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SSB Flex 2.0: Enhancing Public Transport in Stuttgart with IoT
Technology Category
- Functional Applications - Fleet Management Systems (FMS)
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Public Cloud
Applicable Industries
- Cities & Municipalities
- Transportation
Applicable Functions
- Logistics & Transportation
Use Cases
- Autonomous Transport Systems
- Smart City Operations
Services
- System Integration
The Challenge
Stuttgart, Germany, the country's sixth-largest city, is grappling with a high volume of private cars on its roads, leading to frequent high levels of air pollution. The city's public transport operator, Stuttgarter Straßenbahnen AG (SSB), had launched an on-demand service in 2018 to address this issue. However, the service needed significant expansion and upgrades to meet the city's transportation needs effectively. The challenge was to enhance the existing service to provide city-wide transit coverage, especially at times and in places where traditional public transport was inadequate. The solution also needed to be user-friendly, accessible to visually impaired individuals, and capable of smooth communication between riders and drivers.
About The Customer
The customer in this case is Stuttgarter Straßenbahnen AG (SSB), the public transport operator in Stuttgart, Germany's sixth-largest city. SSB was facing challenges due to the high volume of private cars on the city's roads, leading to frequent high levels of air pollution. To mitigate this, SSB had launched an on-demand service in 2018. However, the service needed significant expansion and upgrades to effectively meet the city's transportation needs. Therefore, SSB partnered with Via in 2021 to enhance the service and launched SSB Flex 2.0.
The Solution
To address these challenges, SSB partnered with Via in 2021 to replace the previous provider and launched SSB Flex 2.0. This service provides city-wide transit coverage, filling the gaps left by traditional public transport. The service operates with an 11 vehicle fleet, and rides can be booked through an app or by phone in German or English. Via introduced a new rider app with enhanced functionalities for the visually impaired, facilitating smooth communication between riders and drivers. The service also launched with a multimodal and intermodal integration, allowing riders to see all transit options available in the city within the app. Via's advanced technology enabled a smooth system transition in just a few weeks by migrating data from the previous provider.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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