Using AI to Support Staff and Improve Operational Efficiency in Public Transport

From starting out as a driver to balancing work and personal life and handling the demanding work of the control centre, AI offers many ways to provide targeted support. It can help overcome language barriers, better accommodate individual needs and compensate for a lack of experience. In this way, AI can make jobs in public transport more attractive and accessible.

Breaking down language barriers

AI can make life easier for new drivers who face language challenges. AI-powered translations of control centre messages on the on-board computer help with this, complemented by menus that can be switched to different languages. Turn-by-turn navigation guides drivers along unfamiliar routes, allowing them to hit the ground running more quickly.

Smart duty rostering for a better work-life balance

Changing shift models make it increasingly difficult for drivers to balance work and private life —particularly for employees with significant childcare and family responsibilities. Addressing this challenge requires intelligent, flexible solutions. INIT’s duty rostering system allows employeesʼ needs to be taken into account far more effectively. Drivers can easily submit their preferred working hours via PC or mobile device. An intelligent algorithm then evaluates all preferences alongside legal requirements and staffing constraints to automatically create optimal and fair duty schedules which are efficient, compliant, and tailored to individual employees. A dedicated duty exchange module also allows shifts to be adjusted or swapped at short notice. The result is increased employee satisfaction, improved work-life balance and a reduction in absenteeism.

AI assistants for the control centre

Work in the control centre is highly complex and demands extensive operational experience – expertise which not all staff members possess. To address this, INIT is developing AI- and rules-based tools that compensate for gaps in experience and provide targeted support in day-to-day operations.

The KARL research project, which we are advancing together with renowned partners, demonstrates how AI can deliver tangible relief in the control centre. Its core component is an AI-based assistant tool that recommends appropriate dispatching measures during disruptions, based on previous comparable situations. This reduces staff workload and helps stabilise operations more quickly.

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