HE 203 MICROCOMPUTERS IN . A56 no. 84-47 TRANSIT apartment of transportation A Software Handbook JULY, 1984 m no- W-m 1/ Microcomputers in Transit: A Software Handbook Final Report July 1984 MAR d-^3OO j Prepared by Eve Wyatt and George Smerk Institute for Urban Transportation Indiana University Bloomington, Indiana 47405 Prepared for Urban Mass Transportation Administration U.S. Department of Transportation Washington, D.C. 20590 Distributed in Cooperation with Technology Sharing Program Office of the Secretary of Transportation DOT-l-84-47 TECHNICAL REPORT STANDARD TITLE PAGE 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No. DOT- 1-84-47 D0T-IN-11-0009-2 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Dote July 1984 A Software Handbook. Microcomputers in Transit: 6. Performing Organization Code 7. Author's) 3. Performing Organization Report No. Eve Wyatt, George Smerk 9. Performing Organisation Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. Institute for Urban Transportation Center for Transit Research and Management Dev. 11. Contract or Gront No. 825 East Eighth Street IN-11-0009 13. Type of Report and Period Covered _ Bloomington. IN 47405 12. Sponsoring Agency Nome end Address Urban Mass Transportation Administration Final Report U.S. Department of Transportation July 1984 14. Sponsoring Agency Code 400 Seventh Street, S.W. UMTA Washington. D.C . 20590 IS. Supplementary Notes This document is being distributed in cooperation with the Technology Sharing Program of the Office of the Secretary of Transportation. 16. Abstract This handbook introduces management and staff of small to medium sized transit agencies to the use of microcomputers in transit operations. It describes the types of computer programs of use in this industry, and documents applications of some common ones. The handbook is in two parts. Part I describes a process for identifying appropriate use of microcomputers, and introduces the various types of computer programs. Chapter 1 introduces the components of the microcomputer system. Chaptei 2 outlines a process for identifying worthwhile and feasible uses of a microcomputei in the agency, by reviewing the various tasks which are candidates for automation. The following 5 chapters introduce different types of programs by describing their use and things to look for in selecting a program. Chapter 3 discusses generic software, including spreadsheets, database managers and word processors. Chapter 4 describes application software, programs written to accomplish a particular task in the transit industry. Chapters 5, 6, and 7 concern operating systems, programming languages and utility programs respectively. Finally Chapter 8 discusses some considerations in introducing a microcomputer into the agency. Part II documents applications of generic programs, primarily spreadsheets, in the transit industry. Each application is illustrated, and documented with notes permitting reconstruction of the application by new users. This handbook is a companion document to Microcomputers in Transit: A Hardware Handbook. 17. Kay Wards 18. Distribution Statement microcomputers, transit operations, Availability is unlimited. Document is transit management, computer software, being released to the National Technical generic software, application Information Service, Springfield, software, operating systems. Virginia 22161 for sale to the U.S. dataha^p mananpr<: nublid. 21. Ns. of Pages 22. Price 19. Security Clazsif. (of Ail report) 3SD. Security Clsssif. (of tbis page) Unclassified Unci assi fied 198 F®m DOT P 1700.7 c*.«si : ACKNCWLEDGEMEHTS This handbook benefited from the contributions of numerous micro- computer users in the transit industry who took the time to talk with us at length on the telephone and send samples of their microcomputer applications Bruce Bernhard, San Francisco Municipal Railway, San Francisco, CA Charles Cook, Berkshire County Regional Planning Commission, Pittsfield, MA Mark Dorfman, Saginaw Transit System, Saginaw, MI Richard Howell, Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation, Indianapolis, IN Gary Hufstedler, Dallas Transit Systems, Dallas, TX Scott McNeil, Mountain Transit Authority, Summersville , WV Nehr AL , Central Ohio Transit Authority, Columbus , OH Dave Olexer, Ben Franklin Transit, Tri-Cities, WA Howard Ostroff, Multiplications, Cambridge , MA Jack Reilly, Capital District Transit Authority, Albany, NY John Sajovic, Southeast Michigan Transit Authority, Detroit, MI Bill Steffens, Old Colony Regional Planning Conmission, Brockton, MA Efennis Tollefsbol, Metropolitan Transit Commission, St. Paul, Ml Bob Vogel, Mass Transit Authority, Baltimore, MD Barbara Wood, Central Contra Costa Transit Authority, Walnut Creek, CA Thanks also to Mark Abkowitz and Dan Bower of the Transit Industry Microcomputer Exchange, Troy, NY, for their