Meeting_Body
OPERATIONS, SAFETY, AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
MARCH 21, 2024
Subject
SUBJECT: FLEET SCHEDULE SOFTWARE UPGRADE
Action
ACTION: APPROVE CONTRACT AWARD
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
CONSIDER:
A. AUTHORIZING the Chief Executive Officer to award a non-competitive 36-month firm fixed price Contract No. PS108917000 to Giro, Inc./LE Groupe En Informatique Et Recherche Operatioannelle (Giro, Inc.) for the HASTUS v2024 fleet schedule software upgrade and optional software enhancements in the amount of $3,445,049, and;
B. FINDING that there is only a single source of procurement for the item(s) set forth in recommendation A above and that the purchase is for the sole purpose of duplicating or replacing supply, equipment, or material already in use, as defined under Public Utilities Code Section 130237.
(REQUIRES TWO-THIRDS VOTE OF THE FULL BOARD)
Issue
ISSUE
The Scheduling Department of Metro Operations, which has more than 5,000 Transit Operators who run its buses and trains, has been using the HASTUS system since 1997 to make all the bus and operator/fleet schedules for Metro. The HASTUS software is outdated and needs an upgrade to the latest version that Giro, Inc., the software provider, offers. The proposed contract award will enable Giro to update the current HASTUS System software from version 2015 (v2015) to version 2024 (v2024). The HASTUS v2024 software has all the relevant software improvements that the contractor has made in the past nine years.
Background
BACKGROUND
HASTUS is a specialized, proprietary software product created by Giro, Inc. It enables the creation of efficient operator/vehicle schedules that comply with Metro policies, regulatory requirements, and the union contract’s rules. Scheduling and assigning operators and vehicles are essential operational activities for Metro. The HASTUS software also supports other vital functions within operations, such as: the pay calculation for operators based on their union contract; daily dispatching of operators from the divisions; extra board markup to ensure all work runs have an operator assigned to them; and many other vehicle/operator requirements.
The HASTUS software consists of various software modules that offer key functionality to Metro’s bus and rail fleet operation. A brief description of these tools is provided in Attachment A.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Metro's current software, HASTUS v2015, is in need of upgrade as does not support some of the latest technological and security features, and it has limited functionality for electric vehicle/charging and rail scheduling. Moreover, it does not allow for scheduling vehicles based on location, charge level, and service priority. These key features are essential for Metro's growing transit network, which requires more coordination between bus and rail modes, as well as for Metro's transition to a Zero Emission Bus (ZEB) bus fleet, which involves new time management challenges for operator/fleet scheduling at charging stations. The software is also an important tool used to assess needed service adjustments as they relate to EFC priorities.
To address these operational limitations, Metro needs to upgrade to HASTUS v2024, which offers more functional capabilities and flexibility for rail scheduling and operator assignments. The upgrade also includes operator bidding enhancements that will enable a user-friendly web and mobile phone application for more efficient operator bidding. Furthermore, Metro will move to a cloud-hosted solution that will improve real-time disaster recovery options and facilitate a smoother operational transition as Metro has tentative plans to relocate to a new and combined Bus and Rail Operations Center.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
The HASTUS v2024 software helps to ensure appropriate schedules between trip recovery times are respected according to Metro’s collective bargaining agreements and continues to ensure that operators have sufficient rest times between shifts, from one day to the next, as mandated by law for safety reasons. For this reason, upgrading and maintaining the HASTUS system is a necessary and critical safety measure.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Funding of $3,445,049 is required for this effort. A Life of Project (LOP) budget of $5,421,000 has been established in project 207169 - HASTUS Upgrade. This contract award is within the project LOP.
Since this is a multi-year project, the project manager and the Chief Operations Officer shall be responsible for future fiscal year budgeting.
Impact to Budget
The current source of funds for this action is TDA Article 4. This funding is eligible for bus and rail operations.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
The HASTUS system is used to support the daily operation of all bus and rail vehicles and operators across the entire fleet. The recommended upgrade will support operations and service for riders who may have limited mobility options. Further, it will support bus and rail operator shifts and rest times, which is anticipated to yield positive benefits for both Metro’s workforce and customers.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
Improved Customer Information supports Metro Vision 2028 Strategic Goal 2: Deliver outstanding trip experiences for all users of the transportation system.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board may elect not to approve the recommendation, which would postpone upgrading this vital system and Metro would continue to operate on v2015. However, this is not recommended as this mission-critical application will continue to fall behind other technological advances and risk incompatibility with new operating systems, database software, advanced cyber security software, and related software maintenance tools.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon approval by the Board, staff will execute Contract No. PS108917000 with Giro, Inc. for the HASTUS v2024 software upgrade.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - HASTUS Software Module Description
Attachment B - Procurement Summary
Attachment C - DEOD Summary
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Al Martinez, Deputy Executive Officer, Operations (213) 276-0117
Dan Nguyen, Executive Officer, Operations, (213) 418-3233
Carolina Coppolo, Deputy Chief Vendor/Contract Management (Interim) (213) 922-4471
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Conan Cheung, Chief Operations Officer, (213) 418-3034
