User Guide - i355/i615
Diagram of i355 Handset
*Note: The Left and Right “Soft” keys perform different functions from time to time. The function that
they will perform if pressed is indicated above the key on the Display Screen.
1. Starting TranAir
Note: The display back-light is on a timer. If it goes dark, press any arrow key to re-light the
screen.
To Start the TranAir java program, press the MENU button and scroll to Java Apps with the right arrow
key. Press OK. Then, scroll to the diamond shaped icon until you see TranAir and then select this
program by pressing OK
.
You should see a message similar to “Starting…” for a few seconds. Then you will see “TranAir” at the
top, “Log On” and “Ready”.
Note that if your phone gets stuck on Starting… -then end the TranAir program by pressing the Red
Hang-Up key once, then the soft key that says END –this will force TranAir to shut down. Then,
start it back up again as described above. If it gets stuck on Starting… again, then call and advise
the Dispatcher.
Note that the dispatcher must have assigned you as a driver to a vehicle at the beginning of
your shift in order for the system to recognize you. If this has not been done, then your
java application will get stuck on starting.
Before logging on, please read the next section
Suspending TranAir
Display Screen
Push to Talk Button
LEFT “Soft” Key*
MENU Key
Number Keys
Hang
-
Up Key
Power Button
RIGHT
“So
ft” Key*
Arrow Keys
OK Button
Soft Key Functions*
2. Suspending and Shutting Down TranAir
Using a java application, such as TranAir, makes other phone functions inaccessible or no longer in
view. If you need to access other phone functions while TranAir is running, you will need to Suspend
TranAir. If you receive a Direct Connect Call or Phone Call while TranAir is running, it will
automatically Suspend TranAir. You will need to Suspend TranAir to make a Direct Connect call to
dispatch. You will receive separate instructions on how to use voice communications.
Suspending a java application does not mean it is no longer running or that it is frozen. It simply
means that the visible part of the program is suspended, but the actual program is still running and
able to send and receive data.
Now that you have TranAir running on the screen in front of you, let’s practice suspending and
resuming it briefly.
Press the Red Hang-Up key once and notice how it says Suspended Apps… TranAir Midlet. At
this point, it is only partially suspended and you have 3 choices:
a) You can press END which will completely terminate TranAir (shut it down) If you ever get into
a situation where TranAir becomes unsynchronized with the Dispatch system, exiting the
program and re-starting it will automatically re-synchronize your phone with the dispatch
system. To do this, press the hang up key once while TranAir is on your screen, then press
END. You may then re-start TranAir as described in #1 above.
b) You can resume the TranAir application by pressing OK
c) You can complete suspending TranAir by pressing the RED Hang-Up key one more time. Now,
it disappears from view and you may access other phone features.
3. Resuming TranAir Once Suspended
If the TranAir program is suspended, you will see a folder in the Java Apps menu that will say
“Suspended” as the title. By selecting this item with the OK button, you can either end the TranAir
program (shut it down) by pressing the END soft key or resume it with OK.
4. Log On
The first time you start TranAir at the beginning of your shift, you may be required to log-on. You will
know when this is required because TranAir will take you to that step, displaying Log On at the top of
its screen.
Press
GO
then enter your driver PIN number and press
GO. This PIN number will be provided to you by
management.
Note that if letters appear in the entry window instead of numbers, press the MENU key
while the entry window is open and change the phone to numeric mode. Then, backspace
out any incorrect letters you entered with the *< key and enter your driver PIN.
Once you have logged on, there is no need to log-on again during your shift, even if
something went wrong (for example, you re-started TranAir to re-synchronize it) In other
words, just because TranAir was turned off and back on, this does not mean you need to
log back on.
5. Book In
NOTE: In most cases, TranAir puts the next most logical step at the top of the display to make it
easier to operate. For example, now that you have logged on, your phone displays Book In at the
top of the display. Also, the Left Soft Key will often indicate Change which allows you to select
functions other than the default. To select an alternate command (the other commands will be
discussed later in this document), press Change, then use your arrow keys to highlight the command
you want, press OK to mark your selection. Now, press Select (Right Soft Key) to activate the
function.
Any time a command is displayed at the top like this, all you have to do to invoke that command is
press
GO.
So, go ahead and Book In, simply by pressing
GO
TranAir will now ask you to enter the zone you wish
to book into. Enter the Zone number and press
GO. Keep in mind that depending on the configuration of
your company’s TranAir system, your zone may be validated by the computer (based on your location)
and/or the system may be setup to automatically book you into zones while you are moving about. Please
discuss this functionality with your manager.
