PKP Intercity to optimise fleet management with cloud tool
PKP Intercity is working on an IT tool supporting efficient rolling stock management. The Polish operator has signed a letter of intent with Chmura Krajowa, a specialised provider of cloud computing solutions on the Polish market.
The subject of the signed letter of intent is the implementation of the project “Visualisation of rolling stock operation” developed by PKP Intercity. Its purpose is to develop and implement an IT tool in the public cloud for creating schedules for technical fleet maintenance and visualising the future availability of rolling stock. The solution is to optimise its use and define the needs for periodic technical inspections from the third to fifth maintenance levels.
“Polish railways are changing before our eyes. This does not only concern investments in modern rolling stock and the development of the network of connections, but also to ensure the most efficient processes of train traffic management”, says Andrzej Bittel, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Infrastructure. “The safety and predictability of the Polish railways is our goal and the signed letter of intent between PKP Intercity and the National Cloud Operator is another step in this direction”.
When to inspect vehicles
The developed IT solution will allow for the precise management of vehicle shutdown periods for periodic technical inspections. Thanks to this, the process of using the rolling stock will be optimised. The current need will be taken into account, which will be of great importance especially during periods of increased traffic such as the summer.
“The IT solution will be very useful in forecasting our rolling stock capabilities at a specific time”, explains Adam Laskowski, Member of the Management Board of PKP Intercity. “We care about the highest safety of travel, therefore part of the fleet is temporarily unavailable due to periodic technical inspections, and at the same time we are preparing to systematically increase the number of launched connections and increase the number of passengers. Developing the tool will be very helpful in this”.
Rolling stock investments
As part of the continuation of PKP Intercity’s rolling stock strategy until 2030, the company will invest 4.2 billion euros (PLN 19 billion) in modern rolling stock. The plans include investments in wagons, modern locomotives, electric multiple units, as well as push-pull double-decker wagons. Massive investments in modern trains will drive the further development of railways as the most ecological means of collective transport, in line with the European Green Deal. The IT solution will allow for more efficient management of the PKP Intercity rolling stock park, which is very important in relation to the implemented investments, says the operator.
“The solution shows how modern technology can effectively help in improving management in organisations with a large fleet or other, requiring periodic inspections and servicing of equipment”, says Dariusz Śliwowski, vice president of Chmury Krajowej. “In this way, PKP Intercity paves the way for other carriers, and at the same time proves that even a company from “traditional” industries can use agile technological solutions available in the public cloud (such as Google Cloud) to improve the quality of services. Considering the scale of the planned investments in modern rolling stock, we see great potential for the implementation of further joint projects”.
Chmura Krajowa’s mission is to accelerate the digital transformation of Polish enterprises and public institutions. OChK provides services from its own National Cloud Platform and is a strategic partner of two global cloud computing providers, Google and Microsoft.
Read more:
