Together with the Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund, Stadtwerke Gießen presented a further development step in RMV capacity utilisation control. The real-time data, which is made available via an intelligent system from Stadtwerke Gießen, provides information on bus occupancy, position and timetable adherence throughout the network for the first time.
Giessen. Knowing how full the bus is and where it is located - thanks to the "NV-ProVi" funding project, this is now possible for the Giessen lines with just a few clicks. The vehicles of Stadtwerke Gießen provide the relevant real-time information on location and capacity utilisation. This information is then displayed in the mobile RMV journey planner with just a few clicks. Real-time utilisation is being implemented for the first time in Giessen and can serve as a blueprint for the entire network area. Dr André Kavai, Managing Director of Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV), and the two board members of Stadtwerke Gießen (SWG), Matthias Funk and Jens Schmidt, presented the new functionalities at a press conference. The functions are available to passengers in the RMV app and via the RMV mobile website at m.rmv.de.
"Since August 2020, we have been one of the first in Germany to offer a capacity utilisation forecast in our app. While this calculates the capacity utilisation forecast from existing data, passengers in Giessen can now even check the capacity utilisation in real time on their home computer or smartphone to see how busy a bus is and plan accordingly. This is an exciting further development of our capacity utilisation forecast. We hope that the Giessen pilot project will provide us with important insights for the nationwide use of real-time capacity utilisation," explains Dr André Kavai, Managing Director of RMV.
Really live
The Livemap information is based on real-time data from the Giessen buses and 23.4 million historical data records. A new feature is that the information for many Giessen routes can be displayed in real time both in the RMV journey planner and on the RMV Livemap. The fact that not all buses operated by SWG transport subsidiary MIT.BUS are equipped with an automatic passenger counting system is irrelevant. This is because artificial intelligence (AI) is working in the background. Its algorithm is able to calculate passenger numbers using the available data and forecast them relatively accurately. "Because the AI is constantly learning, the already very accurate results are getting better and better," explains Matthias Funk, Technical Director of SWG.
The display of real-time data in the Giessen city area is the logical further development of the already available capacity utilisation forecast, which RMV has been making available to its passengers since August 2020. RMV was one of the first transport associations to offer its passengers such a service. "The pandemic has shown how important it is for our passengers to be informed about passenger volumes," explains Dr André Kavai. "Passengers can then decide whether to use one of the alternative connections suggested in the app with a lower occupancy rate and thus make the overall utilisation of the service more even."
SWG's contribution
SWG launched a pioneering project together with the consultancy firm Brodtmann Consulting at the same time as RMV's endeavours. The original aim was not only to store the enormous amounts of data already available, but also to utilise it sensibly. "This collaboration resulted in an extremely useful analysis tool that provides us with objective, relevant and reliable facts about our buses. And thus the basis for making the right decisions," explains Jens Schmidt, Commercial Director of SWG.
While working on the prototype of the analysis tool, it became clear that artificial intelligence could also significantly improve local transport services in other areas. "When we realised what was possible, we got in touch with RMV. Because we needed a strong partner to utilise the full potential," recalls Jens Schmidt.
As a result, SWG and Brodtmann Consulting launched "NV-ProVi", a research project funded by the Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport - with RMV as an associated partner. Passengers in Giessen are now benefiting from the results of this project. This is because the data processed by the AI forms the basis for RMV's journey planner. And this is just the beginning. In fact, there are already ideas for future applications that can be used to further optimise local transport services. The next step is to modify the sensors in the buses so that they can also recognise bicycles, wheelchairs and pushchairs. Once this data is available, it will be included as additional information in the live map and consequently in the forecasts.
There are also plans for city planners to be able to access the data collected and processed in the buses in future. With their help, it should be possible to make the upcoming traffic simulations more meaningful. "We are already in talks with the specialists at the Technical University of Central Hesse," explains Jens Schmidt. This means that "NV-ProVi" will also have a positive impact on the Green City Plan in Giessen.
Last but not least, RMV and Brodtmann Consulting are part of the industry initiative Utilisation Forecasting, or BRAIN for short. The aim of this platform, launched by DB Regio AG, is to develop standardised capacity utilisation information throughout Germany. And thus to make travelling on local public transport more pleasant and therefore more attractive.
How the capacity utilisation display works
The RMV's existing occupancy forecast shows low (under 30 per cent), medium (30 to 60 per cent) or high occupancy (over 60 per cent) for bus and train connections in the RMV information system (app and mobile website). Vehicles that have real-time data are now labelled with an extended symbol. It is also possible to see how full a bus will be at a particular stop and at a particular time. All you have to do is enter the desired connection. After clicking on it, the expected capacity utilisation can be displayed at each stop along the route. Of course, this also works for connections further in the future.