An AI based Information System for Passengers (ISP) for the Rail Industry

多年来，尽管列车运营商(TOC)和Network Rail做出了相当大的努力，但英国铁路乘客在中断期间一直受到信息不足的困扰。例如，来自Transport Focus的研究发现，在过去的6年里，“火车公司如何处理延误”是人们不满的主要原因。当一列火车被取消或延误时，乘客往往不得不等待20分钟到一个多小时的时间才能获得最新消息，或者关于替代路线的建议，这让人感到沮丧。前线车站的工作人员也知之甚少。JNCTION发现，控制人员仍主要使用1980年的S技术，该技术不提供实时信息来预测延误长度，或延误将如何影响服务。当中断发生时，列车运营商运营人员使用效率低下的人工流程来解决问题，几乎没有时间通知他们的客户体验一线团队或乘客。我们需要一个新的21世纪解决方案。在我们最初的Innovate UK项目(JNCTION的决策支持工具)中，JNCTION发现，通过使用机器学习技术，可以实时预测中断的影响，使控制人员能够更快、更好地做出决策，并实现真正的绩效提升。该系统现在已成功部署在LNER。在项目过程中，发现了第二个重大的创新和改进机会，这构成了这一应用程序的基础--客户体验和信息系统-CEIS。现有的网络铁路/TOC乘客信息处于中断过程中，客户体验团队需要太长时间才能通知乘客和一线工作人员，即使他们最终从控制室同事那里收到了新的列车计划。JNCTION发现人工智能技术可以解决这个问题。新的CEIS工具将为中断中的客户和一线工作人员提供快速、准确的信息。通过一个联合的通信系统，中央乘客IT真相来源Darwin自动更新，以及社交媒体渠道、车站客户信息屏幕(CIS)、向一线工作人员发送消息和直接向智能手机应用程序发送消息，将有可能在几分钟内不断向大多数乘客更新准确和及时的信息。该系统的另一个好处是，该系统解放了一线工作人员，让他们能够优先帮助没有技术的用户，例如年长或残疾的用户。结果是：在乘客中断时，向乘客提供信息的速度和质量发生了阶段性变化，导致乘客更快乐，一线工作人员更知情，并在乘客调查中提高了列车运营商的客户满意度。

For many years UK rail passengers have suffered from poor information during disruption, despite considerable efforts from Train Operators (TOCs) and Network Rail. For example, research from Transport Focus identified that 'how train companies dealt with delays' was the primary cause of dissatisfaction for the last 6 yearsWhen a train is cancelled or delayed, passengers often have to wait anywhere from 20 mins to over an hour for updates, or advice on alternative routes to take, causing frustration. Front-line station staff are also poorly informed. JNCTION identified that control staff still mainly use 1980's technology, which doesn't provide real-time information to predict delay length, or how delays will affect services. When disruption occurs, train operators operations staff use inefficient manual processes to resolve the problems, leaving little time to inform their customer experience front-line teams or passengers. A new 21st-century solution is needed.In our original Innovate UK project (JNCTION's Decision Support Tool), JNCTION identified that by using machine learning techniques, the impact of disruption could be predicted in real-time to allow control staff to make faster and better decisions and achieve real performance gains. This system has now been successfully deployed at LNER.During the course of the project, a second major opportunity for innovation and improvement was discovered, which forms the basis of this application -- the 'Customer Experience and Information System -- CEIS'.Existing Network Rail/TOC Passenger Information In Disruption processes take too long to inform passengers and front-line staff by Customer Experience teams, even once they have finally received the new train plans from their Control Room colleagues. JNCTION identified that AI technology could solve this problem.The new CEIS tool will deliver rapid, accurate information for customers and front-line-staff in disruption. With a joined-up system of communications in which the central passenger IT source of truth, Darwin, is automatically updated, along with social media channels, station customer information screens (CIS), messaging to frontline staff and directly to smartphone apps, it will be possible to continuously update the majority of passengers with accurate and timely information within minutes. An additional benefit is that the system frees up front-line staff to prioritise helping users without technology, such as older or disabled users.The result: a step-change in the speed and quality of information to passengers in disruption, resulting in happier passengers, better informed front-line staff, and improved customer satisfaction ratings for train operators in passenger surveys.