Breakdowns and replacement vehicles
When a vehicle breaks down on a run, the driver reports it from the Crew app. A job card takes the vehicle off the road and the office is alerted at once. The office picks a replacement from vehicles that are free, with valid papers and enough seats, and riders are told of the change.
PLANSScale only
Built and tested on our systems. The driver's report comes from the Crew app, which has not yet run on a real phone and is not in the app stores yet.
The problem it solves
- The driver calls three people before someone sends another bus.
- The spare bus sent has a lapsed permit or too few seats.
- Parents wait at the stop without knowing a different bus is coming.
- The broken bus is back on its route the next morning before the repair is done.
How it works
- On the road, the driver presses Report breakdown in the Crew app, writes what happened and adds a photo.
- A job card with the reason Breakdown opens by itself, naming the run and who reported it. The vehicle is off the road from that moment.
- The transport office gets a Transport Alert at once, with the vehicle, driver, run and note.
- On the run, the office presses Alternate Vehicle. Only vehicles on the road and with valid papers are offered. They must not be on another run of the same kind that day, and must have seats for today's riders.
- The office chooses this run only, or every run of the broken vehicle until it is repaired, and presses Change Vehicle.
- Riders and parents are told the vehicle has changed. When the job card is done, planned runs get their usual vehicle back and riders are told again.
Everything it does
Breakdown report
- From the Crew app on a run: a note and a photo
- Opens a job card: reason Breakdown, off the road, Broke Down On (the run), Reported By, the photo attached
- Raises a Breakdown alert to the transport office, sent at once
- Posted in the run's history
- Only the run's driver, helper or the transport office can report it
Choosing the replacement
- Same Entity, not the broken vehicle
- On the road: no open job card keeping it off
- Papers valid on the run's day
- Not on another planned or running run of the same kind (pickup or drop) that day
- Seats at least the riders expected, those marked absent left out
- Scope: This run only, or Every run of this vehicle until it is back on the road
Until the repair is done
- With Every run, runs planned while the job card is open take the replacement
- Not if the replacement itself has a problem that day or is already out on another run of the same kind
- The run shows the usual vehicle in Replaces
Back on the road
- Finishing the job card ends the downtime and works out its hours
- Planned runs from today get their usual vehicle back, with a note in their history
- Riders are told of each vehicle change on a run of today or later
Who uses it
Driver or helperReports the breakdown from the Crew app with a note and a photo.
Transport officeGets the alert, sends a replacement, and closes the job card after the repair.
Parent or riderIs told the vehicle has changed, and again when the usual one is back.
Where you use it
- The SmartMy Transit Crew app: Report breakdown on a run (built and in testing, not in the app stores yet)
- Web: Alternate Vehicle on the run; the job card under Transport > Maintenance > Job Cards; the alert under Transport > Operations > Alerts
- Not on the web for drivers: without the app, the driver phones the office, which opens a Breakdown job card by hand. No alert is raised then
- Not for booked trips: the breakdown report and Alternate Vehicle are for route runs
What you control
Settings
- Seats on each vehicle, used for the seat check
- The vehicle and driver papers and service plans that decide which vehicles are free
Notifications
- Transport Alert: to the transport office at once, in the app and by email. Also by WhatsApp, SMS or phone notification where you have them on; it cannot be switched off as an event. A breakdown alert is sent at once
- Vehicle / Driver Changed: to the people told about each rider on the run, sent at once. In the app and by email, WhatsApp, SMS or phone notification as they choose
Questions
What if no vehicle fits?
The list is empty. Cancel the run with a reason, and riders are told the run is cancelled, or free a vehicle and try again.Does the replacement check the exact time of other runs?
It checks other runs of the same kind on the same day. A bus on another pickup that morning is not offered, even if its run ends earlier.Who is told when the bus changes?
Everyone told about each rider on the run, such as both parents, by the channels they have. They are told again when the usual bus is back.Can the office record a breakdown without the app?
Yes. Open a job card with the reason Breakdown; the vehicle is off the road at once. Then use Alternate Vehicle on the run. The office alert comes only from the app report.Related features
MAINTENANCEService plans and job cardsPlan each service by kilometres, days or engine hours, whichever comes first, and see what is due soon or overdue. Every repair is a job card with parts, labour, vendor, cost and downtime, and the vehicle stays off the road while it is open.DOCUMENTSVehicle and driver papers with remindersKeep each vehicle's registration, insurance, pollution certificate, fitness, permit and road tax. Keep each driver's and helper's licence, badge, medical and police verification, with their end dates. You are reminded before they lapse, and a run does not start with a lapsed paper unless the office writes a reason.TRIPS, KILOMETRES, ALERTSAlerts: SOS, overspeed, tamper, idle and fuel dropThe transport office is alerted to SOS, overspeed, a tracker's power cut or tampering, and a device offline. Also to long idling, use outside your hours and sudden fuel drops. Each alert is acknowledged with a note of what was done.MESSAGES TO RIDERS AND PARENTSParents told when the bus starts, nears the stop and the child boardsRiders and parents hear when the run starts, when the bus is a few minutes away and when it reaches the stop. Then they hear when the rider boards, is dropped or misses the bus. Delays, a change of vehicle or driver and a cancelled run are told too, the moment they happen.DAILY RUNSDaily runs planned by themselvesEvery route gets its run for today and the coming days by itself: vehicle, crew, stops, times and that day's riders. The driver starts it, each stop records the delay, and the run ends or is cancelled.PHONE APPSThe Crew app for drivers and helpersSmartMy Transit Crew puts the driver's and helper's day on their phone: today's runs, start and end. It shows each stop with its riders, boarded, dropped and absent, and the boarding card scan. With higher plans the phone also tracks the vehicle, carries an SOS button, the trip checklist, fuel, breakdowns and boarding by face.
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