Beginning Fare File Management Hudson Fare Files 104 – Rev. 8/15 Point to Point (PTP)

Creating and building fare files for the Hudson Ground Transportation System (HGTS) is one of the first and most important tasks you will undertake when migrating to the HGTS suite of applications. It is the foundation for the pricing of all the services you will offer to clients and is where much of your revenue will be generated.

In this 4 th fare file orientation program we will be dealing with the configuration of Point to Point (PTP) Fare Files. It is strongly encouraged (and will be easier for you if) you review this entire slide presentation before you actually begin building any files. In this 4 th fare file orientation program we will be dealing with the configuration of Point to Point (PTP) Fare Files. It is strongly encouraged (and will be easier for you if) you review this entire slide presentation before you actually begin building any files.

PTP fare files are useful for four main reasons: 1.Provides a list of locations for hourly / as-directed reservations 2.Provides a list of locations for mileage-based pricing 3.Provides a list of locations for charter reservations 4.Provides a list of locations when calculating fares for transport between any 2 non-airport locations (e.g. city to city). PTP fare files are useful for four main reasons: 1.Provides a list of locations for hourly / as-directed reservations 2.Provides a list of locations for mileage-based pricing 3.Provides a list of locations for charter reservations 4.Provides a list of locations when calculating fares for transport between any 2 non-airport locations (e.g. city to city).

NOTE: In the previous slide, item #4, we did NOT say that the PTP fare tables were used to generate fares between two non-airport locations. A ptpfare table only contains pickup and drop off “locations”. The actual fare values for travel between 2 non airport locations will come from a ZONE file. This presentation will cover how to create BOTH a PTP and a ZONE file for your system. NOTE: In the previous slide, item #4, we did NOT say that the PTP fare tables were used to generate fares between two non-airport locations. A ptpfare table only contains pickup and drop off “locations”. The actual fare values for travel between 2 non airport locations will come from a ZONE file. This presentation will cover how to create BOTH a PTP and a ZONE file for your system.

Introducing Zones: A zone is defined as: A geographic area (e.g. Metro Boston) A specific city / town / county / postal code A collection of cities / towns / counties / postal codes Introducing Zones: A zone is defined as: A geographic area (e.g. Metro Boston) A specific city / town / county / postal code A collection of cities / towns / counties / postal codes

Before you can start determining fare values for point to point travel, you will need to look at a map, and decide philosophically how you will price: Will you charge the same amount to travel from anywhere in Town A to any other place in Town A? Will you charge the same amount to travel from anywhere in Town A to anywhere in Town B? Will you charge the same amount to travel from anywhere in Zip Code A to anywhere in Zip code B? Before you can start determining fare values for point to point travel, you will need to look at a map, and decide philosophically how you will price: Will you charge the same amount to travel from anywhere in Town A to any other place in Town A? Will you charge the same amount to travel from anywhere in Town A to anywhere in Town B? Will you charge the same amount to travel from anywhere in Zip Code A to anywhere in Zip code B?

You will essentially need to determine the smallest geographic ‘increment’ (zone) you will use when setting pricing and will then need to assign a Zone ID to every location you service.

Getting Started Generally speaking when creating PTP fares, you will be picking up and dropping off at the same locations that you have contained in your default airport fare table(s). So for ease and speed, lets create our PTP fare table using an airport fare table already created… Generally speaking when creating PTP fares, you will be picking up and dropping off at the same locations that you have contained in your default airport fare table(s). So for ease and speed, lets create our PTP fare table using an airport fare table already created…

First Step: Create a copy of your default fare file. Locate and open your primary airport fare file (e.g. bosfares.csv). Typically it will be located on your network in \\ \Hudson\CSVs First Step: Create a copy of your default fare file. Locate and open your primary airport fare file (e.g. bosfares.csv). Typically it will be located on your network in \\ \Hudson\CSVs

With the file open, click File > Save As from the menu bar of your spreadsheet application. Give the Point to Point Fare File the name ‘ptpfares’ and save it as a *.csv formatted file, and save to the same location as the main or default bos.csv. With the file open, click File > Save As from the menu bar of your spreadsheet application. Give the Point to Point Fare File the name ‘ptpfares’ and save it as a *.csv formatted file, and save to the same location as the main or default bos.csv.

With the ptpfares file now open, highlight the alternate passenger fares contained in Columns AK, AL & AM: and clear or delete them. (Don’t delete the ‘columns’ from the fare file; delete the data that is in the columns!) With the ptpfares file now open, highlight the alternate passenger fares contained in Columns AK, AL & AM: and clear or delete them. (Don’t delete the ‘columns’ from the fare file; delete the data that is in the columns!)