help, and to Tom Hillegass of UMTA Technical Assistance for reviewing the handbook. The entire staff of the Institute for Urban Transportation contributed to preparing this handbook. In particular, the patience, efforts and suggestions of Jeanne Gunning, Maria Lee, and Angie Waltman vere inva- luable. TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I: MICROCOMPUTER SOFTWARE FOR TRANSIT CHAPTER 1 INIRODUCTION TO PART I 1 Objectives of the Handbook 1 The Role of Microcomputers 1 Components of the Microcomputer System 2 Software 2 Hardware 2 Operating System 2 Assembling a Microcomputer System 3 Structure of Part I 3 General Perspective 4 CHAPTER 2 SYSTEM DESIGN 5 The Value of Computers 5 Vhat a Computer Can (not) Do 5 Benefits from Use of Microcomputers 6 Planning the System 7 Step 1: Identifying Tasks 8 Step 2: Identifying Programs 9 Step 3: Comparing Tasks to Programs 12 Step 4: Selecting System Elements 14 Step 5: Developing an Implementation Plan 20 Conclusion 20 CHAPTER 3 GENERIC SOFTWARE 21 Spreadsheets 21 Function 21 Vhat to Look For 23 File/Database Managers 25 Function 25 Vhat to Look For 27 Vford Processors 30 Function 30 Vhat to Look For 31 Other Generic Software 32 Graphics 32 Statistics 32 The Role of Generic Software 33 Vhat to Look For in Generic Software ............. 34 Conclusion 35 CHAPTER 4 APPLICATION SOFTWARE . 37 Sources of Application Programs 37 Rjblic Domain Programs 38 1 1 'Off-the-Shelf ' General Purpose Programs 38 Proprietary Transit Programs 39 Custom Programs 40 Application Areas 40 Operations 40 Flaming 42 Financial Forecasting and Accounting 42 Vhat to Look For in Application Programs 43 Conclusion 46 CHAPTER 5 OPERATING SYSTEMS 49 Function 49 Vhat to Look For 50 Major Operating Systems 52 CP/M 52 MS-DOS . 53 The p-system 53 USfIX 54 Conclusion ......... 54 CHAPTER 6 PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES 55 Characteristics of Languages 55 Cbrapiled/Interpreted 55 Structured/Unstructured 56 Microcomputer Languages 56 BASIC . 57 Pascal 57 FORTRAN 57 OOBOL 57 Other Languages 57 Training 58 Conclusion 58 CHAPTER 7 UTILITIES 59 Spoolers 59 RAM Disk 60 Communications 60 ISfetworking 61 Screen Formatting 61 Other Functions 61 Conclusion 62 CHAPTER 8 ISSUES IN MICROCOMPUTER 1MPL£METTTATI0N 63 Staff Support 63 Training 63 Implementation Process 64 Coordination 64 Staging of Implementation 64 Order of Implementation 65 Duplication During Test Period 65 Operating Procedures 65 Backup 65 Database Coordination . 65 Maintenance . 66 Security 66 User Support 66 Conclusion 67 PART II: APPLICATIONS OF GENERIC SOFTWARE FOR TRANSIT CHAPTER 9 INTRODUCTION TO PART II 71 Envelopment of Generic Applications . 71 Use of Documented Examples 72 list of Applications 74 CHAPTER 10 SPREADSHEET APPLICATIONS 75 Documentation 75 Time Trend Analysis 78 Multiple Regression 80 Preparation of Operating Documents 86 Viage and Fuel Budget 88 Operating Budget 93 Budget Comparison 104 10-Year Operating Budget . 106 10-Year Capital Budget 110 Cash Flow Projection 112 Cash Flow Manager 114 Fare Structure Analysis 118 Cost Tracking and Forecasting 122 Monthly Route Sumnary 126 Monthly Reporting System With Macros 130 Service Variance Tracking . 136 Ride Check Analysis 140 Ride Check Summary 144 Route Evaluation 148 Schedule Builder A 152 Schedule Builder B 156 Run Summary ..... 160 CHAPTER 11 DATABASE APPLICATIONS 165 Documentation 165 Customer Service Records 167 Client Records 169 Parts Inventory . 171 APPENDIX A GLOSSARY 175 APPENDIX B REFERENCES 183 SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON MICROCOMPUTERS 185 ARTICLES OF INTEREST 189 LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES Figure 2.1 Task Assessment 10 Figure 2.2 Key Considerations in Software Selection 17 Figure 3.1 Spreadsheet Example 22 Figure 3.2 Database Example: Employee Data File 26 Figure 3.3 Menu Example 28 Figure 3.4 What to Look for in Generic Software: Summary .... 36 Figure 4.1 What to Look For In Application Software: Summary . 47 Figure 10.1 Time Trend Analysis 79 Figure 10.2 Multiple Regression 81 Figure 10.3 Operating Documents 87 Figure 10.4 Wage and Fuel Budget 89 Figure 10.5 Operating Budget 98 Figure 10.6 Budget Comparison 105 Figure 10.7 10 -Year Operating Budget 107 Figure 10.8 10 -Year Capital Budget Ill Figure 10.9 Cash Flow Projection 113 Figure 10.10 Cash Flow Manager 117 Figure 10.11 Fare Structure Analysis 119 Figure 10.12 Cost Tracking and Forecasting 123 Figure 10.13 Monthly Route Summary 127 Figure 10.14 Monthly Reporting System: Input Sheet 132 Figure 10.15 Monthly Reporting System: Blank Template 133 Figure 10.16 Monthly Reporting System: Sample Reports 134 Figure 10.17 Service Variance Tracking 137 Figure 10.18 Ride Check Analysis 141 Figure 10.19 Ride Check Summary 145 Figure 10.20 Route Evaluation . 149 Figure 10.21 Schedule Builder A 134 Figure 10.22 Schedule