Basel decided early on to implement a climate-neutral public transport system, as public transport is known in Switzerland, by 2027 under the project name “Bus System 2027”. In addition to switching from diesel to electric buses, this project also involves the sustainable renewal of the old “Garage Rank”, one of Europe’s largest electric bus charging parks, as well as the electrification of a few critical terminal stops. “We are very proud of our transformation project Bus System 2027, as it is truly unique in Switzerland and perhaps even in the whole of Europe”, explains Mike Eiche, Deputy Head of the Bus Service Centre at BVB and manager of the 35-strong workshop team since 2018. He continues: “But all this would not have been possible without the extensive digitalisation of operations.”
Scheduling and maintenance works made easier
The delivery of 19 Mercedes-Benz eCitaro solo buses and 38 eCitaro G articulated buses by the end of 2023 heralded the opening of a new chapter in digitalisation at BVB. The buses are equipped with a reduced battery pack and vehicle-mounted pantographs, which means that the articulated buses can be intermediately charged with up to 600 kilowatts for longer durations using charging stations at up to five terminal stops. “When we purchased the buses, we also acquired the complete OMNIplus ON package because we wanted to connect our vehicles to all our digital systems as optimally as possible”, says Eiche. “Our corporate culture also involves always being open to new things.”
In addition to the comprehensive “Data Package plus” for the use of vehicle data in the company's own management systems, this also includes the OMNIplus ON Uptime pro service, with which all operating states of the vehicle and any malfunctions can be viewed online. “This makes work much easier not only for our scheduling department and the workshop, but also for our commercial employees”, continues Eiche. “And with the increasing shortage of drivers, it can be very helpful in order to break down communication barriers with new staff, especially if they are inexperienced with the complex technology.”
