Overcoming the challenges of staff shortages

Transport companies are increasingly forced to deploy inexperienced drivers. INIT’s on-board computers help new starters to hit the ground running and to be deployed flexibly. Intuitive operating concepts, similar to smartphones, significantly shorten training periods. To reduce language barriers, the user interface is available in several languages. In future, drivers will also receive text messages from the operations control center in their native language thanks to an AI-based assistant. Turn-by-turn navigation also supports them, especially on unfamiliar routes.

Selling tickets is an additional burden for drivers, which is even more difficult to manage if they have limited skills of the local language. Account-based ticketing can reduce this burden: Passengers check in and out at a validator. They simply use their debit or credit card, their smartphone or even a (virtual) customer card. The best price is calculated automatically in the background system.

Consequently, drivers need to interact less with passengers, while passengers are pleased because they always pay the best price and no longer have to worry about which is the cheapest ticket. INIT also offers the convenient TapNGo platform solution for account-based ticketing, which transport companies can easily introduce.

Automation is an effective digitalization approach when it comes to overcoming staff shortages. This also applies to passenger information – a time-consuming task for dispatchers. With RESPONSEassist, the INIT system for incident management and multi-channel information, passenger information can be generated automatically and sent to all channels with a single click. This allows dispatchers to concentrate on their main task – resolving incidents. RESPONSEassist also provides support with the help of assistance forms based on the company’s standard operating procedures and therefore provides important assistance, not least for inexperienced staff.

Electric buses bring new challenges for the processes in the depot: charging processes take significantly longer than refueling and therefore need to be managed intelligently in order to guarantee cost efficiency. This also means that vehicles can no longer be rescheduled so easily. All these are challenging tasks, even for experienced team members.

The MOBILE-DMS depot management system fully incorporates the specific electromobility requirements and processes into all the workflows. The current state of charge is checked for each individual e-bus, a suitable block is assigned, the range required for the next block is determined and a suitable parking space is allocated. An interface to the charge management system also ensures that a suitable replacement bus is assigned if unexpected events occur during the charging process. This means that depot workers have no additional work due to e-mobility.

At the UITP Summit, INIT will be demonstrating how modern IT solutions can help transport companies successfully meet the challenges of skills shortages. Visit INIT in hall A3, booth 500 to learn more about the innovative assistance systems and automation solutions.