BusCalc — Business & Trade Calculations

Detour break-even calculator

buscalc_detour_break_even_calculator

Read-onlyIdempotent

Compare waiting with driving a detour and find the break-even delay. Use this tested BusCalc worksheet when the task matches its inputs and scope. Returns named results, units, formula, assumptions, method version and a source-page URL. No prices or omitted costs are looked up; no private projects or purchases are accessed. Put tool fields inside inputs. Supply units or modelVersion only when listed in inputSchema. Follow its required fields and exact choices. Do not pass the REST calculator field inside MCP arguments.

Example tool call

This call uses example arguments supplied in the tool’s input schema.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "inputs": {
        "mpg": 20,
        "base": 45,
        "fuel": 4,
        "long": 90,
        "miles": 20,
        "short": 20,
        "tolls": 5,
        "access": "unconfirmed",
        "vehicle": 0.3,
        "timeCost": 30,
        "waitCost": 30,
        "waitLate": 0,
        "detourLate": 0,
        "detourMinutes": 30
      }
    },
    "name": "buscalc_detour_break_even_calculator"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`units`	No
`inputs`	Yes
`modelVersion`	No	Optional expected method version; a mismatch is rejected.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`units`	No
`inputs`	Yes
`receipt`	Yes
`results`	Yes
`sourceURL`	Yes
`calculator`	Yes
`modelVersion`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

AddedNov 8, 2026

TDQS

B3.2/5.0

Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnly, idempotent, non-destructive and closed-world, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds that results come with units, formula, assumptions, method version and a source URL, plus a note that a mismatched modelVersion is rejected, but with an output schema present the return-value detail is partly redundant and no calculation limitations (e.g. how break-even is derived) are explained.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness3/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The core comparison purpose is front-loaded in sentence one, but several sentences are generic boilerplate ("Use this tested BusCalc worksheet when the task matches its inputs and scope") or infrastructure notes (the REST-field warning) that dilute the useful content.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a complex nested calculator with 13 inner fields, an enum, and an output schema, the description covers the invocation envelope, output shape and version-rejection behavior, so an agent can call it correctly. It falls short on explaining the short/base/long wait scenarios and the access enum's effect, which would help an agent choose valid inputs.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Top-level coverage is 33%, and the description does add real structural guidance the schema cannot convey well: put computation fields inside the nested inputs object, and only supply units/modelVersion when listed in inputSchema — which matters because units is an empty closed object. It still adds no meaning for the domain fields (miles, short/base/long, access scenarios), which remain the schema's job.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

"Compare waiting with driving a detour and find the break-even delay" gives a specific comparison activity and output (break-even delay), which is distinguishable from the pure-lookup or generic math siblings. It stops short of explicitly naming a sibling like buscalc_map_truck_trip_plan or buscalc_needrift_compare, so routing still requires inference.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines2/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

"Use this tested BusCalc worksheet when the task matches its inputs and scope" is circular — it tells the agent to use it when it can be used, with no concrete trigger conditions. The scope exclusions (no price lookup, no private projects) describe data access, not when to choose this over alternatives, and no alternative tool is named.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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