DILAX Sensors in VDL E-Buses of KVB
26 May 2023 News
Photo: Christoph Seelbach / Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe AG
The electric bus fleet of KVB (Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe, the public transport operator of Cologne, Germany) has been growing since 2016. At polis mobility 2023, visitors were able to admire the new buses from manufacturer VDL Bus & Coach.
Around 150 KVB buses are already equipped with DILAX IRS-320 sensors. Using infrared technology, they count passengers boarding and alighting.
Looking ahead, KVB is planning a full rollout of automatic passenger counting (APC). Both the approximately 350 buses and around 400 trams are to be retrofitted with an APC system.
Accurate Data for Smart Operations
In the future, APC data will be used for:
- Revenue allocation: The number of transported passengers and passenger kilometers serves as the basis for fair revenue distribution within the transport association.
- Live vehicle occupancy: An APC system enables precise monitoring of occupancy levels for individual vehicles or entire routes at any time.
- Passenger information: Occupancy data reflects the current network situation, allows fast reaction times in case of disruptions, and can be communicated directly to passengers.
- Timetable optimization: Monitoring occupancy trends throughout the day and week makes capacity gaps or oversupply visible.
Climate-Neutral by 2035
The APC rollout is not KVB’s only ambitious goal. By 2030, the entire bus operation is set to be converted to electric mobility. Renewable electricity will be used—not only for charging the e-bus fleet but also for all additional functions such as air conditioning, ticket machines, and lighting.
This marks an important step toward climate neutrality, which KVB aims to achieve by 2035 at the latest.
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DILAX becomes part of the INIT Group
- Growth expected to accelerate through digitalization and public investment in rail infrastructure
- Positive sales and earnings effect as early as 2024
