Benefits and Costs

Capital Savings

• Santa Clara Paratransit reduced its fleet size from 200 to 130 vehicles after implementing CADS with AVL, which saved $488,000 per year in 1996 and 1997.
• Fleet reductions of 2%-5% are expected after a few years, when the agency has learned to use the software efficiently.

Operating Savings

• San Jose, CA reduced paratransit expenditures from $4.88 to $3.72 per passenger.
• Winston-Salem Paratransit had an 8.5% reduction in operating expenses per vehicle mile.
• Door-to-Door in Peoria, IL was able to eliminate a dispatcher position, and on-time arrivals increased from 72% to 81%.
Ridership and Customer Service
• Sweetwater County, WY saw increased ridership from 5,000 to 9,000 passengers per month and had a 14% increase in overall demand.

Equipment and Implementation
The cost of CADS does not depend on fleet size but rather on the features and functions included in the product. It has ranged from $15,000 to $120,000, with a median cost of $50,000. Boone County, IO spent $72,300 on its CADS system, while Ann Arbor's Transportation Authority spent $261,099.

Operating and Maintenance

• CARTS in Austin, TX incurred $10,000 in annual maintenance costs for its scheduling and dispatching application.

Training and Staff

• St. Johns and Flagler counties in Florida spent about $13,400 and $11,000, respectively, on training.
• At least a part-time systems maintenance person will need to be hired.