Technology to Support System Management Kenneth LaRue Division Manager Transit Programs Division October 21, 2008

Began electronic data collection in 1989 Oklahoma State University –Center for Local Government Technology

Initial Development Initially developed using dBase IV –a DOS database program which has been superseded by several versions. The software we developed was call...

Making Your Life Easier

What does our data collection software do? Records expenses –Not an accounting program Records statistical data –Ridership and vehicles

MYLE and MYLEO MYLE –The software used by the local transit projects for reporting expenses, passenger trips and vehicle statistics. MYLEO –The software used at ODOT to import the data files submitted by the local operators.

1997 Changed to a Windows Operating System DOS version of MYLE and MYLEO was upgraded to a Windows Operating System, using Visual dBase. –Still, a DOS operating system

In early 2000 we began experiencing problems Data had reached a magnitude at which MYLE did not function properly. –We had to develop “work around solutions,” because there was no way to fix the problem. We experienced situations in which MYLE would not work on the newer computers. –After contacting the computer manufacturer we learned that Visual dBase would not work on machines that had more than 512k of RAM. The MYLE program had become unstable, data files were losing their indices. –This requires us to access the contractor’s data files and run special routines which were very time consuming and could cause the corruption of data files.

The time had come to replace MYLE and MYLEO

Key points for program development. Not a lot of change. –We wanted a seamless transition to the new program. It would be an on-line program. –No need to copy and append data from one PC to another. Data would be on a central server. –Projects would not need to conduct periodic backups.

Key Points for program development. continued Off-site disaster recovery. –It’s a secret. Developed in consultation with the in users. –We held multiple workshops to get their input. And a very important key.....

Hire someone who knows your business

What programming software should we use? Microsoft Access –Not able to handle the magnitude of records. Oracle –Too expensive & trained personnel would be hired away. MySQL –Open source and inexpensive. Along with other database programs

We would use MySQL to merged MYLE and MYLEO into one internet based program called.... What did we decide to do?

MYLEO-net

MYLEO-net functions Expense Reporting –Not an Accounting Program Statistical –Ridership and Vehicle

MYLEO-net It’s all one database; however, we refer to it as having two sides. The ODOT side –ODOT staff can see all projects and their data. The Project’s side –Projects can see only their respective data.

Safeguards

Levels of security Level 1 –Browsing privileges and report functions only Level 2 –Data entry only and report functions Level 3 –Authority to edit records Level 4 –Authority to add/edit budgets, routes, vehicles and grant access to a user at level 4 or lower Level 5 –ODOT only, access to all levels

ODOT’s “Side”

The Project’s “Side”

Financial Operators establish their estimated annual budget, by line item. Monthly, they report actual expenses by line item. MYLEO-net calculates the Federal reimbursement based on these reported expenses.

Statistical On a monthly basis, operators report –Vehicle revenue miles and seat miles –Passenger trips and passenger miles Passenger trips are reported by general public, elderly and/or disabled –Hours of Service To aid the operators in providing reports to their various funding sources, they can “tag” the rider’s information by Purpose Code.

Entering Monthly Expenses

Entering Trip Data

Safeguards

Paying a submitted claim

Reports Financial Reports Budget Information Project Expense Information Annual Contract Balance True Cost Report

Calculating True Cost

Reports Continued Ridership Reports Trip Statistics Monthly Summary – By Vehicle, Route, County Trip Statistics Monthly Summary – By Route, County Trip Statistics Totals Trip Statistics Monthly Summary – By Purpose Code Trip Statistics Summary By Vehicle and Purpose Code Trip Sheet Detail – Purpose Code Farebox Report Mileage Report Intercity Trip Statistics

Reports Continued ODOT Reports Grant Distribution – By Project Grant Disbursement – By Grant Grant – By Fiscal Year

Disbursement of Federal fund

What’s next?

ASP.net Active Server Pages Object Oriented Programming –Better organized and maintainable Integrated Visual Studio environment –Greater debugging support and many out-of-the-box controls Better security –PHP is an open source code

ASP.net Continued Different methods to store session data –Each logon creates a session More scalable –Grows with database, can add servers Faster –Client sessions means no more back and forth data delivery to the server

Paperwork is massive

Working with the University of Oklahoma’s School of Computer Science An FTA sponsored research project