Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST) decided to upgrade its HASTUS installation and implement several new modules to communicate more effectively with employees and deliver enhanced customer service, according to GIRO, a leading provider of software for planning and managint transport-related operations.

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The agency operates 57 bus routes serving commuters, residents and tourists in California’s Monterey and Southern Santa Cruz counties. It has been a GIRO client for the past 10 years.

“HASTUS has become a key part of our operations, so we are keen to take advantage of the advanced functionality of a new version and to expand the software’s contribution to our operations with additional modules,” said Mark Eccles, director, information technology, for MST. “We are looking forward to making the most of the new functionalities for the benefit of our customers and employees.”

The new modules will allow MST’s employees to access various functionalities over the Web, including bidding on work and vacation choices, and make it easier for the agency to establish run times, produce detailed itineraries with accurate distance calculations, and automatically format schedules suitable for posting at each stop.

“We value our long-standing-relationship with MST,” said Robert Victor, GIRO’s director, public transit software, for the US market. “We are confident that the benefits of the enhanced HASTUS installation will soon be apparent to the agency and its riders, and we look forward to continuing our positive association with MST long into the future.”