Open IT system for a giant

Keolis, a world leader in public transport, present in 16 countries, on behalf of 300 local authorities with over 3 billion passengers per year, was looking for a test market for IT development. They found Sweden – and Pilotfish.

Background and challenge

The responsibility for IT solutions increasingly moves from transport authorities to operators like Keolis, and it is vital not to become locked in by a specific technology.

When Keolis was about to install real time traffic information monitors in the Storstockholm Lokaltrafik (SL) buses, they were also deciding on a test market for IT development.

This is where Keolis found Pilotfish and the open standard ITxPT (Information Technology for Public Transport), and saw an opportunity to increase control over their business.

Solution

Keolis decided on Sweden as a test market for several reasons. One was that the development of public transport IT was most rapid in Sweden. Another was Pilotfish and their experience in open standard, already implemented in 2400 units for public transport authority Västtrafik in Gothenburg.

Pilotfish open standard solution acts as the spider in an increasingly complex IT-net from which all data communication to and from the buss is transmitted. It connects data traffic across the telecom operator’s network, monitors the systems in the bus and allows them to work together. It also transmits the vehicle manufacturers’ diagnostics system and maintenance information to the workshops.

Today, camera surveillance is a system that is typically found in the Keolis busses, but eight or nine other systems, connected to the Pilotfish communication platform, are progressively being installed. Reverse cameras, rear door surveillance cameras, passenger counting, real time system, radio communication, assault alarm, ticketing system, passenger WIFI, Eco-driving and infotainment.

With the open communication platform from Pilotfish, Keolis is future-proofing their buses. For every new system installed, the scaling advantages become larger by having the same open communication platform.

There are also other benefits. Previously, moving a bus from one city to another, would cost a fortune, but when owning the infrastructure, the IT-system works regardless of where the bus travels.