Selecting the detour on the grid and then selecting Edit allows modification of affected route segments. 

Users may: 

• Redraw the detour path 
• Modify turn-by-turn instructions 
• Reconfigure moved stops 
• Update deviations

If only stop configuration changes are required, users may jump directly to the stop editing step without reworking routing.

Building the Detour Path

Two-Point Detour Definition

Users can define a detour using two points on the map:

1. Select the starting point of the detour.
2. Select the ending point of the detour.

The system automatically generates a proposed detour path between these two points using map-based routing logic (similar to standard navigation tools).

Editing and Customizing the Detour Path

Once the system generates the initial detour path:

• A light red trace appears on the map representing the detour polygon.
• Users can click and drag the trace to reshape the detour.
• The path can be customized to include or exclude specific streets, turns, or areas, allowing users to create complex or irregular detour shapes when necessary.

Click and Drag

This interaction mirrors legacy detour editing behavior, with improved visual feedback and smoother manipulation.

Buffer Area

A buffer area can be applied around the detour path by increasing or decreasing its width. The user can increase buffer to capture stops offset from roadway, and can decrease it for tighter roadway-only impact. This affects which stops are included in the detour segment.

This buffer helps:

• Ensure full route coverage
• Improve system interpretation of affected segments
• Support consistency across downstream processes (e.g., dispatch and training workflows)

Undo, Visibility Controls, and Editing Aids

While editing detour paths, users have access to several tools that help refine their work safely and efficiently:

• Undo Button: Allows users to reverse recent drag or edit actions before saving. This is particularly useful when reshaping paths.
  
  
   
• Show/Hide Unaffected Routes and Stops: A visibility toggle allows users to hide unaffected routes and stops, reducing visual clutter and helping users focus only on the route directions currently being edited.
  
  
  
  

Editing Route Segments and Directions

After defining the initial detour path, the system breaks the detour into individual route segments that can be reviewed and edited.

• The initially applied detour appears on the first affected segment.
• All additional route segments are listed and can be selected individually for further refinement.
• Selecting a segment enables standard drag-based editing or manual detour editing options.

Edited segments are visually indicated on the map using a light blue highlight, allowing users to quickly identify which segments have been modified.

Manual Detour Editing

Manual detour editing represents one of the most significant enhancements in the new ETMS Detour workflow.

Manual Detour Modes

There are two manual detour modes available:

• Snap-to-Roads (Point-and-Click): Users click along the map and it automatically snaps the path to known roads. This method is often easier than drag-based editing for precise control.
  • Each click follows Google road geometry.
  • Easier for standard roadway detours.
  • Instruction numbering is not visually displayed for snap-to-road clicks.
    
    
     
• Free Draw: Allows users to draw paths that are not constrained to mapped roads. This mode is essential when roads are missing from the map.
  • Allows drawing off-road segments.
  • Free draw points are numbered on the map.
  • Numbers may appear small at certain zoom levels.
    
    

Users can combine snap-to-road and free draw within the same detour segment, creating hybrid paths when necessary.

Common Use Cases for Manual Detours

Manual detours are especially useful in the following scenarios:

1. Incomplete or Missing Roads: New developments, construction areas, or recently changed roadways may not yet exist in map data.
2. Parking Lots and Malls: Internal drive lanes within shopping centers are often not represented as roads.
3. Transit Centers: Bus loops or internal roadways within terminals are frequently unmapped.
4. Wrong-Way Travel on One-Way Streets: When transit vehicles are permitted to travel against posted traffic flow.

Precision and Driver Experience

Manual detours directly affect what operators see in-vehicle:

• Paths drawn manually determine the visible route trace on the MDT
• Distance calculations and adherence metrics are influenced by the drawn path

Best Practice: Users should be precise when placing points and drawing paths. Accurate paths result in clearer driver guidance and more reliable adherence data.

Turn-by-Turn Instructions

Manual detours allow users to create explicit turn-by-turn instructions:

• Each turn requires an instruction
• Instructions are intended to represent driver actions (e.g., turn left, turn right)
• Points that simply follow a curving road typically do not require instructions
• Straight continuations do not require instructions

The list of instructions created here is exactly what the operator will see on the MDT.

Users can add instructions by hovering over instruction nodes and selecting the Add Instruction option.

Instruction Nodes and Numbering

• Instruction nodes are numbered in manual detours
• Numbering is most visible in free draw mode
• Limitation: User must complete the first auto generated turn direction before adding more instructions
• Not every node requires a turn instruction; most manual detours will have many nodes but only a few instructions
• Only nodes where a driver must take action require a maneuver.
• Straight-line continuation nodes should not include instructions.

Leaving unnecessary instructions blank prevents clutter and avoids confusing drivers. Example: Turn left → Instruction required - Follow curved road → No instruction required.

Saving Manual Detour Segments

When a manual detour segment is saved:

• The entire segment is stored as a single object
• Undo is no longer available for that segment
• Any changes require redrawing the segment from the beginning

This behavior differs from drag-based edits and should be considered before saving.

