HaCon | Update #4

Trafikverket of Sweden Chooses TPS

HAFAS Smart VMSfor Drivers and Passengers

HaCon is Associated Member of Shift2Rail

With over 30 years of experience and a

dedicated team of 260+ IT and transport

planning specialists, HaCon has establis-

hed itself as a leading European player

for planning, scheduling and information

solutions. Headquartered in Hannover,

Software

HaCon Business Segments

Network CapacityManagement

Consulting

IT and Projects Transport and Traffic

Intermodal Systems

Train Planning SystemTPS

Timetable InformationHAFAS

InformationManagement

Germany, HaCon also has offices in Berlin,

Paris and London. In 2015, the Massa-

chusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) ho-

nored HaCon as one of the „50 Smartest

Companies“ worldwide.

The timetable information system HAFAS

is used by transport companies and

associations all over the world. Every day,

passengers in 25 countries place over 100

million journey planner requests that faci-

litate the use of public transport. Long-

time HAFAS customers such as Deutsche

Bahn (Germany) and SNCF (France)

benefit from ever new, innovative deve-

lopments for mobile applications, internet

journey planners and printed timetables.

A powerful solution for train planning

and capacity management, HaCon‘s TPS

software enjoys a growing European user

base. Furthermore, HaCon consults and

assists its customers with projects in rail

freight transport and in particular com-

bined transport.

www.hacon.de

HaCon creates and develops high-quality software solutions for traffic, transport and logistics.

TPS | Train Planning & Capacity Management

Trafikverket of Sweden Chooses TPSHaCon is pleased to welcome yet another major customer from Scandinavia:Trafikverket has opted for the Train Planning System TPS.

As of 2016, HaCon has been pro-

viding Trafikverket with the com-

ponents for managing all timetables

and train path inquiries for the Swedish

passenger and freight transport authority.

The procurement was part of the planned

track network modernization in Sweden:

Trafikverket, in charge of infrastructure

planning for road, rail, sea and air trans-

port, strives to comprehensively reform

the rail network and increase its efficiency

within the next few years. TPS is helping

by improving the existing rail capacities

so that Trafikverket can push the network

extension and significantly enhance the

productivity for its train companies at the

same time.

As an integrated solution, TPS monitors

and controls the entire bid-offer process

between network operators and railway

companies. Train path allocations can

be edited via web application, while

allowing the current status to be conti-

nuously visible during the entire process

– from inquiry to train path planning to

the final order. In the timetable, TPS also

immediately shows the effects of path

relocation and realignment. In addition,

the HaCon system provides numerous

features that make train planning signifi-

cantly more efficient; such as automatic

data completion, precise runtime calcula-

tion and finding conflict resolutions. The

innovative FindSlot service detects route

conflicts and suggests the best possible

solutions for the trains affected.

HaCon’s managing director, Werner

Sommerfeld, welcomes Trafikverket

to the TPS family: “We’re excited to

work with yet another major Scandina-

vian customer – after Denmark’s DSB

and Norway’s JBV. We look forward to

supporting Trafikverket by raising the

country’s route productivity with our

train planning system.”

For many years already, travelers in Swe-

den have been benefitting from HaCon’s

timetable information system HAFAS.

Transport companies like Västtrafik and

Samtrafiken provide their passengers

with HAFAS-based apps and websites for

multimodal route and journey planning –

even going beyond national borders.

Real-time Data

Our vehicle management system HAFAS

Smart VMS is available as a platform-inde-

pendent driver app for smartphones, tab-

lets or on-board computers. It determines

position via GPS, thus gathering real-time

data on the current locations of public

transport vehicles. This data can be visu-

alized, among other ways, on a dynamic

HAFAS Live Map showing the movements

of all trains and buses connected to the

system. HAFAS Live Maps are available

for both browsers and mobile applications

(e.g. Arriva UK Bus, see below).