Note that if letters appear in the entry window instead of numbers, press the MENU key
while the entry window is open and change the phone to numeric mode. Then, backspace
out any incorrect letters you entered with the *< key and enter your desired book-in zone.
6. Trip Offers
Accepting a Trip:
When dispatch assigns a job to you, the system will send it to your phone. You will hear a ring and see
“Accept, Trip In Zn xx” on your screen.
The top of the screen will show “Accept” indicating that Accept is the next command to be executed with
the GO button.
Press “GO” to Accept your Job. Within a few seconds, the job details will be displayed. “Load” will be at
the top of the screen. The system will always display the next most logical command at the top of your
screen. This command is executed with the GO button.
Rejecting a Trip: (This feature will be deactivated and not available with All-Star Cab)
Depending upon management’s policies, you may be permitted to Reject a trip. You can only reject a trip
when it is being “offered” to you, not after you see the trip details. When you see the Trip Offer as
described above, press Change, then select Reject with OK. Press Select. You will see “Rejecting
Trip…” on your screen. Within a few seconds, you will be placed in the vacant status, but not booked into
a particular zone. You will lose whatever zone posting position you had prior to rejecting the trip. At this
point, book into your requested zone.
Customer Call Out:
You may want to request that the dispatch center call your passenger(s) when you arrive or are about to
arrive at the pickup location. You can use the Call Out feature only while you are in the Accepted status.
Press Change, select Call Out with OK, then press Select. This will send a message to the dispatcher
asking for a call out to be made to your passenger.
No-Show or Void:
If you arrive to your pickup location and you are unable to locate your passenger, you can select No Show
from the menu when you are in an Assigned status. Press Change, select No Show with OK, then press
Select. You will see a message indicating that the No Show was requested. Within a few seconds, you
will see “Job No Showed” on your screen. You will be placed in the pickup zone of the trip you were
offered when you performed the No Show.
7. Loading a Trip
The system will always display the next most logical command at the top of your screen. This command is
executed with the GO button.
The command at the top of the screen will now be “Load” to indicate the next command to be executed
with GO.
When you load your passenger, press GO. The phone will ask to enter your STC (Soon To Clear or
Destination) Zone. Enter the zone where the passenger is going. Within a few seconds, you will see
[STC] (“Soon to Clear”) appear at the front of the job details. If you choose to not indicate which zone you
are heading to, just press GO without entering a zone number and you will see [LOADED] in front of the
job details rather than [STC].
The top of the screen will indicate the next logical sequence, which is Complete.
Soon-To-Clear (STC)
Once you enter your destination zone, as in the above step, TranAir automatically places you in Soon-To-
Clear mode. This advises the system and the dispatch staff where you are heading, so that if a trip in your
destination zone becomes available, the system will hold it for you, rather than pulling a car from another
zone. Of course, if another car becomes clear in the zone you are heading to, it will receive the trip –so
that customers are served as quickly as possible.
Note that the STC status will expire in a pre-determined time limit (set by dispatch). If more than this
period of time elapses before you complete the trip, the system will send you a message saying that
SOON-TO-CLEAR HAS EXPIRED. This disables the STC status, allowing the system to pull available
vehicles from zones adjacent to your destination zone. The system places you back into a standard
LOADED status.
8. Completing a Trip
Now the command is set to “Complete”. When you have completed, press GO.
The program will prompt you to enter the total fare amount. Using the Number Keys, enter in the fare as
dollars and cents (without the decimal point). For example, a fare of $23.59 would be entered simply as
2359 GO. You will see a brief message that says “Completing Job…”, then your screen will go back to the
“Book In” message. If you entered a Destination Zone during the Load function or using the Soon to Clear
function, you will automatically be booked into that zone. Also, if your system is configured to perform
automatic zone booking based on your location, you will be booked in at this time.
Payment Type
The phone will now prompt you to choose the type of payment transaction. Choose whether the
transaction is cash, an account, or which credit card is being used:
Cash
Note –if the payment type is CASH, it is the default selection, so you can just press GO without selecting
anything.
The phone will now prompt you to ENTER TOTAL PRICE.
Enter the actual price of the trip, including tip and press GO. For example, if the price is $24.93 and the
customer added a tip of 3.07, you would enter 2800, then press GO. PLEASE BE SURE TO ENTER THE
CENTS –FOR EXAMPLE, $24.00 WOULD BE ENTERED AS 2400.
