Quality Control Report

Quality Control RPI Shuttle System Jenna CovillSpring 2010 FINAL REPORT Janelle Farkas

Karianna HaaschShankar Kar

TABLE OF CONTENTS

OVERVIEW......................................................................................................................2

SURVEY RESULTS.........................................................................................................2

EAST AND WEST SHUTTLE RESULTS.........................................................................2

Figure 1: East Shuttle Usage....................................................................................3

Figure 2: West Shuttle Usage...................................................................................3

Figure 3: East Shuttle Arrivals..................................................................................4

Figure 4: West Shuttle Arrivals.................................................................................4

SHUTTLE SYSTEM OVERALL.......................................................................................6

Figure 5: Overall Shuttle System Complaints...........................................................6

Figure 6: Shuttle “on-call” Operation Awareness......................................................7

Figure 7: Substitution of CDTA for RPI Shuttles.......................................................7

SHUTTLE TRACKING SYSTEM......................................................................................8

Figure 8: Online Shuttle Tracking Website Awareness............................................8

Figure 9: Personal Usage of the Online Shuttle Tracker..........................................8

Figure 9: Frequency of Shuttle Tracking Website Usage.........................................9

Figure 10: Believed Accuracy of Shuttle Tracking Website......................................9

DATA COLLECTION......................................................................................................10

RECOMMENDATIONS..................................................................................................11

Figure 11: Screenshot from shuttles.rpi.edu...........................................................11

APPENDIX I.1: Control Charts......................................................................................13

APPENDIX I.2: Timed Shuttle Data..............................................................................15

APPENDIX I.3: Pareto Chart for Question #31.............................................................16

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OVERVIEWThe four of us were enrolled in DSES 4230 – Quality Control this semester

(Spring 2010). As a final project for the course, we were given the task of forming a team, getting “practical experience from conceiving and executing a quality improvement project,” and developing a final report for the class, as well as our client. The focus of this final project was very open: “Pick an aspect of RPI.” We know that the RPI Shuttle System is an important aspect of quality student life at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Because of the great value of this system, we decided that we wanted to team with the Transportation and Parking Services Office to improve the overall quality and student satisfaction with the Shuttle System at RPI.

The Shuttle System at RPI is currently divided into two routes: East and West. Each route operates daily on Monday through Friday from 7am – 11pm. The student union is a primary checkpoint for both shuttle routes. The East route has approximately 5 shuttles running daily, and the West route has approximately 3 shuttles. Shuttles also operate on an “on-call” basis during breaks (i.e. Spring Break in March), and for select special events on some weekends (i.e. Troy Night Out, Hockey games, etc.).

SURVEY RESULTSIn order to gauge the current satisfaction of student shuttle-users, we developed

an extensive, 31-question survey, which asked specific questions about ridership on the East and West routes, opinions of the Shuttle System overall, and knowledge of the online Shuttle Tracking System. RPI students were invited to participate in the online survey through a Facebook group, and an astounding 175 individuals took the survey in a ten-day timeframe. (It should be noted, that while surveys of this nature are most definitely instrumental in improving quality, they do also tend to limit the number of positive responses. In general, an unsatisfied customer is far more likely to participate in a survey than a satisfied customer.) We have noted here results of the survey that we find most pertinent to the improvement of the Shuttle System. The complete results of this survey can be found in Appendix III, and a soft-copy (Excel format) can be provided, upon request.

EAST AND WEST SHUTTLE RESULTSComplete graphs of these results are shown in Appendix II, but the ones that we

believe require immediate attention are given below.

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Question One: On average, how many times do you ride the East Shuttle per week (one way)?

0-5 >5-10 >10-15 >15-20 >200

20

40

60

80

100

120

Figure 1: East Shuttle Usage

0-5 = 106 5-10 = 28 10-15 = 17 15-20 = 1 Greater than 20 = 1

Question Ten: On average, how many times do you ride the West shuttle per week (one-way)?

0-5 >5-10 >10-15 >15-20 >200

20

40

60

80

100

120

Figure 2: West Shuttle Usage

0-5 = 97 5-10 = 11 10-15 = 4 15-20 = 3 Greater than 20 = 0

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Question Two: On average, how long do you wait for the East Shuttle to arrive (in minutes)?

0-5 >5-10 >10-15 >15-20 >200

10

20

30

40

50

60

Figure 3: East Shuttle Arrivals

0-5 = 43 5-10 = 56 10-15 = 18 15-20 = 5 Greater than 20 = 2

Question Eleven: On average, how long do you wait for the West shuttle to arrive (in minutes)?