Communication

The driver app communicates with the

control center and transmits the position

data to a central server. Standardized

text messages enable the drivers to easily

inform colleagues and dispatchers about

disturbances. This allows all parties to stay

up-to-date in respect to deviations from

the schedule. This real-time information

on vehicle locations and on the timeta-

ble is then fed to all output channels for

passenger information systems, such as

journey planner apps. Passengers can thus

rely on their smartphones to keep them

up-to-date and well-informed.

Reliable Connections

When a train or a bus is delayed, the connec-

ting vehicles are the first ones informed. At

each stop, the driver can see both the planned

and the actual times for all lines from which

transfer passengers can be expected. This ma-

kes it easy to recognize whether connections

are at risk and, if so, how long the driver must

wait. In the case of a delay, connecting vehicles

can signal to the other driver(s) if they should

wait out the delay, which is then sent as a

notification to the passengers in the respective

vehicle(s).

In the control center, the dispatchers have a

detailed overview of the current situation(s)

and thanks to the HAFAS Live Map, the vehicle

positions and movements are always visible.

Dispatchers can immediately detect deviations

from the schedule based on the transmitted

data and by means of automated alarm messa-

ges. The real-time statistics also reveal the same

data in a table.

HAFAS Smart VMS

HAFAS Smart VMS as a platform-

independent driver app in the vehicle

real-time datacommunication

reliable connectionsnavigation

HAFAS Smart VMS

Navigation

The brand-new navigation feature is

indispensable for drivers – especially those

in charge of replacement services and

those who might not be familiar with the

route. If, for instance, a certain track sec-

tion needs to be closed and buses will be

compensating for the cancelled trains, bus

The predefined route is trans-

mitted to the mobile client.

As soon as the driver signs on

to the corresponding run, the

navigation view appears on the

display, making the ride much

more comfortable.

drivers often face a number of obstacles

due to the ever-changing construction sites

that complicate their routes.

To facilitate driving, especially in large

cities, dispatchers can now easily predefine

routes along the stopping points. Even

HAFAS Smart VMS is driving in…

Austria: ÖBB PostbusSwitzerland: PostBus SwitzerlandGermany: DB Regio Bus Denmark: RejseplanenEngland, France, Belgium: Eurostar GroupUK: Arriva UK BusFrance: SNCF Transilien

traffic data can be made available via

the driver app. In close cooperation with

Telenav Inc., HaCon is currently rolling out

the navigation feature in Paris for SNCF

Transilien.

HAFAS | Journey Planning & Timetable Information Management

HaCon is the only SME (small and

medium-sized enterprise) that has

recently been chosen by the European

Commission as an associated member of

Shift2Rail. Among other goals, the Joint

Undertaking backed by the Commissi-

on and the rail industry seeks to further

develop innovation within railways and

increase the quality, reliability and punctu-

ality of rail services while cutting its costs

and facilitating cross-border travel. HaCon

will support Shift2Rail with its decades of

comprehensive software implementation

and integration expertise regarding train

planning, dispatching and operation as

well as intermodal mobility planning.

The Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking was

established in summer 2014 and has nine

founding members that include the Euro-

pean Union, represented by the European

Commission, several renowned rail equip-

ment manufacturers and infrastructure

managers. To ensure that Shift2Rail has

all the key expertise needed to complete

its mission, the founding members are

complemented by 19 associated members

from across Europe. In addition to HaCon,

these include representatives and consor-

tia of the railway operating community,

infrastructure and rolling stock suppliers

and contractors, IT specialists, engineering

service providers as well as research orga-

nizations and universities.

Rolf Gooßmann, Executive Director at

HaCon, stated: „With our 30+ years of

experience, we look forward to making

our contribution by covering future needs

of the railway system with our software

solutions and by helping European rail

continue leading the way when it comes

to innovative technologies. Our software

products aim to fulfil the Shift2Rail ob-

jectives by facilitating improved services,

enhanced traveler experience and quality,

increased network capacity and finally, IT-

related standardization and automation.“

Together with numerous well-known European partners, HaCon is now officially involved in the Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking, thus investing in the sustainability of passenger and freight transport.

