An outage can impact your ability to monitor vehicles, communicate with operators, access reports, or use Avail applications. Knowing how to quickly identify the type of outage and take the appropriate actions can help minimize operational disruptions and speed up resolution.
This article explains the common types of outages, how to identify them, what actions to take, and how outages can affect your data and reporting.
Understanding Types of Outages
System Outages
A system outage affects users' ability to access or use Avail software and services. Examples include:
- Unable to launch the myAvail client
- Unable to access ETMS websites or applications
- Unable to sign in to Avail systems
- Inability to run reports or access Business Intelligence (BI) tools
- Loss of connectivity between user applications and Avail backend services
During a system outage, dispatchers may be unable to view vehicle locations, send messages, establish voice calls, or perform other day-to-day operational functions.
Vehicle Communication Outages
A vehicle communication outage occurs when one or more vehicles lose communication with the Avail backend system.
This can prevent real-time transmission of:
- Vehicle locations
- Schedule adherence information
- Passenger counts
- Vehicle status updates
- Dispatch communication functions
Vehicle communication outages are often caused by cellular coverage issues, radio communication problems, or disruptions in the communication path between vehicles and backend systems.
Vehicle-Specific Issues
Not all communication problems indicate a system-wide outage.
A single vehicle may experience:
- Loss of cellular service
- GPS signal issues
- Hardware problems
- Temporary communication interruptions
If only one or two vehicles are affected while the rest of the fleet is operating normally, the issue is likely isolated to those vehicles rather than being a larger system outage.
How to Identify a System Outage
You may be experiencing a system outage if:
- myAvail will not open
- myAvail displays an error message
- ETMS websites fail to load
- Multiple users cannot log in
- Users receive login errors despite entering valid credentials
- myAvail displays a prolonged spinning wheel or reconnecting message
- Reports or BI dashboards are unavailable
A temporary network interruption may resolve itself automatically, but prolonged connectivity issues should be treated as a potential outage and investigated immediately.
How to Identify a Vehicle Communication Outage
Monitor Vehicle Status
The Operations view contains a Status column that can help identify communication issues.
Normal status values include:
- On Time
- Early
- Late
- Trip Start
- Off Route
Communication-related statuses include:
Bad GPS
Indicates the vehicle is experiencing GPS signal issues. Temporary GPS interruptions can occur and may resolve without intervention.
Bad Comms
A vehicle is marked as Bad Comms when it has not communicated with the backend system for approximately 15 minutes.
Bad Comms is a high-priority status and should be investigated, especially if multiple vehicles display the condition simultaneously.
Inactive
If communication is not restored after an extended period, a vehicle may transition from Bad Comms to Inactive status.
Inactive indicates the system has not received updates from that vehicle for an extended period. In some cases, an inactive vehicle may simply be powered off and not represent an outage.
Review Last Communication Time
Vehicles normally report to the backend system approximately every 30 to 60 seconds.
If the Last Report Time remains unchanged for an extended period while the vehicle is in service, it may indicate a communication outage.
Test Voice Communications
Voice communication issues can also indicate a communication outage.
Potential symptoms include:
- Calls remain in a "Connecting" state
- Dispatch cannot establish calls through myAvail
- Multiple vehicles cannot be reached through call setup
If several vehicles become unreachable simultaneously, investigate for a broader communication outage rather than a vehicle-specific issue.
What to Do Right Now
If you suspect an outage, follow these steps in priority order.
Step 1: Determine the Scope
Identify:
- Whether one vehicle or multiple vehicles are affected
- Whether the issue affects fixed route, paratransit, or both
- Whether dispatchers can access myAvail
- Whether communication issues are intermittent or continuous
Understanding the scope helps narrow down the cause and speeds resolution.
Step 2: Continue Safe Operations
Follow your agency's operational continuity procedures.
If communication functions are affected:
- Use available radio communications
- Use established backup communication methods
- Maintain communication with operators whenever possible
- Continue documenting operational impacts
Operational safety should always remain the top priority.
