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The Runcutter Course

Training and Teaching

We believe in passing on the knowledge we've gained over the decades. To that end, Mr. Gaudet developed a two-day course in Scheduling, Service Planning, and Driver Work Scheduling ---- Runcutting. Since inception, it's been presented over 65 times, to over 900 students.

Whether using scheduling software, Excel, or pencil and paper -- it's important to understand the basics of scheduling. The thoughts and logic behind decisions. The parallel is the importance of understanding language before using word processing software; mathematics before using spreadsheet software.

The Runcutter Course addresses those basics by discussing:

Service Design (Route, Network)

Fixed Route Scheduling (running, recovery times, blocking -- efficient use of vehicles

Costing of service (the Three Part Cost Model)

Service and Productivity Monitoring (evaluation and adjustment)

General Staffing Issues, including Extra Board staffing calculations

Runcutting (efficent use of employees, including intangible factors that affect costs such as employee retention, absenteeism

Rostering (five day work weeks, four day workweeks)

Exercises throughout, using pencil and paper foster an intimate understanding of elements such as schedule building, blocking, split creation. The final exercise has attendees break into small groups to do a manual runcut. This exercise is designed to have multiple successful solutions, allowing attendees to see the effect of decisions. Not a "trial and error", but a "trial and improve" approach.

The Runcutter Course Onsite Training in conjunction with Runcutting

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Options for attending The Runcutter Course:

On-Site hosted by a transit system; or participating as an outside attendee at a session arranged by a transit system. Options are discussed below.

For information about the new customized workshop dealing exclusively with On-Time Performance, please refer to the

"New Book & Workshop page on this website.

The Two-Day Runcutter Course is presented on site at your location in the Continental U.S. and Canada for a Fixed Fee of $7,500 USD, which includes all Mr. Gaudet's travel, course materials, presentation, etc. The Host Property is responsible for providing the training venue, attendees, and any catering it may choose.
For value, I believe this is the best option as it allows you to bring a greater number of staff members for the same cost (a maximum of 20 is a workable number, but 25 can be handled if necessary). One of the goals of all my training is to increase your "bench strength" of knowledgeable staff for future promotion opportunities, and just to increase the overall knowledge of the industry.
Value is increased when the Runcutter Course is combined with the one-day On-Time Performance Workshop (Combo Price $11,500 USD), possibly adding the 1/2 day Operator Retention and Recruitment Workshop (Total Price $12,500 USD).
There are no open-enrollment sessions scheduled at this time. However, some systems who host a session for their own employees have been willing to allow individuals from other entities to attend, on a revenue sharing basis.
The individual fee is $850.00, which I share with the host system. To be placed on a waiting list, and be notified of any opportunities, please email me.
IF you have been in touch with me to register as an outside attendee at a hosted session (which means I've been given permission from the host; and IF we've discussed your registering with a credit card (normally I'll invoice you and I prefer payment by check), you can pay by credit card with this link (again, I prefer payment by check):
Because of credit card processing fees, the cost to register with a credit card is $875.00.

Please call Arthur at 972-466-4611, or email at runcutter@runcutter.com

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While we do provide Runcutting Service, we have found that a turnkey runcut may not have the greatest benefit to the property.
To that end, we have transitioned from turnkey runcuts, performed at our office in Texas, to on-site runcuts -- working with Local Staff.
We believe this is of greater benefit to the Property, Staff, and Operators from a number of perspectives.
First, it utilizes the local, institutional knowledge of Staff -- finding the undocumented "Unknowns" that Everyone knows about -- but may not mention. This generates a superior product, in part because options can be immediately raised with Senior Staff -- and decisions made.
Second, Staff gains the knowledge of various runcut approaches that may have never been used on that property.
Third, (but perhaps first in the mind of the Finance Department), the Property can become self-sufficient for the future. Increasing the skill level and ability of local staff means that the future need for, and expense of, outside assistance can be reduced, or even eliminated.