Since May 2015, HaCon has been parti-

cipating in the „Horizon 2020“ projects

In2Rail and IT2Rail, thereby taking a

first major step toward Shift2Rail. These

research projects will deliver the required

input for the Innovation Programmes

IP2 and IP4. In December 2015, Shift-

2Rail published its first calls for proposals

covering the five Innovation Programmes.

As a Shift2Rail partner, HaCon participates

in the annual calls reserved for members

only. This will help to ensure a continuous

development process up to the end of the

project when field-tested products will be

a part of the so-called Integrated Technical

Demonstrators.

Christos Economou, the interim Executive

Director of Shift2Rail, said: „The launch of

the first calls is an important milestone for

the Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking. I am con-

vinced the Shift2Rail partners will deliver

results that no single company, country or

even the European Union as such would

achieve alone.“

HaCon Selected as Associated Member of Shift2Rail

CONSULTING

Train Planning System TPS TPS helps railway infrastructure managers

(e.g. Network Rail, SNCF Réseau, Bane-

danmark, JBV) as well as train operating

companies (e.g. SNCF, DSB) to signifi-

cantly improve their work and business

processes regarding operative timetable

planning. As an integrated modular

toolbox and high-performance software

solution, HaCon‘s Train Planning System

combines infrastructure, timetable and

train path management. Whether for

managing network capacities, identifying

route conflicts or finding solutions – TPS

creates everything regarding reliable

timetables, from strategic long-term plan-

ning to real-time train disposition.

TPS facilitates the process of managing

network capacities according to the

regulations of the European Union. Multi-

user operation is a central element in the

software architecture – rights, roles, groups

and users can be precisely defined. TPS

provides several automated interfaces and

thus optimally interacts with other systems.

Customer-specific functions can be easily

integrated as well.

Consulting: Transport & Logistik HaCon consults and assists its customers

with projects in rail freight transport

and in particular combined transport.

This interdisciplinary consulting team of

transport engineers, geographers, lawyers

and IT specialists puts great emphasis on

an approach that is both integrated and

results-oriented.

HaCon has many years of extensive

project management experience for the

European Commission and other project

sponsors.

HaCon’s service portfolio includes the

requisition and negotiation of subsidies,

the completion of financial and administ-

rative formalities and the overall coordina-

tion of all parties involved such as railway

companies, shipping agents, institutions

and associations.

Journey Planning & Timetable Information System HAFAS HAFAS helps millions of passengers stay up

to date on their connections. Combining

different means of public and private

transport, HAFAS-based journey planners

enable door-to-door navigation and provide

multimodal transport chains. In addition to

buses, trains, trams, ferries and even planes,

HAFAS incorporates car and bicycle routing

as well as walking distances within its

search algorithm. Real-time data concerning

delays, cancellations and reroutings are also

centrally integrated into HAFAS and imme-

diately provided to the passengers.

As a standard module, HaCon offers

timetable-based ticketing directly via the

journey planner. Various output channels

are based on the HAFAS algorithm: journey

planners, mobile apps (on- and offline) and

several forms of printed timetables.

Long-time HAFAS customers such as

Deutsche Bahn, SNCF, ÖBB, SBB and Rej-

seplanen appreciate the one-stop solution

that guarantees a seamless, individual and

customer-specific communication.

@HaConTimetable hacon.de/blog

/HaConTimetable

Contact

HaCon Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH

Lister Strasse 15

30163 Hannover

Germany

Phone: +49 511 33699 - 0

Fax: +49 511 33699 - 99

Email: info@hacon.de

www.hacon.de

Publisher

HaCon Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH

Text and Design

Leonie Segermann, Kristina Spoerl

Imprint | 2016