NOTE: If you make a mistake when entering any numbers, such as mileages or dollars, please make a
note of which trip the mistake was on and what the actual numbers should have been. Advise dispatch
of any such mistakes at the end of your shift. Please be sure and charge the customer the correct
amount. Note that you can backspace out incorrect numbers by using the * key.
Credit Card
If the payment type is Credit Card then scroll to the appropriate Credit Card choice, press OK to select this
choice, then press GO. The phone will then prompt Enter Base Price.”
Enter the actual price of the trip, excluding tip and press GO. For example, if the trip price is 24.93 enter
2493, then press GO. PLEASE BE SURE TO ENTER THE CENTS –FOR EXAMPLE, $24.00 WOULD
BE ENTERED AS 2400.
After pressing GO, the system will ask “Enter Total Price” This is the amount the customer is paying,
including tip. For example, if the system indicated to charge the customer $24.93 and the customer added
a tip of 3.07, you would enter 2800, then press GO. PLEASE BE SURE TO ENTER THE CENTS –FOR
EXAMPLE, $24.00 WOULD BE ENTERED AS 2400.
Account
If the payment type is Account then scroll to Account, press OK to select this choice, then press GO. The
phone will then prompt Enter Account #. Enter the red travel voucher number from the travel voucher you
are filling out for this trip.
After pressing GO, the system will ask “Enter Base Price” Enter the actual price of the trip, excluding tip
and press GO. For example, if the trip price is 24.93 enter 2493, then press GO. PLEASE BE SURE TO
ENTER THE CENTS –FOR EXAMPLE, $24.00 WOULD BE ENTERED AS 2400.
After pressing GO, the system will ask “Enter Total Price” This is the amount the customer is paying,
including tip. For example, if the system indicated to charge the customer $24.93 and the customer
added a tip of 3.07, you would enter 2800, then press GO. PLEASE BE SURE TO ENTER THE CENTS –
FOR EXAMPLE, $24.00 WOULD BE ENTERED AS 2400.
At this point, you are ready to receive your next trip. The phone will display “Job Completed” and “Book
In” at the top of the screen.
Note that TranAir automatically books you into the zone you completed your trip in, if the trip had a
destination specified or if you had booked a Soon-To-Clear or. For example, if the trip had a
destination address of 123 Main Street, which is in zone 3, then upon completing the trip, the system
would post your vehicle in zone 3 automatically.
Alternately, if you booked Soon-To-Clear in zone 5, then when you complete that trip, you will already be
booked into zone 5.
Booking into that same zone again just wastes data and may move your queue position lower!
From the driver’s standpoint, it would be smarter to do a STATUS request upon
completion of your trip, to see where the system thinks you are. That way, if the system
already booked you into the destination zone, you would not need to book yourself into
the zone.
9. Busy/Clear
The Busy/Clear item performs 2 different functions:
a) Flag Pickup
This is used to indicate you have picked up a passenger off the street (Flag) so that dispatch
and the TranWare system do not send you a trip when you already have one. It also advises
the system and the dispatcher where you are headed (destination zone) so that the system
can try to get you a new trip upon arrival.
To pick up a flag, select Busy/Clear from the Change menu and press
GO
, then enter the
destination zone (where the passenger is going)
Note that the system will automatically place you into Loaded/
Soon-To-Clear mode, so that the dispatch system holds any trips for you in the zone you are
heading to, instead of pulling a car from an adjacent zone. TranAir will display “[STC]FLAG
TRIP” on your phone.
Flag Clear – If you are now marked “[STC]FLAG TRIP”, then the phone will display
“Complete” at the top of the screen. When your passenger gets out of the vehicle, simply
press
GO
and follow the Trip Completion procedure outlined in item 8 above.
There is no need to “Book-In” unless you drive to another zone and wish to book into
it.
You may wish to perform a “Status” request to determine your position in the zone you just
Cleared in. See “Status” below for instructions.
b) Book Busy –
This is used to temporarily make your vehicle unavailable, such as if you were taking a break,
or will be unavailable to accept a new trip for a few minutes. If you will be unavailable for
several hours or are going off shift, do not use this function –use the “LOG-OFF” function
instead.
To book yourself busy, press the “Change” key, then scroll down and highlight the
“Busy/Clear” function. Select that choice by pressing the OK button. Then press “Select”,
then when the pop up screen asks you for your Destination Zone, do not enter anything,
just press
GO.
The system will tell you that your are now “BUSY”.
