The Performance Categories screen (which you access by clicking 
>> Performance Categories) has sliding scales of time expectations for various segments of a vehicle's or fleet group's scheduled trip. This article discusses what each category means.
Note: For details about the features of the Performance Categories screen, see Navigating the Performance Categories Screen. For the steps to change the allowed time windows for the categories, go to Adjusting a Performance Category's Scale.
These are the performance categories:
- Route: Used to determine if a route starts and ends on time. Its zero value is the planned time of the stop currently being performed in the route. If that stop is made within the set On-Time window (such as between 0 and 10 minutes after the planned stop time), the route will be reported to be on time. The Route performance category feeds the Route Performance and School Arrival Route Time reports.
- Route Start Window: The allowable window of when a route can start. Its zero value is the planned time the first tier of the route is supposed to begin. If the route's first tier begins within the set On-Time window, the route start window will be considered to be on time. The Route Start Window performance category feeds the Route Performance reports.
Note: A route will not be reported to have actually started until an event occurs within the start window. - School: Based on the planned time of the School stop, which is usually the final stop of a morning's route. For example, buses arriving at the school may have a School stop window from 6:20 to 6:30, and if they arrive during that window, they are considered to be on time. The School performance category feeds the School Arrival Route Time, the Planned vs. Actual Stop, and the Stop reports.
- School Bell Arrival: Based on the bell time, the time of day school officially starts, with zero being that bell-time value. If a route arrives at the school within the set On-Time window (usually 15 minutes before the bell time and at the bell time exactly), the school bell arrival will be considered to be on time. The School Bell Arrival performance category feeds the School Arrival Bell Time reports.
- Stop: Based on the planned time of the stop, with zero being that minute value. If the stop is made within the set On-Time window (such as between 5 minutes prior and 5 minutes after the planned stop time), the stop will be reported to be on time. In effect, this has the same values as the Route performance category. The Stop performance category feeds the Planned vs. Actual Stop and the Stop reports.
- Tier: The same as Tier Start Window (see the next bullet), except that it looks at the start and end times of a tier (instead of just the start). The Tier performance category feeds the Route Performance and Tier Performance reports.
- Tier Start Window: The allowable window of when a tier can start. Its zero value is the planned time the tier is supposed to begin. If the tier begins within the set On-Time window (such as between 45 minutes prior and 15 minutes after), the tier is considered to have started on time. The Tier Start Window performance category feeds the Route Performance and Tier Performance reports.
Note: A tier will not be reported to have actually started until an event occurs within the start window. - Yard: The only performance category that is based on the vehicle, rather than the route/tier/stop data. Its zero value is the time the vehicle is supposed to exit its assigned yard. If the vehicle leaves its yard within the set On-Time window (such as between 15 minutes prior and at the exit time exactly), this value will be reported to be on time. The Yard performance category feeds the Yard reports.