With Echo: Thor's Helmet, we're introducing Disruption Zones, giving operators the ability to add temporary operational information directly to the map and make it immediately visible across Echo.
Operators can:
- Create time-bound Disruption Zones directly on the map
- Identify bookings with a pickup or drop-off inside an affected area
- Warn planners when creating or editing affected bookings
- Mark impacted jobs for filtering, reporting and allocation
- Display disruption information across Planning, Booking, Tracking and Reporting
- Allow drivers to report disruption events through the Driver App
This gives the control room an additional layer of local operational knowledge alongside the mapping information already available to Echo.
For example, if a road is temporarily closed near a hospital, event venue or business park, the affected area can be added as a Disruption Zone. Controllers can then identify relevant bookings and take action rather than waiting for the disruption to appear through external mapping data.
For NEMT, Patient Transport Services, employee transport, airport transfers and other time-sensitive passenger transport operations, this additional visibility can help planners respond earlier, reduce avoidable delays and better manage service commitments.
Drivers can also report disruption events directly from the Echo Driver App, helping information from the road reach the control room quickly.
Disruption Zones give operators a practical way to combine mapping data with their own real-world knowledge, helping controllers make better-informed decisions when local conditions change.