“With PTV Lines, calculation of PT network indicators took 50% less time”

At TransportTechnologie-Consult Karlsruhe (TTK) we focus on transportation and mobility planning, particularly for local and regional bus and rail services. We help municipalities, public transport authorities, and operators meet the challenges of optimizing networks, restructuring services to meet demand, managing financial constraints, and monitoring transport contracts.

We’re always looking for ways to make the planning process shorter, easier, and more transparent. This benefits our customers and, ultimately, the communities they serve. That’s why we wanted to test PTV Lines, a SaaS solution for designing, modifying, and analyzing public transit networks without requiring advanced expertise in modeling software.

To evaluate PTV Lines, we were given a free trial as part of a Friendly User Test (FUT). Through extensive testing of the product and ongoing dialogue with PTV Group, we have experienced first-hand how the company actively listens to the real needs of its users. Their commitment to understanding our challenges has led to the development of dedicated features that truly address our planning requirements. This collaborative approach not only increases our efficiency, but also makes us an integral part of the product development process. PTV Group’s responsiveness and user-centric innovation has significantly improved our planning capabilities and made a real difference to our operations.

Why we chose PTV Lines

Our goal was to improve the efficiency of our evaluation process for public transport scenarios. We needed a tool that could:

• Provide quick scenario modeling and visualization to facilitate discussions with stakeholders.
  
• Ensure seamless data integration while reducing errors between public transport routes and operational indicators.
  
• Allow for user-friendly scenario comparison to optimize network performance.

We found that PTV Lines offered a solution that met these needs, and the Friendly User Test (FUT) provided an opportunity to explore its application in live projects before making buying decision.

The Friendly User Test (FUT) process

Our FUT focused on the bus network of Fougères, France, where we evaluated PTV Lines’ ability to help us to optimize the network.

The FUT is a structured testing phase conducted with a small group of users to gather insights into the ergonomics, functionality, and performance of a product. For TTK, this approach enabled us to:

• Understand user needs and pain points in public transport planning.
  
• Validate PTV Lines’ functionalities in a real-world context.
  
• Optimize workflows for planners and operators.
  
• Provide actionable feedback for further software improvements.

Testing Methodology was a one-month testing process that was divided into three key phases:

1. Kick-off Meeting:
   We received a demo of PTV Lines and defined the project objectives.
   
   
2. Intermediate Discussions:
   Regular feedback sessions allowed for real-time adjustments.
   
   
3. Final Review:
   A comprehensive assessment of the tool’s effectiveness.

Fougères – ideal testing ground

For the pilot testing of PTV Lines, we chose Fougères.

Fougères is a town in the Brittany region of northwestern France, which consists of 28 communes since 2017. It has a total population of 55,900 residents, with 25,000 living in the central urban area. The town has a rich historical heritage, including a well-preserved medieval castle, and plays an important role in the region’s economic and social development.

The urban mobility network in Fougères includes six regular bus lines, a rural shuttle, demand-responsive transport, and cycling infrastructure. With the current operating contract expiring by the end of 2025, Fougères sought to assess its network and prepare a more efficient, future-oriented system for 2026.

As a small yet complex network, Fougères provided an ideal testing ground for PTV Lines. Its combination of fixed routes and variable services required careful analysis and restructuring.

Key challenges included:

• Evaluating the performance of the existing network.
• Preparing a new public transport network for 2026.
• Supporting the selection of a future operator.

We imported GTFS data for both school periods and vacation periods to model the network accurately. PTV Lines allowed us to:

• Compare annual kilometers with official reports (with a variance of less than 5%).
• Analyze route variations, such as school-specific services.
• Estimate commercial speeds for new route designs.
• Measure network accessibility using isochrone analysis.

Key Findings

Our experience with PTV Lines highlighted several strengths:

• Saving time:
  By using PTV Lines, the calculation of PT network indicators took 50% less time than before. This gain was equal to two man-days of work.
  
  
• Ease of use:
  The intuitive interface required no prior training.
  
  
• Scenario evaluation:
  Quick calculation of key indicators facilitated internal workshops and discussions with policymakers.
  
  
• Accessibility analysis:
  The software provided useful estimations of service coverage.
  
  
• Limitations:
  While not a full-fledged scheduling tool, it allowed for rapid prototyping and visualization of network changes.

Conclusion

During testing, PTV Lines proved to be an invaluable tool for evaluating the restructuring of the public transport network. Its user-friendly approach and rapid scenario modeling capabilities made it a useful addition to our planning process. As a result, we are integrating PTV Lines into future public transit studies to improve efficiency and decision-making.

Since implementing PTV Lines, we have taken a significant step towards improving mobility planning in cities like Fougères, ensuring that transportation networks are optimized, efficient and aligned with future mobility needs.

At TTK, we are pleased that PTV Lines continues to evolve and that customers and testers are involved in the software’s development.