S-164-V1-EN
The Time Definition Designer (TDD) is a highly customizable tool that lets you build the time definitions for your operation.
Custom time definitions can be constrained using other preferences to create the optimization results you need. They can also be used in the stats columns, in exports such as the Aggregated Crew Schedule, or returned in API calls in the same way that Time Definitions templates are used.
The TDD is part of the family of Preference Designers across Optibus, all of which aim to make the process of setting up preferences quicker, easier, and more flexible.
How to use
Navigation
To access the TDD, follow these steps:
While in your schedule, open Preferences.
Find Time Definition Designer (BETA) in the Drivers section or using the search bar.
Hover over +Time Definition Designer (BETA) and click +New Time Definition Designer (BETA).
Structure
Clicking +New Time Definition Designer creates a time definition group. We will refer to them as TDD groups in this article. Each TDD group consists of one or more rows. Each row contains one rule that either includes or excludes certain events and metrics from your definition.
Naming TDD groups
The name you set for a TDD group will show up in the Stats column and in other preferences, reports, and API calls, so it’s important to give the group a name you will recognize.
Tips:
You can save your TDD group as a template, which you can then load back into any other schedule.
Naming a group paid_time makes it override the existing Paid Time definitions. You can use this to create your own paid time configuration.
Setting time definitions
Once you’ve named your TDD group, you can click on a row to start defining its rules.
Each row can also be named. The Description field can be used to document the logic of the rule for future reference.
Like the original Preference Designer, the TDD rules also consist of Contexts, Property, and Value. Depending on your choice in each drop-down, additional configurations become available, such as filters for contexts and ranges of values.
Context is an event or metric that we are including or excluding from the time definition.
Property is what we do with the chosen context, which comes down to including or excluding it from the time definition.
Value defines to what extent we include or exclude the chosen context from our time definition, and how that extent is measured (minutes or percentage).
For example, here is what excluding breaks from Paid time looks like in TDD:
Notice how choosing Break in Context gives you the option of choosing specific break IDs as well as other additional configurations.
You can find more examples and gain a better understanding of the feature’s capabilities in this article.
Once you’re finished with the setup, can click Save & Close.
Use of the definitions
Stats
To view your time definitions in Stats, first, you need to Analyze the schedule. Then, follow these steps:
Click Stats above the Gantt on the left.
Type in the name of the definition you want to display.
Check the box next to it and click Apply.
In other preferences
Designed time definitions can be used in other preferences in order to validate and/or optimize your schedule. Here are some examples:
Duty Types. While defining duty types in this preference, you can use the time definitions created in the designer.
Time Limitations. This preference lets you set time restrictions that will apply to all duties. Restrictions can be applied to different aspects of a duty, including designed time definitions.
Custom KPIs. Just like Stats, designed time definitions can also be used to create custom KPIs.
For example, here we’ve created a Taxi time definition, which includes all travel events:
Then, we used that time definition to create a custom KPI, and now it’s displayed in the KPI panel: