When your transport network runs efficiently, with frequent services and on-time performance, life is great, and you rarely hear from passengers. But when things go wrong, your passengers will let you know! A single missed connection may negatively impact many passengers, and not providing accurate service information, reflecting the actual situation, can compound this, turning grumbling passengers into vocal critics.

Customer satisfaction is just as closely linked to the information provided as it is to the frequency, timeliness and quality of the actual services provided . To deliver this value is a two stage process. First, we need to get the right information and give this to the right people. Second, the information needs to be provided in a way that those people can act on it. 

An Intelligent Transport System (ITS) does exactly this, equipping drivers with comprehensive real-time information and automating many of the tasks required, enabling Automated Vehicle Management (AVM) capabilities. The system can calculate the consequences of possible holding actions, and determines if the waiting receiver vehicle should hold longer for the feeding service, or depart to maintain the timetable or headway.

The system then feeds the status of the connection across the system, to passengers as well as external information displays. Along with visibility of services, AVM gives drivers the power to dynamically change service operations as they drive, to better match the timetable, headway or, through central calculated instructions, connection timing. The result is better quality services, better information, and increased passenger satisfaction. The driver can look at the connection status information on the interactive driver display as well as showing the same information to passengers when the vehicle is equipped with information displays.

AVM supports connection protection not only between vehicles across multiple operators, but across modes of transport, for example displaying information in trams approaching the railway station about the status of the train connection. Though it is unlikely that a rail operator would be able to wait for the passengers to transfer, if the tram is delayed, they would at least be informed as soon as possible on the likelihood of making the connection.

Integration starts with both light rail and tram on-board computers working with a common data supply that defines where and when the tram needs to travel and the actions that need to be performed at different positions along the route. This defines the plan.

Then, location information is sent to the control centre in real time so that network controllers can see the performance of multiple services and their relationship with one another. From here, the ITS and AVM combined deliver advanced capabilities such as headway, route diversion guidance, optimised passenger information and overall enhanced passenger comfort. With complex networks the consequences of disruption can be significant and the need to have a coordinated and central control is exemplified. Using Incident Response tools enables predefined operating procedures to be activated, providing a consistent and structured response. Combining predefined plans with ad hoc responses maximises the efficiency of the response and the return to normal operations.  

Managed Headway; Mind the Gap

Since the control centre knows when each tram on a line arrives at each stop, the headway to the vehicle in front can be calculated and displayed to the driver. This allows the driver to maintain the target interval, for example, by holding the vehicle at the stop for extra seconds to maintain the required gap to follow the timetable.

For transport, history is often times a fair predictor of the future. We can use history-based predictions, to calculate not just timetable and headway adherence for the current location, but also make a data-driven prediction on the likely arrival time over the next 45 minutes or so.

Tracking all trams across the network and collecting this location data in the control centre enables these sophisticated prediction algorithms to provide valuable updates to you and your customers. Even disruptions can be factored in; if all trams passing along a certain section of track are experiencing delays that increase travel time, then it is reasonable to predict that the next trams will experience additional delays.

For high-frequency services, this history-based prediction is significantly more accurate than schedule deviation alone and enables the operator to reduce bunching of services, giving passengers a more regular service and avoiding the pain of no trams for a long time and then two or three arriving nose to tail.

Automate Route Diversion Guidance

The location-aware, on-board computer can provide the driver with a map display showing where to drive. Whilst not essential during regular service, when operating a diversion the additional guidance helps the driver follow the defined diversion route without needing to contact the control centre for instructions. Freed up from guidance calls, the service controllers can concentrate on managing the disruption directly, reducing its impact and severity.

Efficient in-route plans, diversions and alternative patterns can be identified and prepared for likely diversions. The AVM system enables these to be activated centrally as required. It also offers the ability to create ad hoc diversion, taking into account the actual network and routing restrictions, to enable disruption without a pre-existing plan to be managed. In either case the AVM solution takes the updated planned information and ensures it is cascaded across the various passenger information channels, keeping passengers informed.

With the location awareness and control possibilities, as well as the ability to feed information to the driver, the on-board computer can be linked to the train protection systems, via suitable firewalls and specialist interfaces, to provide enhanced information flow between the two systems to support improved operations and enhanced passenger information. For example, identifying the actual platform in a multi-bay interchange without fixed allocation, or detecting when trams are on the opposite tracks. These project-specific enhancements optimise the value of existing investments.

Optimise In-Vehicle Passenger Information

Automating tasks within the tram allows the drivers to focus on safety of customers and delivery of service. An on-board Mobile Data Terminal (MDT) updates the ‘next stop’ information as the tram moves along the route, and the synchronised ‘next stop’ announcement is made together with any additional information. Where trams are equipped with digital information displays, these are automatically updated with the destination and next stops, showing special ‘alight here’ information as well as the status of other services at a stop. 

For example, as a tram pulls into a busy interchange, a screen shows departures on other lines providing passengers with important updates on their next transfer point. Where the system implements connection protection between lines, the status of the subsequent connection can also be shown. AVM-based connection protection is just one tool that equips drivers with the information they need to hold the vehicle at the stop to ensure passengers can connect to services on other lines. Short delays for connection protection don’t negatively impact the overall network running time, but they do positively impact passenger experience and greatly help in the delivery of an effective multi-modal network. Using headway operation, the following trams, on arrival, would be informed on the proximity to the vehicle in front, enabling headway regulation to be undertaken and the interval to be maintained.

The information screen also provides layout information, particularly at very large locations with more than one stop on the route. For example, at a large football stadium, different stadium access points might be serviced by different stops. Providing this information within the tram (for example, “alight here for Gate 2”) directs passengers to the most convenient access point.

"The on-board tram system provides in-cab driver alert of the network Permanent Speed Restriction (PSRs) signs changes along with over-speed and violations alerts. This will increase driver hazard awareness and enhance day to day operational safety.” 
Terry Hewlett, Systems & Business Manager, Transport for London

Enhance Passenger Comfort without Driver Interaction

Other automated features provide further driver support. For example, on entering a tunnel, the passenger lights are automatically turned on, or their brightness adjusted, and the volume of announcements is increased to offset any increase in ambient noise. On exiting the tunnel, the lighting and announcement volume reverts to standard settings. Where the tram is fitted with external speakers, announcements at different times of day are broadcast at different volume levels, limiting the disturbance to residents at night. In fact the on-board computer can be configured, in the data supply, to activate and deactivate digital outputs which can be used to control a range of functions within the vehicle depending on the route and location.

Knowing with confidence where the tram is, without needing to talk to the driver, significantly enhances the safety, security and outcomes for drivers, passengers and the public.

The ITS can also provide integration of the CCTV system monitoring its status and automatically flagging issues to the control centre. In the other direction, it can provide information relating to the position of the tram along the route, as well as GPS coordinates, to the CCTV system. This can then be used to assist in later video retrieval searches and enhance the safety of passengers and drivers.

Improve Driver & Customer Experiences

The provision of on-board driver information and automation of non-core tasks lets drivers focus on customer safety and the core functional vehicle tasks, minimises distractions and ensures the control centre maintains a current, accurate operational view.

This helps reduce the likelihood of things going wrong and improves the opportunity for operators to correct a situation before it has an impact on passengers. With improved efficiency, performance and safety, the ultimate test lies with the passenger who alights at the end of a trip informed and with a sense of satisfaction and ease.

If outdated, disconnected technology is resulting in basic or non-existent driver control or passenger information, your service delivery is being held back.

Current research projects underway together with university partners, take this one step further, looking at ways of improving the energy efficiency of the tram operation by combining real time information, planning and operational controls.

To find out how AVM technology can help you deliver your customers the service they want, talk to us today.

[1] Zhang, Feng. Traveler Responses to Real-Time Transit Passenger Information systems, 2010

When it comes to keeping your ambulance fleet and assets in a state of operational readiness, it’s imperative that you have the information needed to make critical decisions – a key requirement for every emergency response organisation. 

What’s at risk? Unpredicted asset failures, maintenance budget blowouts, decisions made on incorrect data, decreased asset lifecycle, increased asset downtime and more. None of which you want to see in performance reports. You need to gain insights and confidence in the health and the ability of your assets to perform.

Taking control of your assets and inventory is a critical part of having confidence in your ability to respond. You should consider:

• Security is prevalent within fleet strategies and as fleets become autonomous and digitally powered, maintenance teams will become the critical frontline of defence to ensure transportation is safe. Not only do technicians need to inspect and ensure that back-up systems and safeguards are in place, but they are now being asked to monitor more advanced technologies on a daily basis. This technology not only sits within the confines of the vehicle manufacture, but also the complex mission-critical assets within an Ambulance. Traditional fleet management has not allowed for technology advancements and will impede fleets transitioning to new technologies or vehicle types.

• Understanding how your assets perform – from understanding the effects of driver behaviour on fuel consumption and vehicle wear and tear, to modelling vehicle utilisation characteristics and ensuring you are not impacted by lease penalties due to a favourite vehicle being used, versus maximising value out of an existing asset which is due for decommission with room to spare on the lease allowances.

• Controlling your assets and knowing when you need to intervene. Ensuring servicing is done at the correct time taking into consideration scheduled service requirements, and anticipated defects which may impact your assets shortly after. Unexpected downtime due to a predicted failure is a key focus of many organisations. Do it once and do it right. You also need to be able to model and enforce asset utilisation to maximise value. Having assets stationed at low-volume locations is sure to impact your investment.

• Knowing the finances and understanding the cost profiles of your assets from procurement to decommissioning will allow you to maximise value from your assets, but even more importantly – to be able to build compelling business cases demonstrating the impacts to operational readiness. Have you modelled and communicated the impact of a 30% rise in fuel costs to the organisation from fluctuating oil prices? Outlined the impact diesel additives have on operating costs or attempted to justify increasing preventive maintenance expenditure? Keeping assets on the road could lead to increased operational hours and a corresponding reduction in fleet size.

• Ensure your assets are ready to respond by understanding day of operations requirements. Are you coordinating your vehicle decommissioning activities with shift patterns? Do you have access to and understand who is using your assets on a day-to-day basis? Is that one vehicle constantly requiring reactive maintenance due to flat batteries? The assumption may be that it is never on the charger, but you could remotely monitor the vehicle systems in real-time and identify that an activity as seemingly insignificant as the vehicle fridge being switched on at the start of a shift four days every fortnight, with the engine off, deteriorates the battery over a 6-month period.

• Environment controls are gaining a greater awareness globally and new clean air standards will affect every organisation that has a large fleet of vehicles. Are you prepared for these changes? Tightening legislation means that fleet managers will be faced with a variety of new mandates. By understanding your fleet and the use of internal combustion engines, you are going to be ahead of the curve to quickly and effectively implement change procedures to meet and exceed government guidelines.

Supporting a holistic operational asset strategy requires consideration of a multitude of processes, data modelling and aligning this to control and management of costs. Bringing this all together has positive long-term benefits across your organisation.

With certainty, you can standardise, adapt and optimise your business processes while meeting maintenance compliance, increasing technology levels and reliability thresholds. Through working with ANZ ambulance authorities for over 15 years, Trapeze, understands what ambulance organisations need from operational asset management and how to bring this together.

Contact Us to find out more about how Trapeze is assisting organisations to be ready to respond, always.

Change is never easy. During a time of crisis, change needs to happen – and fast. Over the past two months, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, hundreds of transit agencies throughout North America have risen to the challenge by adjusting maintenance practices to better protect riders, operators and maintenance staff. To reinforce system safety, transit maintenance departments have undertaken two major initiatives: adjusting cleaning protocols and undertaking special campaigns.

To learn more about these changes, Trapeze conducted an industry survey from March 27 – April 4, with 24 agencies responding. When asked the degree of impact COVID-19 has had on maintenance practices, 73 percent of participating agencies reported making “moderate to significant changes.” Thirteen percent reported no changes and 14 percent were not sure.

Adjustments to Cleaning Protocols

The types of cleaning changes made in the transit industry fall into the areas of frequency, procedures and safety protocols.

Cleaning procedures and frequency

Sixty-eight percent of agencies reported instituting additional cleaning procedures as a result of COVID-19. Specifically, agencies are focusing on doing a more thorough cleaning, with a special emphasis on sanitizing high-contact surfaces on vehicles, as well as at transit facilities (stations, stops, etc.).

Figure 1: The types of cleaning changes made in the transit industry fall into the areas of frequency, procedures and safety protocols.

Recently, WSP Canada created a report on public transit responses to COVID-19, creating a useful list of the high-contact surface areas in which to focus these increased cleaning efforts. The full list can be found here, but key vehicle surfaces include steering wheels, fareboxes, seats, door handles, exit buttons, handrails and poles. High-contact surfaces cleaned more often at transit facilities include kiosks, turnstiles, benches, railings, bike racks and restroom surfaces.

Not surprisingly, cleaning frequency has increased as a result of COVID-19, with 64 percent of respondents noting a change. Most agencies are disinfecting much more frequently such as after each trip, at the end of the alignment or hourly. Deep cleans vary from agency to agency. Some are deep cleaning more often (daily), while others are doing fewer deep cleans to focus time on more frequent contact-point cleaning. Off-cycle cleanings are happening on an as-needed basis for vehicles that carried a known COVID-19 infected operator or customer.

Cleaning products

It was a bit surprising that only 41 percent of participating agencies reported changing cleaning products by switching to stronger cleaning agents, disinfecting sprays and sanitizing wipes. Various commercial products, with powerful active ingredients including hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite and quaternary ammonium, are used to combat the virus throughout the industry. 

For drivers and maintenance staff, hand sanitizers with at least 70 percent alcohol are frequently used. Disinfectant fogging or misting of vehicles, particularly any with a suspected COVID-19 positive passenger, is another common technique. For a detailed list of specific U.S. Environmental Protection Agency cleaning products that meet EPA’s criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2, see here. 

Safety protocol adjustments

More frequent cleanings using stronger products has resulted in agencies taking additional measures to protect their staff. Sixty-four percent of agencies reported adjusting their safety protocols as a result of COVID-19. For frontline staff (cleaners, mechanics), there is a significant increase in the use of personal protective equipment. These changes make sense for the safety of staff who are using strong cleaning agents throughout the day.

To maintain social distance, agencies are reporting changes in how maintenance staff are interacting with each other in the workplace – changes in how they conduct meetings, training and work assignments. Survey respondents reported fewer in-person meetings, switching to remote learning (where possible) and limiting the number of mechanics and cleaners per shift.

Agencies are also leveraging their Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) systems more fully to maintain social distancing within the maintenance shop environment. Supervisors are assigning work to technicians within the system (without physical interaction). New cleaning procedure checklists are displayed to cleaners on-screen. Technicians and storekeepers can interact using the EAM system’s self-service features to request parts and tools, lookup vehicle history, etc.

Campaigns to protect drivers

Agencies are not just adjusting their cleaning protocols. They are also undertaking special vehicle and facility campaigns to further protect drivers and riders. Some of these projects are to encourage social distancing – i.e., removing or sectioning seats on vehicles. Others are installing signage at stations and stops to remind passengers to maintain at least six feet of distance.

Figure 2: COVID-19 Fleet and Facilities Maintenance Campaigns.

These one-time projects involve maintenance retrofitting all buses. Installing plexiglass driver shields or changing the seat configuration to provide a safe buffer zone (no seats immediately behind the driver), are two examples. Figure 2 shows other common campaigns occurring in the industry.

Track it or it didn’t happen

Transit agencies report several ongoing challenges while adjusting workflow practices in response to COVID-19. Some agencies noted that staff are not taking the situation seriously enough, while others report staff struggling to track the cleanings they perform using the computer. Disregard for proper procedures can’t happen during a pandemic. The safety of staff and passengers depend on it. These are important issues that need to be addressed through additional training.

Equally important is to properly track all these new COVID-19 activities – cleaning protocols and maintenance campaigns – in your maintenance management system. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Keolis Commuter Services (Boston) put together a change management campaign to ensure their staff correctly use their Trapeze asset management system. The company mounted posters throughout the maintenance facilities saying, “If it’s not in Trapeze, it never happened.”

This message has never been more important than it is right now. It is critical agencies track all new procedures in their asset management system of record to document all the good work agencies are performing. Doing so will give the general public the type of reassurance they need to rebuild transit ridership levels post COVID-19.

Originally published at: https://www.masstransitmag.com/

Written by Brett Koenig -  Industry Solutions Manager EAM, Trapeze Group.

Introduction

When the first Cobb and Co coach ran from Melbourne to Bendigo, it left the Criterion Hotel in Collins St every morning promptly at 6:00am (Sundays excepted).

They overnighted in Castlemaine and were off at 6:00am the next day for Bendigo. A timetable en-route may well have read “Cobb and Co to Castlemaine will be here at 12:30”.

If you were in Keilor, Gisborne or Woodend, you had a pretty good idea when the daily coach was coming through and you would get to the stop with time to spare.

Speed was important, so drivers would sound a bugle one mile out and groomsmen would ready the next team of horses to minimise changeover time. If you were a passenger and you happen to miss the coach, there was always tomorrow. (Unless, of course, it was Sunday.)

Having published them, we as transport professionals strive to deliver on our promise. Broken axles, muddy tracks and floods may have been replaced with rail crossings, car accidents and unrelenting peak hour delays but all these challenges must be overcome to keep services running to the timetable.

What is Headway?

As public transport demand grows, service frequencies increase.

Eventually a service becomes so frequent a passenger no longer needs a timetable; they know they can just roll up at the stop and a bus will shortly pick them up. This then removes the need for a timetable at the stop, as a notice that a bus will be at the stop in less than 10 minutes will suffice.

This situation portrays a 10-minute headway. Running this in theory is straightforward: start a trip every 10 minutes and run all buses to time. At least, that is the plan – but unfortunately, traffic and physics failed to read the playbook, so what is delivered is often very different.

Making Headway Management Happen

Buses get delayed for many reasons: traffic, large crowds at a stop, elderly people looking for change – the list is as long as it is entertaining. Despite our best efforts to meet a timetable, certain issues refuse to go away: for example, when a bus is caught in heavy congestion, it is really hard to move it faster than the cars!

From a customer experience perspective, passengers generally have a high-level understanding of how traffic (and other circumstances beyond an operator’s control) can cause delays. What they don’t understand is why this will result in a really, really long wait succeeded by two buses showing up at the same time.

Operators try and deal with this through planning. Two common techniques are:

• To keep the routes short (reducing the ability for the headway to get too large), and
• To introduce more layover at timing points (giving buses the opportunity to reset).

However, these methods are at odds with high frequency services. Whilst increased layover helps get back to the timetable, it is not popular with passengers.

Sure, you could fire off a bus from the terminus every 10 minutes, but there is no way to control these services other than having a supervisor with a clipboard standing by the roadside with a watch, manually timing the services and talking to drivers as needed.

Even gathering performance data will be difficult, as resource restrictions mean you can only measure how each bus is progressing at a small number of points along the route. Compounding this, drivers will not be able to see the vehicle ahead of them on their current route.

The result is that real-time intervention is almost impossible and headway management generally happens after the fact.

It is designed to present the public with as close to a consistent arrival time as possible, even if there are service delays. It helps operators spread the buses out so that two buses on the same route do not arrive at the same stop together.

When combined with high frequency services, headway management even eliminates the need to publish timetables and gives passengers the confidence that a bus will be arriving very soon.

Who is Using It?

Although there is a lot of talk about headway-managed routes being the latest big thing, it is not new. Shuttle bus services are often run on a headway basis and a number of high frequency routes in many cities have long been advertised as ‘turn up and go’. However, they were manually controlled or not controlled at all.

Technology has reached a point where public transport authorities can now deliver on the promise. Some examples of agencies where this is done are:

There are many other progressive cities across the world where headway is used to measure regularity, including Barcelona, Milan, New York, Paris and Vancouver [3]. In Australia and New Zealand, regularity is typically measured by on-time terminal departures. However, the limitations this places on delivering better customer outcomes are now becoming more widely recognised.

The possibility of technology changing this paradigm sparked a great deal of interest at the UITP ANZ Customer Experience Roundtable in August 2018, with many attendees recognising the benefits that effectively-managed headway can bring to all stakeholders.

Choosing the Right Tools for Success

KPIs and Metrics

To track service reliability, authorities have used:

• EWT,
• Actual waiting time (AWT),
• Standard deviations of the difference between actual and scheduled headways,
• Wait assessment, and
• Service regularity.

Each technique has its own benefits and drawbacks [3], but EWT has emerged as the indicator of choice. For high frequency services, EWT is an objective measure that can be calculated across routes and is relatively easy to fold into operating contracts, with a history of producing excellent results.

Passengers are the immediate beneficiary of the right metric and good headway management because irregularity in headway discourages commuters’ use of public transport [4] and increases passenger discomfort [5]. Furthermore, as passengers on high frequency routes are more likely to arrive at the stop randomly [6], a small improvement in EWT will deliver the best outcome to the most passengers.

By measuring EWT and encouraging operators to reduce this, transport authorities will consistently deliver better services that passengers can rely on.

The Right Technology

Public transport companies also benefit from the use of EWT as a metric. The core technologies used to monitor and report on EWT give operators an instant view of operations for both scheduled services and headway services. Whilst both service types are scheduled in the normal manner, once they start running there is a need to clearly identify each route by type and give operators continuous EWT statistics on all routes.

Another key tool is the development of automatic alerts on Bus Bunching. This lets operators see issues whilst they can be fixed and before they become too serious.

The right technology will bring transport authorities a real-time view of the transport network, but more importantly it will monitor and measure headway.

It should deliver the right visibility and controls to operators and allow them to adjust operations in real time to meet EWT targets. This ensures that buses arrive with greater regularity and improves the level of service delivered to the public.

Incentives

To encourage operators to be proactive and course-correct services in real time, transport authorities can offer substantial performance bonuses as an incentive. Transport for London, for example, pays up to 15% of the contract value in bonuses.

Conclusion

Just like the Cobb and Co services from Melbourne to Bendigo, the delivery of headway is dependent on a number of factors.

Freeman Cobb saw the opportunity for improved services and filled that need with high-speed services, enabled by changing stations every 15 miles and the right technology (in Cobb’s case it was imported Concord coaches, which had been designed for travel in the American West).

Transport authorities must have a similar vision to drive service change. They need to put the right headway management technology in place to drive operators to achieve a higher standard of service delivery KPIs.

Operators then need to be focussed on making this work. Management personnel in these companies must adapt and accept that they need to be even more closely partnered with their drivers than normal, as it is the driver who must make use of the information the tools provide and self-manage the gaps between buses.

Only the passenger needs to do nothing as properly delivered, headway-managed routes will give them a better service, with less waiting and higher levels of reliability.

When Henry Lawson wrote ‘The Lights of Cobb and Co’, perhaps he could sense the excitement of the public for a better transport system. That excitement is still here today – it is up to us to deliver on the promise. Headway management can help us do just that!

References

[1] Transport for London, “London’s Bus Contracting and Tendering Process, lbsl-tendering-and-contracting.pdf,” Transport for London, London, 2015.

[2] B. S. C. t. I. S. T. t. BCM, “Bus Services Continue to Improve Since Transition to BCM,” 04 09 2017. [Online]. Available: https://www.lta.gov.sg/apps/news/page.aspx?c=2&id=752cc877-00a8-4e0c-8732-11e3d8ffa126.

[3] M. Trompet, X. Liu and D. J. Graham, “Development of key performance indicator to compare regularity of service between urban bus operators,” Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transprotation Research Board No. 2116, pp. 33-41, 2011.

[4] A. Polus, “Modeling and Measurements of Bus Service Reliability.,” Transportation Research, Vol. 12, pp. 253-256, 1978.

[5] M. Simeunovic, M. Lekovic, Z. Papic and P. Pavle, “Influence of vehicle headway irregularity in public transport on in-vehicle passenger comfort,” Scientific Research and Essays Vol. 7(32), pp. 2874-2881, 2012.

[6] D. R. a. G. C. Csikos, “Investigating Consistency in Transit Passenger Arrivals: Insights from Longitudinal Automated Fare Collection Data,” Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 2042, pp. 12-19, 2008.

Technology detail is often hidden from system users and business managers – until it isn’t. The constant technological improvements being made to security, performance and reliability don’t often make it to the press – not only is the subject matter pretty dry, but generally these changes have very little impact on most users and system administrators.

These constant security and stability updates are necessary to maintain a modern enterprise system.  In addition, more modern versions of the databases, reporting engines and core libraries used by TIMS and Austrics are leveraged to provide new and enhanced business features. Security updates are essential to ensure that systems are resilient and critical business information remains protected.

CENTOS Linux 6 reaches end of life late 2020 and is one of the changes that will impact on both users and system administrators.

Both TIMS and Austrics run on the same operating system platform, a platform that surprisingly powers both the world’s fastest supercomputer and the humble and pervasive Android phone. Each release of the CENTOS Linux operating system (the specific version of the Linux operating system used by Trapeze) is commercially maintained and supported for at least a decade. The latest version, CENTOS 8 which was released late 2019, will be supported through to 2029. PostgreSQL (the database that powers TIMS) just hit version 12 with support planned through to the end of 2024. 

The flip side to the release of these newer technologies are that older releases of these operating systems and databases are now hitting their end of life dates – meaning that ongoing support such as security and maintenance updates are no longer made available. Cloud computing platforms such as Azure and AWS may no longer run the older operating systems, or at a minimum limit your options such as Disaster Recovery. 

Upgrading these core technologies can be disruptive if not managed appropriately. Planning is required, and decisions made such as choosing when and how to upgrade and whether to take the opportunity to upgrade to new hardware or migrate to managed hosting infrastructure. As with any disruptive process, strategic thinkers will seek opportunities and likely end up in an improved situation. The opportunities in this case include migration to a cloud environment, implementing Disaster Recovery, improving performance and reliability, replacing aging hardware or even archiving old data.

Many clients are reviewing cloud hosted systems rather than relying on hardware that may be put at risk. Cloud based infrastructure allows staff to access the systems remotely, and critical data is backed up in multiple locations more frequently. Servers can also be cost-effectively expanded or scaled down to meet shifting demands such as when new depots or regions are rolled into the business.

If you are running CENTOS 6, you will need to start to plan your migration to a new CENTOS platform in 2020 in order to remain on a supported version. Moving to CENTOS version 8 is likely your best option. If you are running TIMS, updating your database is also highly recommended.

TIMS 3.6 is certified to operate on the latest versions of CENTOS 8 and PostgreSQL 12, providing the maximum flexibility when reviewing options. 

Our Professional Services Team are highly experienced and ready to support you in the move to new environments. We can help plan the move, including reviewing options to ensure the move has minimal down time, and your business ends up in the best possible position for the future. If moving to the cloud interests you, Trapeze can work with your IT team to provide advice, and can even provide a range of managed services from assisted support through to Trapeze taking full responsibility for your new environment.

Contact us and ask for a more detailed brochure on the technology changes. We can also arrange a no-cost, no-obligation audit of your systems to ensure you have the right information available to progress a decision.

The need for operators and authorities to manage ferry services as an integrated part of a city’s public transport has led to the uptake of integrated technology to manage multimodal networks. This effectively allows organisations to use the same tools to manage multiple land and water-based transport modes.

Cities with coastal and river networks benefit from integrating ferry services into their public transport offering, giving users the convenience of transport routes that link land and water through regular, reliable ferry services.

For all transport operators, including ferry, mobility is a key issue.

Not only do operators, maintenance teams and management need a shared view of their assets on water, they also need to see the connecting assets that are essential to the network – jetties, pontoons, mooring systems, dry dock facilities and dockside structures.

Addressing the issue of mobility, an asset maintenance platform gives organisation-wide visibility through a real-time shared view accessible by all users, whether in an office or in the field, on tablet or desktop.

Linking with pre-existing transport services including bus, train, taxi, rideshare and e-mobility solutions ensures ferries can operate as part of an effective overall transport system.

With greater mobility through handheld devices, maintenance teams in the field can see which assets need attention, along with details of parts or components that will be required to complete the task.

Management can access the platform to check servicing history, status, checklists and schedules. Reported incidents can be time-stamped, then checked against the maintenance log (and accompanying photographs) to validate tasks.

Predictive maintenance automates task updates, for more effective ongoing asset management and compliance. This improved visibility and timeliness of maintenance and repairs strengthens the reliability and safety of assets.

Untether from old-school methods

The old-school way of working – tethered to a laptop – isn’t effective for a mobile workforce required to traverse geographic locations.

Small, handheld devices let users see task checklists, along with photographic evidence of asset condition and any maintenance or repairs needed.

Operators relying on outdated, fixed technology and paper-based scheduling can improve their overall efficiency through integrated digital transformation.

Without workforce mobility, once a task has been completed, the time needed to update paper records or offline systems prevents other users in the organisation getting an immediate view of the asset condition, service record and status.

For transport organisations running to tight schedules and operating within strict maintenance budgets, such visibility gaps can be time-consuming and costly.

Enabling workforce mobility via lightweight, handheld devices is no longer a ‘nice to have’ or a future wish. It’s essential to ensure that multimodal transport networks are connected and operate efficiently while optimising running costs and workforce resources.

The technology exists. Many ferry operators are leveraging the same systems that are being used by bus operators for tasks including workforce management, route planning and scheduling, and resource planning.

With tailor-made software ready to go, it’s never been easier for ferry operators to tear themselves away from paper and get on board the digital revolution.

So next time you’re travelling by ferry and see one of the deckhands looking at an iPad or crew members taking photographs with their smart devices, you’ll know that the latest technology is helping keep the network afloat and getting you safely to shore.

Paperless mobility solutions for ferry operators can lead to outcomes such as longer asset lifespan, better use of workforce time and resources, shorter waiting times or asset downtime, streamlined maintenance interchanges, and improved operations. 

For more information on how Trapeze technology helps manage multimodal transport networks, get in touch to arrange a demo.

Communicating with each other instantly is something that we have become so used to in our personal lives that we take it for granted. Want to check where someone is? Send an SMS. Or ping their device to pinpoint their current location on a map. The question of “where are you?” has almost become rhetorical.

Location – along with status (are you available?) and history (have you heard?) – are crucial to effective messaging. However, when it comes to emergency services, managing communication and compliance across a highly geographically dispersed mobile workforce presents unique challenges.

It seems logical that emergency control centres would be utilising instant, shared adaptive communication technology today.

Although the technology exists, many emergency services still rely on legacy messaging systems that are siloed and unresponsive, blanket-sending alerts to users regardless of location, status or history and the ability to track responses to messaging is still a distant pipe dream.

The dissemination of information across emergency service organisations can be extremely challenging. The communication devices being utilised are many and varied and the systematic coordination of information across these devices is a daunting task. Many ambulance organisations utilise multiple point solutions between multiple devices and locations such as:

• Messaging transmitted to Mobile Data Terminals (MDT)
• Short-burst text messaging to portable radios
• Text messaging to mobile phones, often to a personal mobile with no security or rigour
• Voice communication via a landline telephone to a station

A centralised mobile messaging and compliance platform allows organisations to create, manage, disseminate and track information efficiently regardless of the device or communication medium being used. This is currently a key objective for most Emergency Service organisations.

Messages can be sent in multiple formats including text, video, audio, and photographs, and can incorporate tracking and conditions (such as specifying vehicles, effective dates, recurrence, acknowledgement requirement, etc) all from a central hub.

Prioritised message delivery can improve outcomes in most situations.

Let’s look at a few ambulance-related scenarios:

• Hospital shutdown

Critical events, such as terrorist activity, infection breakout or capacity overload can temporarily shut down a hospital. Location aware messages can be sent to vehicles and crews within a defined geofence, across multiple channels: MDT, radio, phone, SMS, pager – with compulsory acknowledgement requirements.

• Procedural updates

Time-critical updates can be pushed to all devices, or in a cascading hunt approach to devices, until acknowledged. This could include drug dosage errors, drug administration updates, infection warnings and more.

• Follow-me messaging

Alerts can appear on multiple devices in sequence until acknowledged – to the MDT first, then if no response within a set time, to radio, pager, SMS and other devices, even ultimately through to the station tannoy.

• Hands-free alerts

Staff in moving vehicles or helicopters can receive enunciated voice messages as first priority, to ensure that information is received without compromising the transportation job in progress.

• Natural disaster warnings

Geolocation capabilities from AVL data can send warnings to specific vehicles and crew in areas likely to be affected by events such as floods, high winds, hail or bushfire.

• Training management

Training information can be transmitted to staff based on a needs assessment. Organisations are able to communicate procedural information such as key user data for the operation of a new type of vehicle they haven’t used yet before they start a shift. Once a message has been acknowledged, it won’t be repeated; refresher messages can be scheduled at specific intervals.

• Asset and vehicle maintenance

Vehicle status dashboards automatically generate messages to on-board crew for maintenance tasks required outside of the standard servicing schedule. For example, washer fluid refill, tyre pressure, fluid leaks and so on. In conjunction with RFID or other asset location systems, auto-generated messages can alert the crew to clinical items and consumables needing replenishment.

• Duress alarm testing

Auto-generated emergency drills can be pushed to crews to test duress buttons, for occupational health and safety compliance.

• Managing staff shift times

Send messages to personal devices based on work hours – for example to confirm that breaks have been taken. The message “Take your meal break” could require a Y/N response. If ‘N’ the follow-up message could request further explanation.

• Response status aware communication

For vehicles that are in transit, at high speed or with lights and sirens operating, non-critical messages will be postponed until jobs are completed.

• Crew status awareness

Messages can be targeted based on recipients’ current location and/or status. If seat sensors show that crew are inside the vehicle, the message can be sent to the MDT first. If the sensors show the vehicle is unoccupied or that the doors are open, the message goes to radio, pager or phone.

If you can think of other scenarios where an integrated messaging solution could be useful, let me know!

To find out more about the Trapeze emergency services messaging and compliance system, please get in touch by email or visit this page.

You may also be interested in this article on how to influence better patient outcomes through The Connected Journey.

There is no denying that driver fatigue and the consequences of driving drowsy are serious issues.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that driving fatigued can have the same dangerous outcomes as driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, with both conditions being associated with reduced alertness and attentiveness, slower reaction times and impaired decision-making abilities(1)(2).

In light of this, eliminating or minimising driver fatigue and its related risks is a high priority for many bus companies.

The issue itself is the heart of the problem. However, if bus operators lack a readily accessible driver fatigue policy for staff members and an easy-to-implement process for monitoring and flagging breaches of policy, they risk being held legally liable for any consequences that result from allowing operations to continue under dangerous conditions.

While the driver is expected to comply with policy, the operator also has a duty of care to produce a safe work roster that gives employees adequate time to sleep, recover and perform their social and domestic responsibilities(3).

Governments and industry bodies recognise that businesses have a responsibility to systematically manage their fatigue risk in order to effectively supervise their drivers, with enforcement, compliance regulations, standards and reviews by the authorities intended to ensure safe operations(1).

Fatigue is one of the key areas that is in the spotlight and targeted for implemented change over the coming years(1).

Historically, Australian authorities have focused mainly on the trucking industry when it comes to driver fatigue monitoring. However, with trucking having been under the microscope for some time, industry regulators are now turning their attention to bus operators. As per the National Heavy Vehicle Register (NHVR), these are the standard work and rest hourly requirements for drivers operating a bus or a coach:

How does your company stack up against these requirements today?

It is not uncommon in the transportation industry, where there is ongoing pressure to perform to schedules, for people to work within a culture of ‘powering through’(3). Are your operations currently ensuring that there is adequate policing of fatigue management regulations?

While the laws and regulations around heavy vehicle driver fatigue are often complex and difficult to comply with(4), it doesn’t have to be hard for your company.

By having a policy in place and using an integrated system to help automate the monitoring and regulating of driver shifts, you can place more focus on managing the causes of driver fatigue, which are often overlooked(4).

Empirical evidence suggests that drivers perceive support from management as playing a key role in them taking positive actions towards preventing driver fatigue(5). This is further supported by the observation of decreased reported fatigue in depots where positive management relationships were in place.

This makes the process of being able to manage compliance and act accordingly easier. It also eliminates any pressure on management to manually keep track of staff compliance with fatigue policies.

Furthermore, an ERP system as your company’s single source of the truth and data repository enhances incident analysis capabilities, as there is the potential to be able to draw correlations between staff behaviour and accidents.

An example of this could be discovering a trend that late driver check-ins coincide with fatigue-related occurrences. Such information could dramatically change your company’s ability to take preemptive action and instill new practices or policies to avoid risky situations.

A bus-specific ERP system allows you to not only meet the requirement of adhering to driver fatigue legislation, but also ensures your company is following industry best practice.

Your company also has the added benefit of being able to build trust with authorities through a well-implemented policy and the ability to produce evidence of your compliance with standards and legislation.

Learn more about Trapeze ERP

(1) Department of Transport and Main Roads. (2016). Delivering heavy vehicle safety solutions together: Queensland’s Heavy Vehicle Safety Action Plan 2016–18. Retrieved from https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Safety/Road-safety/Strategy-and-action-plans

(2) Watson, N. F., Morgenthaler, T., Chervin, R., Carden, K., Kirsch, D., … Wise, M. (2015). Confronting drowsy driving: The American academy of sleep medicine perspective. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine , 11(11), 1335–1336. http://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.5200 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4623133/

(3) Australian Transport Safety Bureau. (2017). Fatigue. Retrieved from https://www.atsb.gov.au/safetywatch/sw_fatigue/

(4) National Transport Commission Australia. (2016). Heavy vehicle driver fatigue data: Final report May 2016. Retrieved from http://www.ntc.gov.au/Media/Reports/(792A30B5-8CE0-420A-A8F6-79723FE802F6).pdf

(5) Biggs, H. C., Dingsdag, D. P., & Stenson, N. (2009) Fatigue factors affecting metropolitan bus drivers: A qualitative investigation. Work : A Journal of Prevention, Assessment, and Rehabilitation, 32(1). pp. 5-10. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/19562/1/19562.pdf

In an unregulated eHail rideshare market, with new operators frequently joining the mix, the likelihood of passenger dissatisfaction increases while trust in the industry tumbles.

Today’s passengers are mobile-connected and increasingly reliant on eHail platforms to search, compare and book transport. Customers demand high-quality, consistent service every time they complete a trip. (Should anyone pay five times the regular fare just because it’s raining?)

However, the current eHail market hides its risks behind a veneer of convenience.

Lack of governance or oversight leads to less visibility and control over service. Unaccredited and unregulated operators aren’t likely to be monitored or managed for bad service.

This ultimately leads to negative public opinion and, by association, can damage the taxi industry’s reputation.

Ultimately, the responsibility for managing and regulating public transport falls to transport authorities.

The regulatory umbrella of those authorities needs to also cover eHail and rideshare services to help bring order to the chaos and deliver a more efficient, safer customer experience.

To help facilitate this shift in business thinking – to bring multiple modes of transport together under one platform rather than operating in silos – authorities can leverage taxi management software that can integrate eHail and taxi via a shared platform.

With a united technology platform, operators and authorities who incorporate the taxi into their fleets can gain a shared real-time view of their vehicles, drivers and network, ensuring compliance with current regulations, guaranteeing a reliable, cost-effective service that increases passenger satisfaction and maintains viable profit margins.

To ensure regulation creates a level playing field there are four areas on which authorities need to focus:

In my view, the following benefits are just some of the outcomes that can be achieved within each of the four categories.

1. Regulation

• Regulated fares lead to consistency, building public trust

• Fair application of government and disability subsidies

• Appropriate driver incomes sustained

• Operating vehicles meet required standards

2. Safety

• Fleet road-worthiness is maintained

• Vehicle service and safety checks regularly scheduled

• Drivers covered by public liability insurance

• Drivers undergo police checks, accreditation and training

3. Service

• Vehicles dispatched to high-demand locations

• Effective route management reduces congestion

• Passengers receive efficient, satisfying service

• Special events more efficiently managed

4. Sustainability

• Drivers are earning a fair and minimum wage

• All operators are profitable and invested for the long term

• Vehicles are not old and kept up to date for passenger use

In one of the world’s fastest-growing cities, the Dubai Roads & Transport Authority has already acknowledged the need for a united platform by integrating all modes of transport in the emirate through taxi management software, bringing taxi into the public transport network.

By implementing a united solution, authorities, eHail providers and passengers will all enjoy shared benefits – including those I’ve mentioned above, and more.

The outcomes of a regulated, connected platform will be felt across the industry through greater repeat trips and increased new business. Are you on board?

I encourage you to find out more about taxi technology being deployed globally.

Rail authorities know that asset management is a critical part of delivering a quality service, operating safely and maintaining customer satisfaction. Every day, rail network riders benefit from experiencing clean and safe stations and trains (the ‘above rail’ assets) along their journey. Equally important, however, are the myriad of ‘below rail’ assets including linear infrastructure (track), which provide the strong foundation upon which your system is built.

Linear infrastructure exists across a variety of asset-intensive industries and typically serves the purpose of moving people, water, air or power from one place to another. Examples include railways, pipelines and roads.

In the rail industry, most linear infrastructure falls into the general category of ‘fixed guideway’, and includes the following assets: track (mainline, yard and so on), tunnels, bridges and electrical/power system elements such as overhead catenary wire, third rail and cabling.

In contrast, stationary or non-linear assets are generally confined to a single location, such as rail stations, signals or switches. Railcars, locomotives, carriages and support vehicles are all examples of rolling stock (non-linear) assets.

Managing complex assets

Public rail networks are faced with the unique challenges of ensuring their assets are operating safely while contending with strict timetabling and customer service expectations.

These challenges are magnified significantly due to the complex nature of the network’s large number of linear assets, which often include nested, multilevel hierarchies of ‘child’ assets. For example, rail lines typically have mainline track with interlockings (a ‘parent’ asset) that are made up of a collection of interrelated signals and switches (‘child’ assets).

The sheer size of rail networks also makes the task of maintaining all your infrastructure data incredibly intricate.

The Trans-Asian Railway network comprises 117,500km (73,000 miles) of railway lines throughout 28 countries[1]. In the United States alone, there is almost 224,000km (139,000 miles) of railway track and over 21 million people passing through the busiest station each year[2]. The ongoing data management challenges for maintenance are clear.

Creating an effective linear asset management program requires that you understand what makes linear assets unique – length – and have tools designed for that purpose.

From a data perspective, linear assets can be quite complex, spanning hundreds (even thousands) of kilometres. Different segments along a rail network may face significantly different utilisation and wear and tear. As a result, each section may require different levels of monitoring and maintenance.

Furthermore, the geographically-dispersed nature of rail assets makes it challenging for end users to effectively manage the data and workflows on a daily basis. It is virtually impossible to keep track of all these variables without a rail management system that caters to the uniqueness of linear assets.

Fortunately, specialised tools exist to manage these challenges.

Simplifying with software

Effective asset management requires all assets to be defined and reported on in a systematic method. Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) solutions manage all maintenance activities (preventative and corrective) and operating costs (labour and materials).

They have many benefits including tracking all rail infrastructure, their component ‘child’ assets, as well as all work and materials management workflows.

Rail managers use EAM to coordinate the resources required to handle scheduled and emergency repairs to minimise service disruption.

Other common functions include inspection scheduling so you always know when the next service is due, inventory level tracking, parts request management and procurement workflow support.

Time and again though, experience has shown that the complexity posed by the rail environment requires even more: an EAM solution that is purpose-built for the industry.

There are many Tier 2 and 3 EAM software packages on the market that perform basic maintenance functions. However, only a few have the specialised Tier 1 features required to effectively manage rail infrastructure.

How will you know if it’s right for rail?

For starters, look for a system designed to be your single, master repository of all wayside assets (linear and non-linear) over their entire lifecycle.

One key feature is asset configuration management functionality, to ensure that equipment can be updated to the approved engineering configuration while remaining in service.

Secondly, the system must have a Linear Reference System (LRS).

This is the underlying data structure that characterises a linear system (segments, markers and offsets), and to which all asset and event data such as work orders is referenced.

Third, due to the geographically-dispersed nature of rail networks, leading solutions offer advanced tools for field workers: mobile solutions, GPS real-time location and native GIS/mapping visualisation.

Additionally, advanced EAM systems are designed to take full advantage of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) trend by importing track geometry, as well as rail defect/fault data from ‘smart infrastructure’ and vehicle-mounted systems like geometry cars, ultrasounds and ground penetrating radar.

Integrating this data into EAM provides real-time alerts to maintenance staff so they are more aware, proactive and efficient in identifying and solving problems.

Lastly, look for proven solutions that continue to evolve with the industry, such as the ability to track asset condition, performance and risk to comply with ISO55000 or the Transit Asset Management regulations in North America.

Rail asset managers utilising a system that puts this sort of comprehensive linear data at their fingertips are at a clear advantage.

The data helps to improve safety through inspection compliance, failure analysis and service history. Keeping assets in good condition also minimises service delays due to unexpected equipment failures, while extending their useful life. A purpose-built rail asset management system will help ensure you remain in compliance with all regulations while maximising safety, asset maintenance and customer satisfaction.

Learn more about Trapeze EAM

[1] UNESCAP, Trans-Asian railway (2017), http://www.unescap.org/our-work/transport/trans-asian-railway/about

[2] AARP, America’s awe-inspiring railroad terminals (2013), https://travel.aarp.org/articles-tips/articles/info-11-2013/