Hanover/Skövde. The future route planner for public transport in the southwest of Sweden will stem from Hanover. In May, the choice of Västtrafik, the second largest public transport network in Sweden, fell on the software company HaCon. Their leading timetable information system HAFAS will be employed by an additional customer in Sweden.
Västtrafik will completely convert its passenger information system to HAFAS. To replace the current system, the transport network will receive a complete package within the next two years: barrier-free timetable information for the internet, optionally tools for the production of printed timetables and the latest HAFAS Mobile versions for mobile phones from different manufacturers. These also include Smartphones with comfortable features such as large touch screens and faster Internet connections, such as provided by phones with the mobile operating system Android™ and by the iPhone. "We want to supply an innovative product package to Västtrafik – especially with regard to the latest mobile technologies,"
Delivery is planned in three phases: from 2011 HaCon will first provide a barrier-free route planner. In parallel, Västtrafik will put HAFAS into operation in their call centre and test it. As of 2012, online and mobile travel planning with HAFAS is supposed to be made available to all passengers.
"For us, it is important to provide our passengers with an innovative information system which is accessible via various channels. Our aim is to build a system that makes it easier for everyone to travel, i.e. people with reduced mobility. HAFAS will make travelling throughout our network even more attractive", Mikael Faleke explained, project manager at Västtrafik. He pointed out that HaCon was the right partner for the project. "HaCon’s proposal was not only economically convincing, but functionally and technically as well."
With Västtrafik HaCon could strengthen its presence in Sweden: HAFAS customers already include Samtrafiken, which coordinates the whole public transport in Sweden, and Stockholm Public Transport (SL). SL is responsible for public transport in the Stockholm area and runs a journey planner based on HAFAS.
Västtrafik is responsible for all public transport in the region of Västra Götaland including 2,300 busses, trams, ferries and trains of different providers. The County of Västra Götaland and its municipalities own 50 percent of the company each. The route network comprises 22,000 stations in the area around Göteborg, ranging from Strömstad at the Norwegian border in the north and to Svenljunga in the south and Vätterstranden in the east. Västtrafik has been organised into a head office in Skövde and four local offices in Vänersborg, Göteborg, Borås and Skövde. The organisation employs a total of about 200 people and coordinates circa 6,500 drivers. Up to half a million daily trips or 240,000 kilometres of lines are completed with Västtrafik.
http://www.vasttrafik.se
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