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On the 22nd of May, Leipziger Aus- und Weiterbildungsbetriebe (LAB) and Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe (LVB) organised the first Train-the-Trainer Workshop on eco-driving for tram driving instructors in Leipzig. After the Train-the-Trainer Workshop on eco-driving for trolleybus driving instructors in Salzburg, the event was the second of its kind for ACTUATE.   The event was organised subsequent to a training session for driving instructors of tram, light rail and metro drivers by the Academy of the German Association of Public Transport Companies - VDV Academy in Leipzig.  In preparation for the trainings, the ACTUATE consortium developed eco-driving training materials, and trained about 30 internal multipliers and started to train all 600 of their tram drivers. The four German external tram companies that participated were: Augsburger Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH (AVG), Städtische Verkehrsbetriebe Zwickau GmbH, Duisburger Verkehrsgesellschaft AG and Stuttgarter Straßenbahnen AG. The participants discussed the eco-driving training concept and materials and exchanged their experiences in the areas of eco-driving techniques and energy-efficiency. Participants identified two...[more]

The Technische Universität Berlin and the SiFaT Roadsafety GmbH recently conducted a case study and associated training exercise for 15 professional truck drivers. The goal was to evaluate whether smart eco-driving skills could also be taught “off road” and in a simulator. The simulated environment obviously offers a wide range of advantages, as it allows the participants to learn the new methods in a sheltered and safe environment without the risk of material damage or personal injury, as otherwise could occur in a real world situation. Thanks to a simulator, improved eco-driving skills can be taught without actual fuel consumption or air pollution!As part of the training exercise, all drivers first received theoretical background information and then followed that up with two “hands-on” driving sessions. Each participant navigated a simulated 8 km long route. Both the fuel consumption and driving time were measured by the simulator and all drivers were instructed on the kind of driving style that enables the most fuel savings while creating less air pollution. Indeed the most economic driving method is that of attentive forward thinking and pro-active surveillance of the road,...[more]

Since the end of April in-house campaign - competition have already started for 10 selected t-bus drivers. We are convinced that the real example representing by these 10 drivers will motive the others to be better and to improve their driving style. This is a pilot project where we would like to show, that training and self – improving is require by our company. There is small deviation from the original plan. The way of incentive must change. When I presented our in-house campaign goals and ways how to do it, our company supported the voucher incentive. Now, the vouchers haven’t been so favourable for the PT company (there were some fiscal advantages), so there will be a monetary incentive for the participating drivers.   [more]

Since February 2013, the public transport company of the German city of Bochum (BOGESTRA) has successfully used an IT-driving-assistance system to support drivers in driving eco- friendly. The MiX RIBAS® system developed by the German automotive and telematics company Kienzle was first implemented by BOGESTRA as part of a pilot project to promote regional cooperation in the Ruhr area. It was therefore installed on 20 buses based at the depot in Ückendorf. As an innovative system that enables more economic and ecologically-friendly driving, MiX RIBAS® provides the driver with real-time analysis of energy consumption and vehicle vibration, indicating if energy usage can be reduced and passenger comfort enhanced. A small cab display provides the driver with continuous feedback. In case the driving style has become economically suboptimal and less comfortable for the passengers, a warning signal sounds and a small LED light alerts the driver and suggests a change in driving method.  In order to accurately measure the exact level of energy savings, all 20 test vehicles fitted with MiX RIBAS® were then deployed on the BOGESTRA line 390, which is topographically challenging and...[more]

 Energy savings can be reached not only through training programmes targeting professional drivers, but the industry research is developing more advanced and optimized driver assistance support systems which hold the potential to support drivers in reducing fuel consumption. With their recently launched Predictive Powertrain Control for Omnibuses, Daimler Buses takes a step further towards more efficient bus drives. The environmentally-conscious professional driver knows, for example, that they should take their foot from the throttle when approaching a road hump. This saves a lot of fuel, costs less time and is the basic principle of the world’s first anticipatory cruise-control for long-distance coaches with direct transmission control. The industry market latest products is a topic constantly followed by the ACTUATE project team, who is discussing and testing driving assistance systems to support eco-driving of clean vehicles.    More information about the product can be found here: http://media.daimler.com/dcmedia/0-921-911857-49-1678640-1-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-1-0-0-0-0-0.html [more]

The workshop took place in Salzburg on 7 May 2014 and trainers  from the trolleybus companies from  Linz (AT), Esslingen, Solingen and Eberswalde (all DE) were invited to Salzburg for further education and information exchange. The knowledge exchange primarily focused on: Explanation and background information for the development of the training programme and the training materials on eco-driving for trolleybuse. Introduction to the training materials, the first results in terms of energy savings and feedback from the trained drivers.Introduction to the specific driver training, including one brief  test training per participantFinal round  to gather feedback on the training programme on eco-driving for trolleybuses and to discuss possible cooperation.   The trainers were surprised by the energy savings potential, which amounts to approximately 10 % in test operations during the practical part of the “Train-the-Trainers” workshop. More workshops are planned for Italian and Czech trolleybus companies in future within the ACTUATE project.[more]

„Why should I eco-drive?“ since it brings no added-value, is the most common prejudice of professional drivers in daily traffic situations. To address this and other prejudices, striking in-house campaigns were initiated. A series of posters was designed confronting the drivers with prejudices, which had been collected through the feedback questionnaires after the eco-driving training sessions with trolleybus, tram and hybrid bus drivers in Salzburg and Leipzig. The posters will be adapted by the ACTUATE partners from Brno (DPMB), T.E.P. Parma and Eberswalde (BBG) and can be used free of charge by external companies, too. The designed posters show meaningful arguments to motivate driving in an energy-saving manner. „Aren‘t the trams/buses already green enough?“„Energy-efficient driving extends journey times!“Taking your foot from the accelerator? That won’t make a difference!“(On hybrid buses)„The passengers won’t notice any of this!“The poster campaign is part of a range of activities of ACTUATE’s motivational in-house campaigns to sustain the learning effects of the already implemented eco-driving training sessions. In case you are interested in the poster templates, please...[more]

The amount of energy which can be saved by using driver advisory systems depends heavily on infrastructure, timetable, rolling stock, operating conditions - and above all on the level of experience of the drivers. Therefore, the German railway undertaking Ostdeutsche Eisenbahngesellschaft (ODEG) has started a trial with of the advisory system "InLineFAS". The trial takes place on their most frequented regional express trains. Heavily varying passenger volumes during the day and along the lines are the big challenges for the system in order to ensure maximum energy saving and high punctuality at the same time.  The "InLineFAS" system is part of the companies' traffic management and passenger counting system which contains high quality statistical operation data that is used to obtain an optimal configuration of the advisory system module.[more]

On 11 and 12 December 2013 the ACTUATE consortium came together for a successful mid-term partner meeting in Salzburg, Austria. In addition, external experts from other EU-funded projects in the field of professional driver training participated in an ACTUATE meeting and contributed to a vivid discussion and inspiring knowledge exchange.  After a short welcome note by the host Salzburg AG, day one began with the presentation of the first of a series of ACTUATE e-learning modules. Within ACTUATE individual e-learning courses will be developed for hybrid buses, trams and trolleybuses. Over the next months all partners will integrate the e-learning courses into their in-house campaigns aiming to encourage drivers to use their newly acquired eco-driving skills in their daily routine.Also the partners reported on first evaluation results regarding training quality and energy savings achieved during the training sessions and in daily operation. Test drives conducted in real traffic as part of the practical trainings, showed the potential of safe eco-driving regarding the reduction of energy consumption: in Salzburg, on average 20 per cent energy was saved for trolleybuses and 13...[more]