In Germany and abroad the public transport sector has been expanding significantly for many years. In 2017, according to the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV), in Germany alone around 10.4 billion people used public transport, 140 million more than in 2016. And the signs point to a further increase. From September 18 to 21 at InnoTrans 2018 the Public Transport segment will mirror these developments. More than 400 exhibitors will be displaying their latest IT, fare management, radio and telecom products as well as software, ticketing and transport management solutions on a display area totaling 22,000 square metres. Public Transport is the third largest segment at InnoTrans.
This year, exhibitors will also be focusing on digital connectivity again. On the one hand it gives customers quick access to every form of transport by displaying the best connections in a matter of seconds. On the other hand it benefits operators, making it easier for them and more predictable to control a growing range of services.
Smart comfort for customers
It is possible that waiting in line for a ticket machine and booking fares over the Internet may soon be a thing of the past. Using GPS, a smartphone app can now automatically purchase a ticket when a passenger boards public transport and will calculate the fare at the end the trip. FAIRTIQ AG (Hall 2.1, Booth 104), a company from Bern, already has 21 partners in Switzerland as well as customers in Austria, Germany and the Netherlands.
Scheidt & Bachmann (Hall 2.1, Booth 203) has long years of experience in ticketing systems. “The FareGo Suite, our latest product, is certain to be a highlight of the trade fair. It is our response to the market’s ID-based ticketing needs“, said international sales director Sebastian Borowski. Features include real-time, system-wide processing, fair price adjustment and customer-friendly services for automatically finding the cheapest fares, for example.
Digital solutions for transport operators
Using Voice over IP, Mida Solutions (Hall 7.1b, Booth 201) from Padova uses a console that can be accessed by a wide range of devices to transmit both passenger information and internal GSM-R train communications.
Messages to order: Code Factory (Hall 4.1, Booth 223) from Barcelona markets the world’s largest range of speech and language recognition products. NUANCE, its latest software, is a system capable of converting texts in over 40 languages into 70 naturally sounding voices.
Rail Vision (Hall 6.1, Booth 202) from Israel markets a vital component for driverless trains. Optical and thermal sensors installed on the locomotive can detect obstacles such as animals, rocks or trees even in bad light conditions up to a distance of two kilometers away on the track. The system warns both the driver and control center.
Qualified staff are required whenever and wherever new designs are being tested. Hays AG (Hall 6.1, Booth 119) supplies entire teams of experts for testing such systems, legally compliant as well as for company contracts.
Sustainable and universally accessible
With its GMV Planner, GMV (Hall 2.1, Booth 412), a Spanish company and leading supplier of ITS solutions and turnkey projects for public transport, is presenting a tool for optimising operation and maintenance of transport vehicles. Their ’deepsy’ on-board platform even allows third-party suppliers to design their own programs for existing devices. “Public transport needs to become sustainable and universally accessible to customers,“ said Iker Estébanez, the company’s head of business development. “We are contributing to this development with innovative solutions, our eco-driving system for instance, which helps the driver to save energy and also reduces operators’ OPEX costs.
Green light for public transport: SATEL Oy (Hall 4.1, Booth 509) from Finland and a leader in independent data telcommunications, is aiming to reduce system outages and emissions. Bus and tram drivers can request traffic light information from their control centres over special data radio networks in order to avoid traffic congestion.
Public Transport Forum: focus on new forms of transport
At the eleventh Public Transport Forum the focus will be entirely on the future of digitization in public transport. On September 20, from 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. in Hall 7.3, Room Berlin, transport operators and experts will be setting the tone and together with the public audience will discuss new forms of transport and the challenges for IT. Later on, from 2.00 to 6.00 p.m. in the same location, the new International Bus Forum will discuss the use of electric buses in public transport and to what extent urban bus services can contribute to cleaner air and protecting the environment.
Organized by the German Transport Forum (DVF), the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV), the Union of the European Railway Industry (UNIFE) and the German Railway Industry Association(VDB), over the course of five events the InnoTrans Convention at the Palais am Funkturm will examine cross-border rail links, innovative climate protection measures, the quality of customer and mobility services as well as overall conditions for improving public transport in rural areas.
Bus Display: an invitation to take the bus
Compared to a few years ago the importance of public transport has increased and today it stands for ecological awareness and practical transport. The Bus Display in the Summer Garden, which is very popular with bus manufacturers, will be showcasing the latest bus models. Trade visitors will be able to view eco-friendly electric buses being driven on a 500-metre demonstration course. Exhibitors will include Alstom, Ebusco, Linkker, Solaris and VDL. More information on the Bus Display can be found at www.innotrans.com/BusDisplay.