Save the changes to your ptpfares.csv. Highlight the fare values for Service 1 contained in Columns AR, AS, AT, AU and delete them as well. Repeat the process for remaining services: highlighting and deleting the fares for all services in your fare file. Remember… the fares to be charged for Point to Point will NOT be pulled from this file! Save the changes to your ptpfares.csv. Highlight the fare values for Service 1 contained in Columns AR, AS, AT, AU and delete them as well. Repeat the process for remaining services: highlighting and deleting the fares for all services in your fare file. Remember… the fares to be charged for Point to Point will NOT be pulled from this file!

Save the changes to your ptpfares.csv file. With your ptpfares file still open, locate Column X, Zone price record ID. For every row / location, you will enter a corresponding Zone Record ID. For our example, each City / Town will be a separate Zone. Your zone ID should be in the format ‘Z##’ (e.g. Z01, Z22, Z135, etc.) Save the changes to your ptpfares.csv file. With your ptpfares file still open, locate Column X, Zone price record ID. For every row / location, you will enter a corresponding Zone Record ID. For our example, each City / Town will be a separate Zone. Your zone ID should be in the format ‘Z##’ (e.g. Z01, Z22, Z135, etc.)

With your ptpfares file still open, locate Column X, Zone price record ID. For every row / location, enter the corresponding Zone Record ID into the appropriate field. Note, for our example, each City / Town will be a separate Zone.

If you have hotels, schools, sports venues and other locations listed in your ptpfares file, they may be assigned to the same zone as the city / town they are located in. For our example, all hotels in the city of Boston would be assigned to Zone 13.

Continue down your ptpfares file list of locations, assigning a Zone Price Record ID for each. This can be time consuming… be sure to save your files early and often so you do not lose any work! Save your ptpfares.csv when done. Continue down your ptpfares file list of locations, assigning a Zone Price Record ID for each. This can be time consuming… be sure to save your files early and often so you do not lose any work! Save your ptpfares.csv when done.

Time to build a Zone file. Let’s look at a sample first. You will be able to download a default zone file template later… The zone file will be saved with the name zones.csv and will be saved in the same location (CSVs folder) as your fare files. Time to build a Zone file. Let’s look at a sample first. You will be able to download a default zone file template later… The zone file will be saved with the name zones.csv and will be saved in the same location (CSVs folder) as your fare files.

A Zone file is another *.csv formatted file (similar to the fare files). You can use any spreadsheet application to edit and modify them. A Zone file is another *.csv formatted file (similar to the fare files). You can use any spreadsheet application to edit and modify them.

Column A in a Zone file contains a Zone Key. This is where you will list all possible Zone-to-Zone combinations. For our purposes, note that we have displayed combinations for 5 zones Column A in a Zone file contains a Zone Key. This is where you will list all possible Zone-to-Zone combinations. For our purposes, note that we have displayed combinations for 5 zones

Important: If your pricing is bidirectional, meaning if the cost to travel from Zone 2 to Zone 3 is the same as to travel from Zone 3 to Zone 2, then you do NOT need to enter every combination. If however the pricing will be different in the scenario above, then you WOULD list both: Z02.Z03 Z03.Z02 (Requires additional configuration settings) Important: If your pricing is bidirectional, meaning if the cost to travel from Zone 2 to Zone 3 is the same as to travel from Zone 3 to Zone 2, then you do NOT need to enter every combination. If however the pricing will be different in the scenario above, then you WOULD list both: Z02.Z03 Z03.Z02 (Requires additional configuration settings)

To make the Zone file a little easier to read and work with, let’s add the city pair combination labels. In our case the cost to go from Amherst to Andover will = Andover to Amherst (so Z02.Z03 is only needed once) To make the Zone file a little easier to read and work with, let’s add the city pair combination labels. In our case the cost to go from Amherst to Andover will = Andover to Amherst (so Z02.Z03 is only needed once)

Column C: Departure Surcharge Column D: Arrival Surcharge - Advanced fields, they can be used to assign additional base fare surcharges with picking up or discharging on these travel combinations Column C: Departure Surcharge Column D: Arrival Surcharge - Advanced fields, they can be used to assign additional base fare surcharges with picking up or discharging on these travel combinations

Column E: Discountable Fare (advanced feature) Column F: Fare Options (advanced feature) Column E: Discountable Fare (advanced feature) Column F: Fare Options (advanced feature)

Columns G – K: Expansion Field (advanced feature)

Column L: New zone fare effective date An advanced feature: this column used when entering a scheduled fare increase for point to point travel. See HGTS Fare Files 105 – Scheduled Fare Increases Column L: New zone fare effective date An advanced feature: this column used when entering a scheduled fare increase for point to point travel. See HGTS Fare Files 105 – Scheduled Fare Increases

Column M: Travel (lead) time. Important / Required: this is the amount of time in minutes to travel between most locations in this zone combination. If in doubt, use longer travel times rather than shorter times. Column M: Travel (lead) time. Important / Required: this is the amount of time in minutes to travel between most locations in this zone combination. If in doubt, use longer travel times rather than shorter times.