Step 3: Gather Key Information
Before contacting Avail Support, collect:
- Agency name
- Callback phone number
- When the issue began
- Number of affected vehicles
- Fixed route, paratransit, or both
- Whether vehicles display Bad Comms or Inactive
- Whether users can access myAvail
- Whether users see a reconnecting message or spinning wheel
- Whether communication issues are intermittent or constant
This information helps Support quickly identify the source of the outage.
Step 4: Contact Avail Support
Report the issue as soon as possible and provide the information gathered above.
When contacting Support, be prepared to describe:
- What users are seeing
- What functions are unavailable
- How many vehicles are affected
- Whether the issue appears system-wide or isolated
The more information available during the initial call, the faster Support can begin troubleshooting.
What to Do After an Outage
Once service has been restored, verify that all systems are functioning normally.
Confirm Service Restoration
Verify that:
- Users can access myAvail
- ETMS services are available
- Vehicle status updates are being received
- Voice communication functions are operating normally
- Reports and dashboards have resumed functioning
Review Operational Impact
Document:
- Outage start and end times
- Vehicles affected
- Service interruptions
- Communication issues encountered
- Manual processes used during the outage
Keeping records helps improve future outage response efforts.
Validate Data and Reporting
Review:
- Vehicle activity records
- Ridership and APC data
- CAD/AVL events
- Operational reports
- Business Intelligence dashboards
Confirm that information from the outage period has been processed correctly after service restoration.
Preparing for Future Outages
Every agency should maintain a documented outage and disaster recovery plan.
Recommended Preparation Activities
Create an Outage Response Plan
Document:
- Roles and responsibilities
- Escalation procedures
- Emergency contacts
- Backup communication methods
- Support contact information
Train Operational Staff
Ensure dispatchers and supervisors know how to identify:
- Bad Comms
- Inactive vehicles
- Connection loss indicators
- Voice communication issues
Establish Redundant Communication Methods
Maintain alternative communication methods such as:
- Radio communications
- Mobile phones
- Emergency contact lists
Review Outage Procedures Regularly
Conduct periodic reviews to ensure staff understand outage response procedures and escalation paths.
How Outages Affect Data, Communications, and Reporting
One of the most common concerns during an outage is whether operational data has been permanently lost. In most cases, the answer depends on the type and duration of the outage.
Communications Impact
During a communication outage, dispatchers may temporarily lose the ability to:
- Establish voice calls through myAvail
- Receive real-time vehicle status updates
- View current vehicle locations
- Exchange information through normal communication channels
Depending on system configuration, voice fallback capabilities may continue to provide communication between dispatch and operators.
Real-Time Data Impact
When communications between vehicles and backend systems are interrupted, real-time data may stop updating.
Examples include:
- GPS locations
- Schedule adherence information
- Passenger counts
- Vehicle status information
As a result, dispatchers and supervisors may see stale or incomplete information until connectivity is restored.
Is Data Lost?
In most vehicle communication outages, data is typically delayed rather than permanently lost.
Vehicles continue operating and collecting information while communications are unavailable. Once connectivity is restored, onboard systems generally resume transmitting information to backend services, allowing the data to be processed and reflected in historical records and reports.
The amount of recoverable data may depend on the specific outage type, outage duration, and the health of onboard equipment. If expected information does not appear after service restoration, contact Avail Support for assistance.
Reporting and Business Intelligence Impact
Reports, dashboards, and Business Intelligence tools may show incomplete information while an outage is active.
Users may notice:
- Missing vehicle activity
- Delayed location history
- Incomplete ridership counts
- Gaps in dashboards
- Reports that fail to run during a system outage
After communications and services have been restored, reporting may gradually catch up as delayed information is received and processed.
Verify Data After Recovery
Following any significant outage, agencies should review:
- Vehicle activity during the outage period
- Ridership and APC counts
- CAD/AVL event history
- Dispatch records
- Standard operational reports
- BI dashboards
If expected data does not appear after services have been restored and sufficient time has passed for synchronization, contact Avail Support for further investigation.
Key Takeaway
Most outages affect the timeliness of data rather than the existence of data. While real-time visibility and communications may be interrupted, operational data is often transmitted and reconciled once connectivity returns. After any significant outage, agencies should verify communications, operational records, and reporting to ensure all expected information has been received and processed.