Vectour supported Optibus in delivering Scheduling as a Service for the Capital Area Transit System in Baton Rouge during a period of significant operational and labor change.
Location
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Service Type
Scheduling as a Service (Run Cutting, Rostering, and Timetable Production)
Partner
Optibus
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Agency
Capital Area Transit System (CATS)
Contract Term
1 year (2025)
Project delivery.
Challenge. Approach. Results.
01 / CHALLENGE
Objectives
Labor Compliance
Ensure every run cut is compliant, defensible, and aligned with commitments made to operators, reducing the risk of grievances or further labor action following the strike.
Operational Feasibility
Design runs that are achievable and sustainable for operators, avoiding unrealistic recovery time or excessive spread that could undermine morale and service reliability.
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Service Reliability
Reduce chronic lateness on key corridors and improve on-time performance without unnecessarily inflating platform hours.
Internal Capability
Build the local scheduling team's confidence in Optibus and the scheduling methodology so the agency can carry the approach into future run picks.
The challenge
Post-Strike Labor Environment
A highly visible labor strike and ongoing labor change made transparent, compliant scheduling essential to building trust with operators and union leadership.
Workforce Constraints
Recent staffing volatility required runs that operators could realistically sustain, with particular attention to recovery time, spread, and reporting practices.
Service Reliability Gaps
Two years of ongoing reliability challenges, including routes with persistent lateness where scheduled running times no longer reflected actual conditions.
Pick Timelines
Multiple revision cycles had to be completed quickly to maintain momentum and meet bid deadlines during a sensitive period for the workforce.
02 / APPROACH
Our approach
CBA-First Approach
Vectour learned and internalized the CBA before developing any scheduling scenarios, treating compliance as a trust-building exercise rather than a technical checkbox.
Agency-Specific Configuration
Working with local operations, scheduling, and dispatch staff, Vectour validated relief locations, pull-out and pull-in assumptions, garage capacity, layover expectations, and operator reporting practices ahead of each run cut.
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Data-Driven Running Times
Historical performance data and frontline input were used to adjust scheduled running times on routes with chronic lateness.
Rapid Iteration
Revised run cuts were delivered within 72 hours of feedback, keeping the process on schedule through multiple rounds of refinement.
Union Transparency
Vectour joined run cut presentations to union leadership, explaining how CBA provisions were applied and how lessons from the recent labor challenges were reflected in the schedules.
Key services
CBA Compliance Review
Detailed review of collective bargaining agreement work rules governing pay time, spread, rest periods, days off, overtime protections, and bid rules, applied to every run cut before scenario development began.
Run Cutting and Scenario Development
Development and refinement of multiple scheduling scenarios in Optibus, incorporating feedback from agency leadership and frontline staff to meet pick timelines.
Running Time Analysis
Review of historical performance data and local operational insight to identify and correct mismatches between scheduled time and actual conditions on chronically late routes.
Bid Package and Timetable Production
Delivery of compliant bid packages, full operator rosters, productivity summaries, public-facing timetables, and clean GTFS exports ready for operational and customer-facing use.
03 / RESULTS
The results
Compliant, Defensible Schedules
Every run cut aligned with CBA work rules and commitments to operators, reducing grievance risk during the post-strike recovery period.
Stronger Labor Relations
Transparent engagement with union leadership built trust, reduced friction during the bid process, and supported smoother implementation.
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Improved Schedule Adherence
Running time adjustments reduced chronic lateness on key corridors and improved on-time performance while holding platform hours in check.
Repeatable Framework
Local scheduling staff gained working confidence in Optibus outputs and the methodology, establishing a sustainable foundation for future service changes.
Conclusion
Vectour's work with the Capital Area Transit System demonstrates our capability in transit scheduling and labor-sensitive run cutting. By pairing Optibus technology with a deep understanding of collective bargaining agreements and local operating conditions, Vectour helped the agency strengthen labor relations, improve schedule adherence, and stabilize service during a period of recovery and transition. This engagement reflects Vectour's broader commitment to scheduling solutions that balance labor compliance, operational feasibility, and service reliability alongside our transit operations and major events portfolio.
