Trapeze ITS supplies new vehicle location & control system to Basel
The current vehicle location & control system operated by the public transport authorities “Basler Verkehrsbetriebe” (BVB) and “Baselland Transport AG” (BLT) have ceased to meet state-of-the-art standards and are no longer capable of satisfying the future requirements of a modern control system for buses and trams. Therefore, BVB and BLT have for some time been planning to phase out today’s system dating back to 1980 because it can no longer be technically further developed and because maintenance is becoming increasingly costly. In addition, the two public transport companies are planning to buy new vehicles, which must be equipped with new on-board computers. For all these reasons, BVB and BLT have entrusted Trapeze ITS in Neuhausen with supplying a new automatic vehicle location & control system.
BVB has been using a computer-controlled vehicle location & control system since 1980, and since 1999 also BLT has been integrated in the system through a remote control site located in Oberwil.
Following thorough market researches, BVB and BLT decided on the basis of operating, technical and financial criteria to migrate the current system to the new control system of Trapeze ITS. This will enable all the current and future needs to be fully covered. Because Trapeze ITS has already been successfully applying the new system in various cities, technical risks hardly exist. In particular, this will enable operations to continue and the quality requirements to be met also during the transition phase.
The automatic vehicle location & control systems (AVLC) supplied by Trapeze ITS support the increasing attractiveness of public urban transport. They allow public transport companies to operate their vehicle fleets in an efficient and resource-saving manner. In concrete terms, this means that such a control system ensures high operating efficiency, an optimal range of services and targeted intervention in case of operating trouble.
The basis of the AVLC system is formed by optimal data and voice links from the control system to the vehicles. Cutting-edge on-board computers serve as communications hubs in trams and buses. Supported by GPS satellite navigation, they enable a comprehensive display of the operating condition in real time. The dispatchers at the control centre see whether a vehicle is early, on time or late. Passengers benefit from consistent real-time information, knowing before and during their trips about their next transfers both in regular and in exceptional situations – for example in case of trouble. Moreover, a system of the current generation must be capable of exchanging data with other control systems, e.g. for passenger information and transfer protection – in the Basel project this is BVB with the bus control centre of BLT and the control centre of Swiss Railways SBB.
The boards of both BVB and BLT unanimously approved the joint purchase of the multi-million-franc system. Monday, April 19, 2010, the supply contracts were signed with Trapeze ITS based in Neuhausen am Rheinfall. On completion of the renewal, a shared, modern system platform will be available to the two public transport companies enabling also future requirements for fast and up-to-the-minute customer and operations information to be satisfied.