German Railways (DB) opt for HAFAS Information Manager HIM
In order to inform passengers about problems on their journey without delay, German Railways (DB) deploy – at first in pilot operation – the HAFAS Information Manager HIM from HaCon. Since the timetable change in December 2010, rail customers not only know whether their train will be on time. Thanks to HIM, they now also recognise at a glance whether their journey will be impaired by events which can not be quantified in precise delay minutes – so-called fuzzy messages. These messages appear directly in the connection overview of the HAFAS-based timetable information of the DB (bahn.de). Also additional information on tickets, services or special offers can be transmitted to passengers via HIM, directly train-, track- or station-based.
With the help of HIM, DB can provide information to their passengers that they previously could not communicate specifically for a connection. HIM Info bridges the gap between real-time information directly before departure and the long-term target timetable. "HIM contributes to the fact that rail passengers perceive business disruptions more positively – by giving them the right information to their connection, on time and accurately, so that they can plan better," says HaCon project manager Sebastian Mueller. Information is provided on many output channels that are available to rail passengers: the Internet, travel centres or mobile phones. In addition, systems for DB staff, including in the DB travel centres, are supplied with HIM information.
HIM is a tool that is used to edit timetable content: web-based and in real time. The HIM-family of HaCon includes individual modules, such as HIM Geo or HIM Timetable, which can be integrated into the timetable information system HAFAS. With HIM, all fault information in text form is taken into account for planning a trip.
The main features include:
- HIM info is easy to handle for DB staff, fast and flexible while being safe and precise. Any information, no matter if it is train station-specific or trip-related, may be the subject of a HIM-message that is assigned to each of the affected trains. For entering messages, there are comprehensive filters. HIM distinguishes between different categories: train-related, trip- and station-related messages.
- Once the reference parameters are set, with the function “check consequences” a HAFAS inquiry can be started. It shows directly in an overview, which train, according to the previously set reference parameters would be provided with a message. In this overview trains can later be deactivated for the message. The advantage: the user receives an overall view and, if necessary, can make corrections before publishing the message. If a message is already activated for a train, this also becomes clear. In this way, it is easy to determine whether any of the messages may be obsolete because of another message.
- Reports and evaluations can easily be generated with HIM. At a click, the user knows which categories of messages were produced in what time frame. Daily reports can be easily created. Changes are stored in a message archive and can always be traced.
- Users can simply click together HIM messages with flexible text blocks. Once a text message has been created it is automatically translated into several languages and may be published through different channels. Alternatively, the entire messages can be entered as free text.
- The system has full multi-client capability: With HIM, DB can specify exactly who can take over which tasks in the system and to which extent. Detailed workflows can be defined and distributed according to the internal organisation.
For years, many HAFAS customers have been successfully integrating disturbance messages with HAFAS into their timetable information systems. Long-time customers of the now-updated information HIM that provides similar features as the DB-HIM are the (Swiss Federal Railways) SBB and Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB). Also, the Rhine-Main Transport Association (RMV) and the Belgian Railways (SNCB / NMBS) will get the HIM with the latest features.
