RSM Services Corporation is a Houston-based transportation planning firm founded in 1987. The company has a nation-wide client list and, in particular, helps agencies understand operations, report ridership and uncover savings opportunities.

The headquarters office is located at 2600 Southwest Freeway, Suite 900, Houston, Texas 77098.

Ridecheck Plus. Resulting from the company’s planning activities, RSM Services developed Ridecheck Plus for ridership analysis and reporting. The software was initially an in-house solution for contracts requiring system-wide boarding and alighting counts. The initial software created paper survey forms which checker took to the field for data collection. Later, RSM Services added software for handhelds, laptops and tablets.

A milestone enhancement extended the system to accept data from automatic passenger counters (APCs). Now, Ridecheck Plus processes APC data from five equipment vendors. APC processing runs each night and includes data validation by several dozen of business rules to ensure only high-quality data is used for analysis and reporting by agency staff. The company provides database schemas for Oracle and SQL Server which have code to APC processing. Microsoft Access is available for installations with data from checkers only.

In addition to ridecheck surveys (observations of one-way vehicle trips), the system features pointchecks, AVLchecks, farechecks and parkchecks. Most agencies use client-server setup, although some deliver Ridecheck Plus across the internet through the user’s web browser.

Ridecheck Plus is America’s leading transit ridership solution with installations with 20 to 2,000 buses, as well as rail.

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RSM Services offers professional services in three areas: information systems, strategic planning, and data collection and analysis.

Information Systems. RSM Services designs and implements systems to gather, then analyze information from diverse sources. These systems run on standalone equipment, client/server setup and web environments. Both custom and commercial applications are used. Analysis of operating and financial information is a common theme of custom systems by RSM Services.

Strategic Planning. RSM Services provides professional services to analyze current operations or to make long-range forecasts. Computer modeling is often used. In the financial area, RSM Services applies operating and capital costs in preparing financial statements over historical and future periods. Various financial and operating ratios, or other key performance indicators, assess performance.

Data Collection and Analysis. RSM Services designs and executes surveys to develop primary data by mail, telephone, observation and interview methods. The firm also collects secondary data from existing agency and public sources. RSM Services analyzes data, correlates relationships and reports findings. These services are often associated with market studies, needs assessments and, occasionally, base-line information to build or confirm computer models.