This user guide covers the functions in FLEX as well as the functions in Trapeze PASS and Trapeze FX that are used with FLEX.

Use these resources for technical assistance.

To start using Trapeze FLEX, you must log on to the system.

Logging off the Trapeze4 Workstation

You can create shortcuts to specific records in FLEX by adding them as bookmarks.

The Workstation allows you to have more than one screen active at a time. In some screens there is also an ellipsis button.

Most of the functions available in the Trapeze4 Workstation can be accessed by using buttons in the main toolbar.

Set up the active sign-up period before proceeding with the rest of your data input. This is also referred to as setting the context.

To access the FLEX system properties, click Tools > System Properties > PASS Scheduling > Multimodal Flex Scheduling.

To access the FX system properties that work with FLEX, click Tools > System Properties > PASS Scheduling > Multimodal FX Scheduling.

Create lines in ancillary data, and then associate the correct lines with line groups.

Line Groups are automatically generated as lines are created in ancillary data (see Creating Lines).

Most transit properties have four services: Weekdays, Saturday, Sunday, and Holidays or Special Events.

You can add service groups in the Services dialog box.

Sign-up periods define the length of time over which a schedule applies. This is often seasonal.

You can set the route definition using the Route Definition screen.

A node is a designated timing point that is used in building trips. A stop is a physical point or location where a vehicle stops to pick up (load) or drop off (unload) passengers.

A pattern is the prescribed sequence of nodes associated with a route.

Stop patterns are sets of vehicle stops through which certain trip types pass.

Special point types are created as ancillary data and should have been defined when FX was installed at your transit site.

The Trip Building screen, which is comprised of four tabs, allows you to create trips for transit vehicles along one line in one direction from a start node to an end node.

Run time intervals are the periods during a workday when a specific pattern operates, for example, from 6:00 to 9:00.

Node to node refers to a pair of From and To nodes.

The Trips tab shows the trips of the line you selected in Set Mode. The trips are shown in grids with the patterns, node abbreviations, and vehicle types that are assigned to them.

Timed connections or transfer times are times when vehicles are scheduled to arrive or depart at nodes used by more than one line or that are near other lines. This information is fed into reports such as block paddles and driver paddles.

A stop trip is an estimate of trip times at the bus stops. This estimate is an interpolation of the scheduled node times and stop-to-stop distances.

Using Runs, you can view or edit master and daily runs, create new runs, and maintain runs.

Employee Admin system properties are used for a specific feature available in Runs.

Runs Screen properties control the appearance and functionality of the Runs screen.

The following table outlines all the commands available in Runs.

To help you locate specific runs for viewing or editing, use one or more of the search filters on the Runs tab, and then click Display.

The Find Runs dialog box is a search tool you can use to locate a specific run.

You can copy the run information shown on the Runs tab in the text editor that opens by default.

Before you create a new run, make sure you have already added your vehicles, garages, employees, providers, service types, and polygons (if your runs are restricted to specific polygon areas) in the database.

You can create a new master, template, or daily run with all the same attributes of an existing run by using the clone feature.

Capacity type swapping is a feature that allows the Schedule Server to improve the efficiency of a schedule by exchanging the capacity type and vehicle type of one run with the capacity type and vehicle type of another whenever it is optimal to do so.

The View tab shows scheduling information (schedules, runs, client itineraries, and booking information) and allows you to edit a schedule (insert breaks, resequence events, and so on).

By default, both live and template schedules are shown in the Schedules view.

Specific commands are found in Schedule Editor's View menu and by using the toolbar buttons.

Up to three views can be shown in Schedule Editor at one time.

You can set up the system to show both loaded and unloaded schedules in Schedules Editor.

The Options tab consists of various filters that determine the way schedule information appears on the View tab.

Grids work very much like tables. In some Trapeze4 Workstation screens, you can customize the visibility and position of grid columns.

Schedule Editor shows a great deal of information but you may only need to have a few pieces of information to stand out for quick and easy identification.

Schedule states can be changed manually as needed.

When a user changes the state of a schedule, it is automatically recorded in the Tracker Action Browser.

When you are finished with a schedule that you previously loaded for use in Trip Edit, unload it.

Schedules appear on the grid only after they have been added in the Schedule Administrator.

After you select a schedule is in Schedule Editor, many tasks require that you select a run so that you can see the run itinerary or a client’s itinerary.

If you want to show a visual image of scheduled runs, you can show them on a graph.

For every run in a schedule, the system assigns a different color used for display on the system map.

When viewing routing for a run on the system map, if the Street Route Traces for Runs property is set to No, the route is shown on the system map as straight lines between each event using the route’s system-assigned color.

The run itinerary view shows a complete list of events scheduled to a specific run.

If you are viewing a run itinerary on the system map and you want to view another run itinerary on the schedule, use the Previous Run and Next Run buttons.

Run itineraries can also be shown in Google Earth, which needs to be downloaded and installed on the same computer as the Workstation.

When viewing client itineraries, unscheduled or canceled bookings are not shown.

You can show bookings for a selected client in a selected schedule.

Driver itinerary view shows the driver's schedule for the day (this may include multiple runs).

Schedule Editor can show unscheduled trips so that they can be scheduled.

You can view the passengers transported on different runs in a schedule.

In Schedule Editor, you can use the Find dialog box to locate information for specific clients, bookings, trips to or from specific locations, vehicles, runs, or drivers.

When viewing information in any screen in PASS, you can access contact information for locations, providers and funding sources.

The Find Closest Wizard can be used to locate events that happen within close proximity to other events.

Only events with the same geocode that fall within the time window defined by the All Same Geo Time Window property are highlighted.

A violation is the clearest signal that an event on a run requires attention for one reason or another. Violations can appear on the Runs, Run Itinerary, Client Itinerary, and all Client Events views.

On the day of operations, incidents may arise that require immediate attention: trips are canceled, clients are late, vehicles breakdown, and last minute trips still have to be added to runs.

In Planning Mode, you can move, add, and remove run events without being constrained by schedule times. Instead, estimated times are used.

A break in the service can occur for several reasons: to provide a lunch break for the driver, to refuel the vehicle, to allow a vehicle that is broken down to go out of service, or to have one driver replace another.

Sometimes, an individual on the street signals a vehicle to stop in order to be picked up at, or a passenger on board a vehicle requests to be dropped off at, an unscheduled location.

In Schedule Editor, you can insert bus stops on Flex runs, which enables FLEX users with no fixed route divisions to set up Flex routes.

PASS offers a variety of cancellation reasons and codes.

In Schedule Editor, there are three methods to schedule or reschedule trips:

Once you have dispatched an event to a driver, Schedule Editor allows you to record the method by which the event was sent.

When a vehicle breaks down, you must move all unperformed trips from the vehicle to an alternative run.

You can create shortcuts to specific records in Schedule Editor by adding them as bookmarks.