Description and General Requirements
Baby boomers are now retiring in record numbers. Many have decided, or soon could decide, that they are unsure about their driving skills and worry about their safety and the safety of others. Door2Door is a pseudo taxi company in Sturgeon Bay, WI that is subsidized by state and federal grants. For $1.00, they will pick you up at your door and take you to a single destination of your choice within five miles of the city. Not only do they have wheel chair access, they will carry your your bags into the house for you. Seniors feel independent as they can grocery shop, go to church, visit friends and schedule medical appointments without feeling like they are a burden on their children. Scheduling the order of pickups needs to consider constraints like appointment times, gas mileage and responsiveness.
Task: Develop a visual and analytical support system that assists Door2Door drivers to effectively transport their riders.
Baby boomers are now retiring in record numbers. Many have decided, or soon could decide, that they are unsure about their driving skills and worry about their safety and the safety of others. Door2Door is a pseudo taxi company in Sturgeon Bay, WI that is subsidized by state and federal grants. For $1.00, they will pick you up at your door and take you to a single destination of your choice within five miles of the city. Not only do they have wheel chair access, they will carry your your bags into the house for you. Seniors feel independent as they can grocery shop, go to church, visit friends and schedule medical appointments without feeling like they are a burden on their children. Scheduling the order of pickups needs to consider constraints like appointment times, gas mileage and responsiveness.
Task: Develop a visual and analytical support system that assists Door2Door drivers to effectively transport their riders.
- Drivers, passengers and destinations are presented visually on a map.
- The map is updated after an event: request, pickup, drop off...
- Pickups can be requested and cancelled at any time.
- Handle multiple taxis.
- Give drivers "what if" capabilities so they can make efficient decisions like positioning when idle, selecting routes, order of transport...
- Save the sequence of events and play back so drivers can select an alternative strategy.
- Distances between objects are computed and displayed.
- Each taxi has a maximum number of riders. (Do wheelchairs take extra space?)
- Some riders have specific scheduled appointments so destination times matter.