Mobility Centers facilitate transportation

Transportation is a vital part of everyday life. A broader range of travel options and an increasing number of people using public transportation on a daily basis—many of whom can sometimes feel lost—requires a need for simplicity and readily available information. "There are two ways to tackle this growth in transit," explains Stephanie Geisenberger, head of the Strategic Marketing Unit at Veolia Transport: "Either we encourage fewer people to travel, by promoting work from home, or—and this is Veolia Transport's view—we step up our organization! Our goal is to set the standard in mobility services, by promoting inter-modality and integrating the different types of transportation. That is where our mobility centers come in! "

Whether traveling by train, metro, light rail, bus, car, bicycle, taxi, ferry or even on foot, everyone needs information—or at least access to it—to plan a quick, smooth journey (which will in turn determine how the rest of the day unfolds).

"The wide variety of transportation options increases the number of ways to get to a given destination," explains Stéphanie Geisenberger. "Customers are going to want the most convenient route, and it is the mobility center's job to help them find it. Therein lies the real challenge: bringing together all that information in one place."

This is exactly where Veolia Transport's expertise comes into play. In 2005, Veolia Transport set up a mobility center, Cityway, to handle all data compiled on bus services in 24 communes in the Nice-Côte d'Azur metropolitan area, along with routes across the entire Alpes-Maritimes region. Cityway manages the Nice mobility center and provides the tools needed by its counterparts elsewhere. The center makes it possible to search for (and find!) information on transportation services throughout the region. Users can also make reservations, buy tickets, file complaints and more. Information is available by telephone and online. The mobility center receives all downstream information, including comments and information requests, updates on available transfers, times, potential factors affecting services, etc.

"Cityway gives the mobility center the tools it needs, especially when it comes to planning routes," explains Laure Fraboulet, Cityway Marketing Manager: "When a passenger requests an itinerary for a given address, public place or bus stop, the computer scans a very detailed database and suggests the most convenient route in under 10 seconds. The Nice mobility center aims to expand its services with the upcoming launch of a new public information system for bicycle users, after thus far managing for the most part bus information. The center will need to be the traffic and transportation information equivalent off on-board GPS for car owners: the goal is to set the standard. It is in the city's interests to centralize all this transportation- related information in one place." Mobility centers aim to provide services on both a local and national level. In Tilburg and Sittard, in the Netherlands, PZN has a call center that fields requests for taxis on behalf of Regiotaxi (initially reserved for users with special needs but now open to all). The company also has a centralized customer service department for public transportation, used by a number of Veolia Transport public transit concessions in the country.

"Call center operations will only grow if we secure more Regiotaxi contracts," explains Erwin Coenen, PZN Quality Director. Centralized customer service for public transit will grow and evolve when it is used by all Veolia public transit concessions in the country."

In Germany, the Neubrandenburg mobility center provides services designed to meet the specific needs of passengers on seven Veolia Transport rail networks. "The centralized customer service was set up when one of the three regional rail operators extended its offering and began operating InterConnex in 2002, Germany's first privately operated mainline train," explains Ramona Frey, Mobility Center Team Manager." Veolia Transport decided to open the center to ensure high-quality customer service to match standards for mainline rail services. A centralized setup clearly promotes synergy that in turn brings a number of advantages, both in terms of transportation expertise and economies of scale. The concept was convincing, and other Veolia companies in Germany have steadily transferred their customer service to the combined Neubrandenburg unit."

"Our advisers are given vocational training to ensure they meet the highest standards in handling telephone calls and fielding complaints. Initial theoretical training at the service center is followed by hands-on training in a real-life environment specific to each of the different rail systems. Recruitment takes place in two stages: after an initial round of interviews, applicants attend an assessment center, where they take part in simulations to identify the skills and approaches needed to do the job successfully. We need people who can multitask, and who are able to offer comprehensive, detailed answers to all kinds of riders' requests."

As a result, mobility center employees are able to field the full range of passenger requests.

Veolia Transport has put together a special program with this in mind, including training sessions, relevant procedures and IT resources to handle complaints and queries.

Veolia Transport also unveiled Vialsace on February 1, 2010. Vialsace is the first Web site dedicated to multimodal transportation in the Alsace region (www.vialsace.eu), allowing riders to obtain information on journeys throughout Alsace — and even across the border. "Mobility centers are there to act as personal assistants to riders," adds Stephanie Geisenberger. "Their goal is simple: to make urban life easier. If it works for customers, then it works for the company.

A single, centralized setup also helps cut costs. What is more, new advances in technology like the iPhone put us in a position to provide information for riders while at the same time guiding their decisions to promote a positive impact on overall travel.