Preparing an ISO 9001 audit gap analysis for route design issues.

I think now it's time to prepare a gap analysis, which is part of the ISO 9001.2000 certification review and/or internal audit, on the matter of route designing and customer service related to this.

If you noticed my first few entries, you can see why such an analysis is necessary. The gap analysis is designed to catch problems in this case, rider satisfaction with convenience and necessity being the paramount rule in organizing and maintaining route structures over the entire UTA system.

The best thing is to document the problem, note the deficiency, and solve the issue. UTA does not truly qualify for ISO 9001.2000 certification because it does not have this balance in place in route design and structure. There are routes that could be more efficient if they tied into another route at the other end such as one I have seen in Ogden. I'll write on that when I have more info, or a route that services two parts of a major university campus there that would be more efficient if it were a true loop and not the 3/4 loop it is now. Now it takes alot longer to get between the two campuses ont he same route and also service other areas that generate ridership to the two schools, thus actually discouraging ridership.

When doing the analysis on a route, it needs to be based on connections, frequency of service, and convenience to the rider, not the driver or what the manager thinks will work, although some factors such as length of time 'in the saddle' for the driver should always be considered.

I will write these analyses and post them here also.