First E-Bus Depot in Germany Controls Fleet with PSItraffic

PSItraffic controls processes in the E-bus depots of Hamburger HOCHBAHN. Source: HOCHBAHN

As part of the introduction of zero-emission buses, Hamburger Hochbahn AG (HOCHBAHN) has opened the first bus depot in Germany designed for e-mobility.

 

It is designed to have the necessary charging technology and power supply for 240 buses. The depot management system PSItraffic/DMS of PSI Transcom GmbH, which has been automatically controlling the processes in the six bus depots of the HOCHBAHN since 2014, has been expanded to include a module for the charging and load management of buses as well as vehicle management-relevant functions. This has now been successfully put into operation at the new E-bus depot in Alsterdorf. In the future, it will control the processes in the E-bus depots throughout the city.

Until full E-bus operation, the system will ensure that the required number of vehicles are available refuelled or charged in parallel operation for diesel and electric buses, and that the drivers are available - including their duty rosters. The disposition core used for this is based on PSI's own optimisation software Qualicision, which determines solutions within seconds on the basis of general operating conditions.

The E-DMS continuously checks which vehicles at the depot are best suited to which blocks after how many minutes loading time. This means that not all electric vehicles have to be charged simultaneously, permanently or completely. The load management controls the entire energy requirement and monitors or controls the charging capacity of the individual chargers. This saves costs when expanding the power grid and guarantees stable public transport operation. The system is also designed for a possible mixed operation of electric and hydrogen powered vehicles.

Hamburger Hochbahn AG is Germany's second largest public transport company with four subway lines with 250 subway vehicles, 110 bus lines, almost 1,000 buses and approx. 1.2 million passengers per day.

Based on its own software products, the PSI Group develops and integrates complete solutions for optimizing the flow of energy and materials for utilities (energy networks, energy trading, public transport) and industry (mining, metals production, automotive, mechanical engineering, logistics). PSI was founded in 1969 and employs more than 1.900 persons worldwide.