The Service Development Department has a staff of six route planners, five schedule makers, four service analysts, and two data collectors who support a route network of 120 bus lines, two light rail lines, and one commuter rail line. This network covers an area of 907 square miles and operates with approximately 900 buses, 86 light rail vehicles, and 18 commuter rail cars. Also in support of this operation, Service Development creates work assignments for about 1,500 bus operators and 120 light rail operators. The Service Analysis section currently provides running time calibration and frequency analysis while the Scheduling section provides route definition, schedule writing, blocking, and run cutting.

The Metropolitan Council (Council) seeked professional services on behalf of its Metro Transit Division to evaluate the efficiency of fixed-route transit schedules, to determine staff training needs, and to potentially deliver training in response to these needs. An additional component included evaluation of staffing requirements for scheduling functions within Service Development, followed by organizational recommendations to improve scheduling effectiveness. Two conditions have precipitated Metro Transit’s request for these services. First, there has been a high level of staff turnover within Service Development, and second, Metro Transit would soon upgrade from HASTUS Version 2007 to Version 2014.