diff --git a/utils/schedule_solver/solver.py b/utils/schedule_solver/solver.py
index abbdf49d..62a1b059 100644
--- a/utils/schedule_solver/solver.py
+++ b/utils/schedule_solver/solver.py
@@ -47,48 +47,31 @@ def main():
         for hour_index in range(0, len(hours)):
             req_hours[day_index][hour_index] = int(hours_data[hour_index])
 
-    # index of shift selected is 8
-    shift = sys.argv[8]
+    argv_index = day_index + 2
+    # number of days is fixed at 7 so the number of shifts will be in index 8
+    num_shifts = sys.argv[argv_index]
+
     hour_shifts = []
-    if shift == "24_7":
-        hour_shifts = [
-            ['00 - 09', 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8],
-            ['01 - 10', 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9],
-            ['02 - 11', 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10],
-            ['03 - 12', 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11],
-            ['04 - 13', 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12],
-            ['05 - 14', 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13],
-            ['06 - 15', 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14],
-            ['07 - 16', 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15],
-            ['08 - 17', 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16],
-            ['09 - 18', 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17],
-            ['10 - 19', 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18],
-            ['11 - 20', 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19],
-            ['12 - 21', 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20],
-            ['13 - 22', 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21],
-            ['14 - 23', 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22],
-            ['15 - 00', 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23],
-            ['16 - 01', 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 0],
-            ['17 - 02', 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 0, 1],
-            ['18 - 03', 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 0, 1, 2],
-            ['19 - 04', 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 0, 1, 2, 3],
-            ['20 - 05', 20, 21, 22, 23, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4],
-            ['21 - 06', 21, 22, 23, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5],
-            ['22 - 07', 22, 23, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6],
-            ['23 - 08', 23, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]]
-    if shift == "8AM_5PM":
-        hour_shifts = [
-            ['07 - 16', 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15],
-            ['08 - 17', 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16]]
-    if shift == "7AM_10PM":
-        hour_shifts = [
-            ['07 - 16', 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15],
-            ['08 - 17', 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16],
-            ['09 - 18', 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17],
-            ['10 - 19', 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18],
-            ['11 - 20', 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19],
-            ['12 - 21', 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20],
-            ['13 - 22', 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21]]
+    for shift_ctr in range(0, int(num_shifts)):
+        # form list within the list
+        hour_shift_item = []
+
+        # get the shifts from the arguments
+        shift = sys.argv[argv_index+1]
+        split_shift = shift.split(',')
+
+        # surround the first item in list with single quotes
+        shift_index = "\'" + split_shift[0] + "\'"
+
+        # append the first item to the rest of the hour shift informaton
+        hour_shift = shift_index + ", " + split_shift[1] + ", " + split_shift[2] + ", " + split_shift[3] + ", " + split_shift[4] + ", " + split_shift[5] + ", " + split_shift[6] + ", " + split_shift[7] + ", " + split_shift[8] + ", " + split_shift[9]
+
+        # append to list
+        hour_shift_item.append(hour_shift)
+
+        # append the list to the list
+        hour_shifts.append(hour_shift_item)
+        argv_index+=1
 
     # all possible days riders come in
     day_shifts = [
@@ -148,11 +131,11 @@ def main():
 
     # solve it!
     status = solver.Solve()
-    #print('Number of variables =', solver.NumVariables())
-    #print('Number of constraints =', solver.NumConstraints())
+    print('Number of variables =', solver.NumVariables())
+    print('Number of constraints =', solver.NumConstraints())
 
     if status == solver.OPTIMAL:
-        #print('Optimal solution found!')
+        print('Optimal solution found!')
         for day_index in range(0, len(day_shifts)):
             for hour_index in range(0, len(hour_shifts)):
                 result = solv_shifts[day_index][hour_index].solution_value()