Overview
| Employees | Approx. 2,500, including approx. 1,400 in transport service |
| Vehicles | 217 buses, 258 trams, 2 funicular cars |
| Transport services | 325 million passengers per year, 31,888 million vehicle kilometres |
| Operations | Public transport |
| Objectives | More efficient dispatching, Requested duty planning, Configurable system, Better evaluation options |
| Special features | Extensive requested duty planning, Highly complex duty, duty sequence and payroll rules |
| IVU products | IVU.crew, IVU.pad |
Initial situation
Zurich is synonymous with quality of life. This is partly because of the city’s outstanding public transport network. As one of the most modern transport systems in the world, it is regarded as a model for major international cities. Zurich Public Transport (VBZ) makes a key contribution here. A total of 480 vehicles are in operation in the city and the canton, navigated by around 1,400 employees in transport service.
To plan their staff assignments, VBZ had a custom software solution specially developed in the 1990s. However, after nearly 20 years, the system is technologically outdated and no longer meets the increased requirements. Enhancement is only possible to a limited extent and involves high costs.
Objectives
Instead of continuing to invest in expensive custom software, VBZ planned to introduce a standard product with a wide range of functions. The new system was to go beyond the existing functionalities as well as make dispatching more efficient and, in particular, simplify the complex planning duties according to staff preferences, days off and holidays.
Extensive configurability was to ensure that the solution could be flexibly adapted to VBZ’s specific requirements. In addition, HR managers expected the chosen software to provide better evaluation options and statistics in order to optimise planning quality and enable a more targeted response to potential bottlenecks.
"IVU.crew has made our duty allocation and staff dispatching easier, more efficient and more transparent. We believe that we are well equipped for future challenges."
Solution
VBZ tested several systems for staff dispatching and opted for IVU.crew after a rigorous selection process. The software helps dispatchers with features such as automatic driver allocation to planned duties and individual duty sequence checking. Standardised interfaces ultimately ensure seamless connection to existing peripheral systems.
VBZ relies on IVU.pad.employee for requested duty planning. The employee portal is the central interface for communication with the transport service employees.This enables duty and holiday requests to be recorded online and stored directly in the system. The launch of the employee portal was accompanied by an extensive information campaign. There were entry stations in the depots, training films, instructions on the VBZ intranet and a telephone hotline that answered employees’ questions.
Outcome
Dispatching at VBZ is now based on an modern, technically advanced system. Dispatchers and employees alike benefit from it. Freely configurable rules mean that the complex duty, duty sequence and payroll rules of VBZ can be stored in the software with no need for programming. With automated personnel dispatching (APD), the dispatchers calculate the optimum duty allocation for employees with IDP (individual duty planning), thus increasing the efficiency of the staff rosters, which are also fairer and more stable overall.
The transition to the employee portal was virtually without problems. Transport service employees can now easily submit their preferred duties via a web browser. Dispatchers immediately see whether a request is viable and can adjust planning accordingly. At the same time, the portal helps to tell employees about such things as holiday approval, duty changes and current information.
The numerous evaluation functions of IVU.crew also give managers a constant full overview of completed duties.
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IVU Traffic Technologies AG
Headquarters
Bundesallee 88
12161 Berlin, Germany
Phone: +49.30.8 59 06 -0
E-mail: contact@ivu.com
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