Busy Clear –If you are now marked Busy, then the phone will display “Book-In” at the top of
the screen because that is the most logical next function. When you are busy, you can
become CLEAR and Book yourself into a Zone at the same time, simply by pressing
“
GO
”, then entering the zone you wish to book into. The system will tell you that you are
booked into that zone and it will tell you your queue position –in other words, whether you are
first, second, third, etc. in that Zone line-up.
10. Soon-To-Clear
While you are Loaded on a trip, you can enter Soon-To-Clear mode. This advises the system where
you are heading, so that if a trip in your destination zone becomes available, the system will hold it
for you, rather than pulling a car from another zone. Of course, if another car becomes clear in the
zone you are heading to, it will receive the trip –so that we serve our customers as quickly as
possible. When you Load a passenger, if you enter a zone number, you are automatically placed in
the Soon-To-Clear status. If you chose not to enter a zone number when you indicated Loaded, you
may activate the Soon-To-Clear function by pressing the Change Soft Key, scrolling to Soon To
Clear, pressing OK, then the Select Soft Key. The program will prompt you for the zone you are
heading for. Enter the Zone and press GO. Keep in mind that the Soon-To-Clear status will expire
after a pre-determined time span (normally 10 – 20 minutes). If the Soon-To-Clear status does
expire, you will receive a message and will be placed back into the Loaded status.
11. Zone Information
To determine how many vehicles and trips are currently available in the City, press Change then
scroll and highlight Zone Info?, select that entry with OK, then press Select
.
The system will show you the Zone number, the number of available trips and the number of available
vehicles in any zone where either a trip or vehicle is available. For example 3-0/1 indicates that in
zone 3, there are no available trips and 1 vacant vehicle.
This information may help you as a driver to be more efficient and receive more trips by showing you
where there is activity and opportunity.
12. Bid on Trip
While you are holding, queued up in a zone, you may want to “Bid” on a trip in a nearby zone without
losing your position if you don’t happen to win the bid. Bidding on trips allows drivers to request
nearby jobs on a “first come, first serve” basis. If you bid and you win the trip, it will be sent to you
within a few seconds. If someone else gets the trip or you are not qualified for the trip due to
particular attributes, nothing will happen and you will remain booked into the zone at the position you
were before you performed the Bid function.
To Bid for a trip, press Change, select Bid with the Arrow Keys and OK button, then press Select.
Enter the zone you wish to bid on and press GO.
13. Status
At any time, you may query your system status, by pressing “Change”, highlighting and selecting
“Status?” with OK, then pressing
Select
. The system will tell you your current vehicle status.
If you are waiting in a zone for a trip, you should not do a status request more than once
every 10 minutes, as it wastes data and increases the burden on the system. Doing
repeated status requests is not going to get you a new trip any faster.
14. Message
Sending Messages
The company management may give you a list of 2 digit numeric message codes that you can use to
send canned messages to dispatch. For example, a code “11” may mean that you are “broken
down” and a code “99” may mean you need help in an emergency, etc.
To send a message, press “Change”, highlight and select “Message” with OK, Press Select. Then,
enter the 2 digit message code and press
GO
. The system will tell you when the message was
received. This message will be displayed to the dispatcher.
Receiving Messages
At any time, dispatch may send you a message. There is no need to press any keys after you receive
a message. Your existing status will not be changed. If the new message over-writes your trip
information, perform the Recall function described below.
15. Recall
This feature will recall the details of the last completed trip if you are empty or the current trip
if you have a trip in progress.
Press Change, scroll to Recall and press OK, then press Select. This will put the last trip details
back onto your screen.
16. Log Off
At the end of your shift, press Change, select “Log-Off” with OK and press Select. This takes you
off-service. The TranAir Java program will continue to run and be ready for you or the next driver to
log back On Service. If the phone is to be placed on a charger or left on the in-vehicle charger, it can
be left on in this status. If you intend to shut down the phone, perform the TranAir shutdown
procedure outlined in the early part of this document.
17. “Demo” or Training Mode.
The system provides for a special zone that allows you to practice booking in, accepting, rejecting,
loading and completing trips, etc. At any time, you can Book into zone 200. The computer will send
you a test trip that you can follow through the various steps.
For Training video, please visit:
http://www.screencast.com/users/FQWireless/collections/TranWare%20Driver%20Training&password=futurequest
and enter the following password, if asked: futurequest
Collection Title: TranWare Driver Training
TranAir and TranWare are Trademarks of TranWare, Inc. The TranAir and TranWare software programs are Copyright ©2005
by J. Steven Furniss and distributed by TranWare, Inc. TranAir™ was developed jointly by TranWare, Inc. and Future Quest
Wireless Inc. (www.futurequest.biz)
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