0-5 >5-10 >10-15 >15-20 >2005

10152025303540

Figure 4: West Shuttle Arrivals

0-5 = 37 5-10 = 30 10-15 = 9 15-20 = 5 Greater than 20 = 2

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Question Nine: Please comment on what you believe would improve the East shuttle at RPI. (Top five are given here)

Less shuttle clumping/be on a schedule = 30 Add another stop/expand or change routing = 15 Shorter wait time = 5 Add another shuttle = 5 More shuttles before and after classes = 3

Question Eighteen: Please comment on what you believe would improve the West shuttle system. (Top five are given here)

On a schedule = 9 Add shuttle (long wait time) = 8 Winslow stop unnecessary = 5 Work on shuttle clumping = 4 Run later = 3

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SHUTTLE SYSTEM OVERALL

8%

24%

44%

7%

3%

3%

8%3%

Overall Shuttle System Complaints

Doesn't Run on WeekendsMore stops / different routesSet time schedules / better tim-ing / less clumping / shorter waitsMore ShuttlesExpanded HoursMore InformationBetter Tracking System / Mobile phone tracking systemBetter Quality Buses

Figure 5: Overall Shuttle System Complaints

Figure 5 shows responses to the final question of our survey (Question #31), which asks “In your opinion, what would make the RPI Shuttle System better OVERALL?” Out of 175 responses, 81 of them in some way involved the timing of the shuttles. Because of this overwhelming response which accounts for 44% of the survey takers, our primary focus in our recommendations will be to address this issue. A second graph (Pareto Chart) of these results is shown in Appendix I.3.

Question #28 asked about student awareness of the operation of the shuttles on an “on-call” basis during Spring Break 2010. Out of 175 responses, 140 of them said that they were not aware of this. That’s an incredible 80% (see Figure 6, next page).

Question #19 asked whether students have ever taken the CDTA instead of the RPI Shuttle. About 60% of the responses said “yes,” with reasons ranging from the CDTA arriving before the RPI shuttle, to their beliefs that the CDTA is faster (see Figure 7, next page)

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20.0%

80.0%

Were you aware that the shuttle oper-ated "on-call" during Spring Break 2010

(March 6-12)?

Yes

No

Figure 6: Shuttle “on-call” Operation Awareness

Question Nineteen: Do you, or have you ever, taken the CDTA instead of the RPI Shuttle? Yes = 105 No = 70 Reasons yes = Arrived before RPI shuttle, stops closer to destination, faster, available on

weekends/after 11 PM.

60.0%

40.0%

Do you, or have you ever, taken the CDTA instead of the RPI Shuttle?

Yes

No

Figure 7: Substitution of CDTA for RPI Shuttles

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SHUTTLE TRACKING SYSTEM

64.6%

35.4%

Are you aware that you can track the shuttles online?

Yes

No

Figure 8: Online Shuttle Tracking Website Awareness

Question Twenty: Are you aware that you can track the shuttles online? Yes = 113 No = 62

55.6%

44.4%

Have you personally used the sys-tem to track the shuttles on one or

more occasions?

Yes

No

Figure 9: Personal Usage of the Online Shuttle Tracker

Question Twenty One: Have you personally used the system to track the shuttles on one or more occasions?

Yes = 70 No = 56

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Question Twenty Two: How often do you use the website?

Once per semester

Once per month

Once per week

2-3 times per week

More than 3 times per

week

05

101520253035404550

Figure 9: Frequency of Shuttle Tracking Website Usage

Once per semester = 43 Once per month = 23 Once per week = 14 2-3 times per week = 8 More than 3 times per week = 13

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ase

rate

on a

sca

le o

f 1 t

o 5

, 1

bein

g V

ery

Acc

ura

te, and 5

bein

g

Very

Inacc

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0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50

3.23

How accurate to you believe it to be?

Figure 10: Believed Accuracy of Shuttle Tracking Website

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Question Twenty Four: How did you learn about the shuttle tracking system? (Top five are given here) Word of mouth = 57 RPI website = 8 The Poly, posters, etc. = 7 Through this survey = 5 Don’t remember = 5

Question Twenty Five: Please list any comments you have about the shuttle tracking system. (Top five are given here)

Make more accurate = 28 Hard to follow = 5 Performing well = 4 Have available at stops = 4 Improvement needed (not specific) = 4

DATA COLLECTIONWith the help of Mr. Jason Jones, Operations Supervisor for RPI Parking and

Transportation Services, we were able to compile data from two weeks of the shuttle sheets, filled out by the shuttle drivers. We found this data immensely helpful, and, when analyzed statistically, we discovered that the number of riders is “in control.” From this data, we eliminated the concept that the particular route or particular shuttle bus cause any problems in the Shuttle System. (Due to the confidentiality of these shuttle sheets, they have been shredded and recycled, as per the instruction of Mr. Jones). The corresponding control charts for this data are shown in Appendix I.1.

