4Trak Live Mapping Solution Tracks NSW Trains

Delivered 2013

Project Information

Client:

NSW Trains

Location:

New South Wales

Completed:

2013

Project Overview

NSW Trains is the operator of intercity and regional rail and coach services across NSW. In 2013, 4Tel was engaged to provide 4Trak for the real-time tracking of NSW’s train and coach services against allocated timetables, to deliver accurate passenger information to the public.

Scope of Work

4Trak was configured to meet the following requirements:

A mapping solution which is located centrally and available to authorised users
Tracking of trains independent of track maintainer
Geographic and schematic map displays of train and coach locations
Ability to import daily timetables, assign a timetable to a train or coach, and determine estimated arrival and departure times at future stops
Consistent data access for external applications

Daily timetables from NSW Trains are imported into 4Trak to automatically assign a timetable service to each train based on its run number. For coaches, the driver uses a 4Trak mobile app to register the coach against a timetable service contracted to the coach company.

Real-time information is accessible via a standard web browser to authorised personnel such as operations and station staff. It is also shared with the TfNSW Open Data Hub for consumption by third party apps, such as TripView.

Additionally, NSW Trains requested 4Tel supply, install and commission Passenger Information Displays in the waiting rooms of key regional train and interchange stations. The 4PIDS software is customised to the NSW Trains style guide and provides real-time timetable information, including the expected arrival/departure times and scheduled stops for train and coach journeys.

On selected station platforms, 4PIDS software was deployed into a rugged android Customer Help and Information Point (CHIP) as a way of providing real-time passenger information for customers on the platform. 4PIDS also includes the capability to display safety videos or advertising on screens.

Outcomes & Achievements

4Tel’s expertise in systems integration and software engineering enabled the delivery of a solution that track trains and coaches via various GPS service providers, matches against assigned timetables, and provides passengers across regional NSW access to real-time service information at stations, online and via third-party apps.

NSW Trains staff use the 4Trak solution to:

Manage and release daily train and coach timetables
Track the location of NSW’s train and coach services and assign a timetable service to each train and coach
Measure the performance of individual services against their assigned timetable, recording variances and calculating expected arrival and departure times at future stops
Provide real-time data to the NSW Transport for distribution to real-time apps
Add delay codes and free text to capture the reasons for service delays for inclusion in daily reports

4Trak has been in service since 2008 and continues to be the leading tracking system for the Australian transport industry. The 4Tel team understands the complexities associated with the creation and provision of accurate, real-time public transport passenger information. As a result, the 4Trak solution has been deployed to support various client environments and modes of transport.