Salzburg AG – improved trolleybus fleet management through SatNav

The company

Salzburg AG is the largest public transport operator in Salzburg County. It transports over 50 million passengers every year on more than 113 km of line network. The company, a public-private consortium, employs over 700 people in the transport sector and provides a wide selection of transport services, both on land and rail. In the city of Salzburg, the company operates a fleet of 106 trolleybuses on 12 lines. Trolleybus operations were inaugurated in 1940 and the line network continues to grow. Salzburg AG also coordinates other subsidiary companies, such as Berchtesgadener Land Bahn. 

The challenge

Much like Rome, Salzburg too was built “on seven hills”, that is, in a mountainous area. Narrow winding streets give the city its particular charm that attracts millions of visitors every year. This influx, as well as the strict regulations in Altsadt — a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site — make monitoring and coordinating traffic a complex challenge. Congestions can be frequent and difficult to predict. Excessive delays can discourage passengers from using public transport, increase pollution, and tax the local economy by slowing down the transport of services and goods.

The satellite solution

In 2013, Salzburg AG launched its new ITCS (Information Technology Central Services) service. The data generated by the trolleybuses’ satellite navigation system is used to track vehicles and staff, as well as provide floating car data for the county of Salzburg. Nowadays, real-time data, on the location, consumption and puntuctuality of each trolleybus is gathered in a control center and is displayed on a TomTom GIS map for Salzburg AG’s staff. The map gives traffic managers an overview of transport conditions, traffic events, restrictions, accidents and works. Newly-installed flat screens at bus stops inform citizens on arrival times and traffic conditions. The data is also available on a web portal and a mobile app for public use. Traffic data is also provided to local authorities and research organisations to assess how the infrastructure responds to transportation needs. 

Results

Today, Salzburg AG’s entire trolleybus fleet is equipped with a satellite navigation system. Electrical trolleybuses are the best way to reduce the carbon footprint of traffic and have a positive impact on the city’s air quality. Client service and information have also greatly improved. Due to the satnav connection residents are better informed on their trolleybus’ location and thus plan their journeys accordingly. In addition, traffic data analyses allow operators to reroute traffic where needed, thus increasing flows. Thanks to the floating car data gathered by Salzburg AG, public authorities have also obtained a better look into infrastructure use and can improve its future development.

Thanks to Satnav we increased our flexibility to dispatch trolleybuses depending on traffic and passanger needs

Christian Osterer Salzburg AG