In addition to the information provided by Mr. Jones, the results of our student survey helped us to identify the main improvements needed in the current Shuttle System. In conjunction with this survey, we decided to use the Shuttle Tracker website to aid us in taking some time measurements of the shuttles. The results of this data collection are shown in Appendix I.2. From this data, we found that the longest it took a shuttle to make it completely through the East Route was 19 minutes, 35 seconds, and the longest through the West Route was 13 minutes, 32 seconds. We then came to the conclusion that the East Route can be completed in a maximum of 20 minutes, and the West Route can be completed in a maximum of 15 minutes.

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RECOMMENDATIONS Advertise

o The shuttle system is very valuable; however, many students do not know

about the variety of services that are offered.o Posters on campus

o Facebook group / page

o Open forum / seminar each semester

o Get a link for the Shuttle Tracking System on RPInfo

o Screen in the Union with the Shuttle Tracking System constantly up

Change the color of the shuttles on the Shuttle Tracker website (shuttles.rpi.edu).o The shuttles are currently a green color on the Shuttle Tracker website,

which makes them extremely difficult to see at first glance (see Figure 11). The green tends to be overwhelmed by trees and fields, so we suggest choosing either a bright yellow or bright orange color to use for the shuttle color, instead.

Figure 11: Screenshot from shuttles.rpi.edu

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Slightly alter the current continuous shuttle drivingo Stagger shuttle departures in the morning on each route: shuttles will

depart 6 minutes after one anothero Shuttles will return to the union at set time intervals from their departure

times: 15 minutes for West route and 20 minutes for East routeo For example:

The first West shuttle leaves at 7am. The second one leaves at 7:06am, and the third leaves at 7:12am.

The West shuttles will go about their route, and when they return to the Union, the first one must wait until 7:15am, the second at 7:21am, and the third at 7:27am.

Similarly, the first East shuttle leaves at 7am. The second one leaves at 7:06am, the third leaves at 7:12am, the fourth leaves at 7:18am, and the fifth leaves at 7:24am.

The East shuttles will go about their route, and then return to the Union, the first departing again at 7:20am, the second at 7:26am, the third at 7:32am, the fourth at 7:38am, and the fifth at 7:44am.

Shuttles will continue in this matter throughout the day, continuing the trend after breaks.

Because of this system, the most anyone should have to wait for a shuttle is 6 minutes.

Shuttles will be more highly utilized, and there will no longer be completely empty shuttles driving around the route.

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APPENDIX I.1: Control Charts

In the I-MR Chart for the East Route (shown here), the cycle times are fairly consistent and in-control. Thus our recommendations are valid for the allotted cycle times.

In the I-MR Chart for the West Route, the cycle times are fairly consistent and in-control. Thus our recommendations are valid for the allotted cycle times.

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In the Standardized Xbar-R Chart, the number of passengers is in-control throughout the week on the East Route. Therefore, we do not need to worry about the daily number of passengers negatively impacting the shuttle system from one day to the next.

In the Standardized Xbar-R Chart, the number of passengers is in-control throughout the week on the West Route. Therefore, we do not need to worry about the daily number of passengers negatively impacting the shuttle system from one day to the next.

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APPENDIX I.2: Timed Shuttle Data

Time Cycle (mins) (seconds) Bus # 0:18:28 1108 85 0:16:58 1018 85 Time Cycle (mins) (seconds) Bus # 0:10:56 656 93 0:12:00 720 93 Time Cycle (mins) (seconds) Bus # 0:15:32 932 95 0:19:35 1175 97 Time Cycle (mins) (seconds) Bus # 0:11:43 703 93 0:12:32 752 93 Time Cycle (mins) (seconds) Bus # 0:18:36 1116 85 0:17:55 1075 85 Time Cycle (mins) (seconds) Bus # 0:11:06 666 93 0:11:12 672 93 Time Cycle (mins) (seconds) Bus # 0:14:40 880 91 0:16:10 970 91 Time Cycle (mins) (seconds) Bus # 0:12:26 746 93 0:11:34 694 93 Time Cycle (mins) (seconds) Bus # 0:14:35 875 94 0:13:22 802 94 Time cycle (mins) (seconds) Bus # 0:13:32 812 97 0:10:52 652 97

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APPENDIX I.3: Pareto Chart for Question #31

1 = Doesn't Run on Weekends2 = More Stops / Different Routes3 = Set Time Schedule / Better Timing / Less Clumping of Shuttles / Shorter Wait Times4 = More Shuttles5 = Expanded Hours (evenings, 24/7 on-call, etc.)6 = More Information / More Advertising7 = Better Tracking System / Mobile Phone Tracking8 = Better Quality Buses (different sizes, more seating, etc.)

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