Paratransit systems provide service in a variety of operating environments using an assortment of vehicle types. Factors such as passenger loads, passenger characteristics, climatic conditions, terrain, vehicle speeds, and vehicle capital cost influence the type of vehicle, major vehicle components, and other features specified in procurements. The type of vehicle and its features, in turn, determine special requirements for maintenance equipment, facilities, and personnel.

The objective of this research was to develop a software tool to assist paratransit providers in (1) determining the appropriate type of paratransit vehicle for a particular operating environment; and (2) developing performance-based specifications for the appropriate paratransit vehicle through an interactive process that examines key trade-offs among the various aspects of the specifications. For this project, paratransit vehicles were defined as ADA-accessible minivans, vans, and small buses typically less than 30 ft in length. The tool was developed as a PC-based software product, produced in a user-friendly, menu-driven, Windows format. It has been named ParaSPEC.

Status: The final version of the ParaSPEC software is available though APTA.