Driver and Operator Messaging

Custom Driver Messages

Users can review and edit the custom text messages sent to drivers:

• Manual turn-by-turn instructions appear exactly as entered
• Selecting an instruction highlights the associated map segment on the right

Operator Messages

Operator messages are managed through ETMS Communications and:

• Are separate from custom driver messages
• Are not currently associated with specific route directions in the beta release
• Require ETMS Communications to be enabled

Direction-based association is planned for future releases.

Stop Management

Skipped Stops

• Skipped stops are highlighted in Red
• Hovering over a stop displays full stop details

Moving Stops

• Stops can be dragged to new locations
• A dotted line visually connects the original and new stop locations
  
  
   
• A “New” tag indicates relocated stops
  
  
   
• Stops can be reset to their original position if moved unintentionally

Announcements can be associated with moved stops as needed by selecting an option in the Announcement ID drop-down field.

If a user accidentally moves the stop but didn’t intend to, they can simply click the Skip button to reset it. They can repeat this action as many times as needed.

Deviations

Users can edit deviation values using plus/minus controls or directly input a number. 

Summary Review

Users can Review a comprehensive summary of:

• Affected route directions
• Skipped and moved stops
• Applied detour paths

Route directions can be unchecked at this stage to discard all edits for that direction.

The Cause, Effect, & Status functionality remains the same as in the past. 

Performance and Usage Recommendations

Because the detour workflow relies heavily on map rendering:

• A warning now appears when multiple detour tabs are open
• Users should avoid opening multiple detour map tabs simultaneously
• Complete detour creation in a single tab when possible
• Close the tab fully after saving to free browser cache

Business Intelligence (BI) Reports

Detours created using the new ETMS workflow write data to the same underlying structures as legacy detours.

As a result:

• Existing BI reports continue to function without modification
• Historical and new detour data are reported consistently

Known Limitations and Planned Enhancements

Stop-Level Search

Stop-level search is planned and partially implemented but may not function consistently in the current iteration.

This enhancement is intended to support workflows where users receive detour requests referencing specific stop IDs rather than map locations.

User can enter a stop# in the Search field and the map will zoom in to that stop specifically. 

Satellite view

Satellite imagery is available via the map controls.

Dark/Light Mode

Dark/Light map styling hooks exist but will not be fully implemented until Live Map enhancements are completed.

Real-Time Traffic

Real-time traffic overlays are being evaluated for future enhancement.

Vehicle Compatibility and Versioning

• Turn-by-turn mapping functionality is supported on vehicle code version 3.10 and higher
• Older vehicle code versions receive detour data but ignore map-based instructions
• ETMS Detours remain backward compatible with Legacy systems

Customers must opt in to the new ETMS Detour functionality and should ensure appropriate training and vehicle code readiness.

What Happens if Something Goes Wrong?

To protect your work and prevent data loss, the system is designed to handle errors and interruptions safely. Here’s what you can expect:

• Your work is restored after a reload or crash.
  If your browser refreshes, crashes, or your session times out, the system will automatically restore your last saved editing state so you can continue where you left off.

• You won’t lose work during connection issues.
  If your internet connection drops or the server becomes temporarily unavailable, your unsaved data is kept locally. You will be given a clear option to retry once the connection is restored.

• Buttons like Save, Confirm, and Finalize only process once.
  If you accidentally click a button more than once, the system ignores duplicate submissions to prevent duplicate records or unintended changes.

• Clear error messages are shown if something fails.
  If an error occurs (for example, a server or API issue), the system will not crash. Instead, you’ll see a clear message explaining the problem, along with options such as retrying or canceling.

• The screen always reflects the correct information.
  Maps, panels, indicators, and other UI elements will update automatically after a recovery or reload to ensure everything matches the actual system data.

• Automatic backups are created during important steps.
  The system saves checkpoints at key moments to reduce the risk of losing data during unexpected interruptions.

• You’ll be warned about editing conflicts.
  If someone else is editing the same record at the same time, you’ll receive a notification to prevent conflicting changes.

• Every error provides a clear next step.
  Whenever something goes wrong, the system will guide you with clear options such as retry, refresh, or discard changes, so you always know what to do next.

FAQ

Q: Is Detour fully integrated into ETMS?

A: Yes. Detour is completely embedded within ETMS and accessed through the Operations Suite.

Q: Can I still create complex detours like before?

A: Yes. Detour paths can be freely reshaped by dragging the generated trace, allowing for highly customized detours.

Q: Does the system follow the original route when generating detours?

A: No. The initial detour path is based on the fastest navigation route between two selected points. Users are expected to refine the path as needed.

Q: Will my existing BI reports still work?

A: Yes. BI reports use the same data structures as legacy detours and continue to function normally.

Q: Can I search for detours by stop ID?

A: Stop-level search is planned but may not be fully functional in the current release.

Q: Is this functionality optional for agencies?

A: Deployment decisions depend on agency configuration and upgrade strategy. Once enabled, the legacy detour workflow is no longer available.

Q: Is this considered a final release?

A: No. This is a beta release, and additional enhancements and fixes are expected.