Column N: Alternate travel (lead) time Column O: Time schedule record ID Column P: Alternate time record Column Q: Arrival time record (all advanced features) Column N: Alternate travel (lead) time Column O: Time schedule record ID Column P: Alternate time record Column Q: Arrival time record (all advanced features)

Column R: Credit Card Required (optional – rare) If you require a credit card for some specific zone combinations, you may enter a value here: 1: cc required for all directions (Hourly, PTP) Column R: Credit Card Required (optional – rare) If you require a credit card for some specific zone combinations, you may enter a value here: 1: cc required for all directions (Hourly, PTP)

Column S: Alternate passenger rate Column T: Alternate passenger 2 rate Column U: Alternate passenger 3 rate (Only needed if there will be services priced on a per- passenger basis) Column S: Alternate passenger rate Column T: Alternate passenger 2 rate Column U: Alternate passenger 3 rate (Only needed if there will be services priced on a per- passenger basis)

Columns V – Y: Expansion Field(s) Yet more empty fields for advanced usage only Columns V – Y: Expansion Field(s) Yet more empty fields for advanced usage only

Finally - fares! Column Z: SVC1 Fare 1 (single passenger or dedicated) Place in this field the base passenger fare only for shared ride service OR place the fare for the entire vehicle if this service is not priced per passenger. Column Z: SVC1 Fare 1 (single passenger or dedicated) Place in this field the base passenger fare only for shared ride service OR place the fare for the entire vehicle if this service is not priced per passenger.

In our example, the fares listed are per vehicle – in this case a sedan.

Columns AA – AC: Optional Place into these fields the TOTAL amount you charge for 2 or 3 passengers in the vehicle (only if you charge per passenger). See HGTS Fare Files 101; slides for more information on per passenger pricing. Columns AA – AC: Optional Place into these fields the TOTAL amount you charge for 2 or 3 passengers in the vehicle (only if you charge per passenger). See HGTS Fare Files 101; slides for more information on per passenger pricing.

Column AD: SVC1 Service Options (advanced)

On to your other services! For the remaining Services (~vehicle types) that you will offer PTP pricing, continue with services 2-25, entering the base fares charged to travel between each zone combination for those vehicles. You might also consider stopping now… importing the fares to your local system and testing. If all is working for the first service, then you can continue with remaining services. On to your other services! For the remaining Services (~vehicle types) that you will offer PTP pricing, continue with services 2-25, entering the base fares charged to travel between each zone combination for those vehicles. You might also consider stopping now… importing the fares to your local system and testing. If all is working for the first service, then you can continue with remaining services.

Point to Point Configuration As mentioned earlier, the ptpfares.csv and zones.csv files that you have built will be used to control hourly, charter and Point to Point fare generation in your system. Before these types of reservations may be entered, you must ensure that your system is configured to allow these ‘direction’ types. If you are not sure, contact Hudson Support for assistance. Point to Point Configuration As mentioned earlier, the ptpfares.csv and zones.csv files that you have built will be used to control hourly, charter and Point to Point fare generation in your system. Before these types of reservations may be entered, you must ensure that your system is configured to allow these ‘direction’ types. If you are not sure, contact Hudson Support for assistance.

Zone file template Here is a link to a blank Zone File template that you can download and start working with. Note: this template contains all possible zone combinations for 150 locations. Before downloading this template, take a look in your CSV’s folder…most clients are provided with this default template when Hudson first builds the system. Zone file template Here is a link to a blank Zone File template that you can download and start working with. Note: this template contains all possible zone combinations for 150 locations. Before downloading this template, take a look in your CSV’s folder…most clients are provided with this default template when Hudson first builds the system.

Import your Point to Point fare file Following the guidelines in HGTS Fare Files 102 presentation, import the new fare file into your Hudson local system. Import your Point to Point fare file Following the guidelines in HGTS Fare Files 102 presentation, import the new fare file into your Hudson local system.

Once the fares are imported to your local system, you should proceed with several test reservations, ensuring that many different zone combinations work and calculate as expected. Point to Point fares will also work on the web reservation system, provided the site has been configured to permit this ‘direction.’ You may also need to upload your ptpfares.csv to the web. Once the fares are imported to your local system, you should proceed with several test reservations, ensuring that many different zone combinations work and calculate as expected. Point to Point fares will also work on the web reservation system, provided the site has been configured to permit this ‘direction.’ You may also need to upload your ptpfares.csv to the web.

Congratulations! This should be sufficient to get you started building your Hudson Point to Point Fare Files! Becoming familiar with this process is very important as it is one you will use to update fares and service options as your company and system expands and grows. Congratulations! This should be sufficient to get you started building your Hudson Point to Point Fare Files! Becoming familiar with this process is very important as it is one you will use to update fares and service options as your company and system expands and grows.

For more information: Consider looking at the Hudson KnowledgeBase for additional support articles and information: If you have questions or need assistance, we are always available to you! For more information: Consider looking at the Hudson KnowledgeBase for additional support articles and information: If you have questions or need assistance, we are always available to you!