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Bologna. March 1st, 2023. TPER Workshops. This course preparatory for the selection of Coordinator Operator, parameter 180, for piazza services in Bologna and Ferrara, opens with a vital statement: "It was not a quick process. It was always strongly desired. We have arrived. Now it must be earned day by day. We must build development on this model." Remember the key word: "reinternalization of line assistance."
Before diving into technical details, the course establishes six core values for maintenance at TPER. These are: work, encompassing colleagues past, present, and future; the environment, integrating ecological transition into every choice; passengers, the ultimate reason for service; fellow drivers, who operate the vehicles daily; knowledge, the technical expertise to be accumulated and transmitted; and respect for suppliers, acknowledging the broader network. These values form the essential framework for all subsequent procedures and organizational structures.
The course then charts a 30-year timeline of fleet development, starting in 1990 with the 750-volt trolleybus and progressing through CNG and LNG buses, particulate control systems, hybrid technology, and CAN BUS systems. Crucially, it highlights the commitment to eliminate diesel buses by 2031, with 75% of the urban fleet needing to be "clean" by 2026. This evolution underscores a shift towards sustainability and advanced, integrated vehicle systems.
A fundamental equation is presented: "SYSTEM = BUS + RECHARGING." This emphasizes that modern transportation planning requires considering not just the vehicles themselves, but also the entire supporting infrastructure. This includes trolleybus networks, refueling stations, charging points, and hydrogen dispensers. Such a holistic approach fundamentally alters required skill sets and organizational thinking.
The course maps out the traction expertise by depot. Battindarno in Bologna covers diesel, trolleybus, hybrids, and electrics. Ferrarese focuses on diesel and methane. Due Madonne handles diesel, methane, hybrids, and electrics. Ferrara specializes in methane, with hydrogen being a cross-cutting future competence for all. This diversification necessitates integrated training and cross-depot knowledge sharing.
Understanding fleet management in Italy, the course outlines four models: direct management with some outsourcing, full service, partial outsourcing for programmed maintenance, and dedicated maintenance subsidiaries. TPER has chosen a primary model of direct management with elements of partial outsourcing, distinguishing it from others and reflecting a strategic approach to maintaining core competencies internally.
TPER's maintenance strategy is clarified by examining its divergence from other Italian companies. Key differentiators include adherence to ASSTRA standards, strategic internal competencies and staffing, distinct control systems, and aligning organizational staffing with evolving skill requirements. This proactive approach shapes how vehicles are purchased, how staff are trained, and which equipment is utilized.
Three strategic options for maintenance management are explored: full service outsourcing, partial outsourcing for programmed maintenance, and maintaining maintenance in-house. TPER’s choice for primarily in-house maintenance, supplemented by elements of partial outsourcing, signifies that maintenance is viewed as a long-term strategic activity. This approach prioritizes sustainability, technological integration, and staff engagement.
A vital concept introduced is the "learning rate" for new vehicle technologies at TPER. Each new technology requires a period of adaptation, built through defining purchase specifications, effective vehicle selection, comprehensive training, and appropriate organizational tools. This dynamic learning process is essential for managing the ongoing evolution of the fleet and its associated maintenance demands.
The core mission of piazza services is detailed: ensuring daily service output as planned, maximizing spare buses for operational resilience, providing technical support during service delivery, maintaining vehicles to cleanliness standards for passenger comfort and accessibility, and ensuring the efficient, 24-hour functioning of depots. This mission is designed to directly support passenger satisfaction and operational reliability.
The "zone of daily availability" encompasses TPER's own garage staff, full service operations, line assistance, and cleaning services. The goal is to integrate these previously fragmented elements into a single, coordinated process. This reinternalization aims to reduce bus downtime by unifying expertise and operational control.
The organizational structure is presented as a network model, with key nodes being the Bologna depots (Due Madonne, Ferrarese, Battindarno), Ferrara, Imola, and external market services. Within each depot, specific contract types like mechatronics, programmed maintenance, and line assistance are managed. The coordinator acts as a crucial link within this network.
The organizational evolution shows a reversed pyramid, with highly skilled TPER Full Service and Piazza Service staff at the top, and outsourced activities like cleaning and corrective maintenance at the lower levels. The Coordinator Operator sits at the interface between internal expertise and external services, managing and integrating these different functions.
The role of the Coordinator Operator, parameter 180, is defined by its guiding and coordinating function, not hierarchical command. They are the first point of contact for technical issues, promoting better work methods and worker involvement. This role, established in 1990, remains vital for the effective management of modern transportation services.
Integrated supervision is key, focusing on process rather than hierarchy. The coordinator manages the entire piazza service process, connecting workshops, drivers, and external providers. This network-centric approach ensures seamless operations across depots and throughout the service delivery chain.
Key individuals are named within the Global Service, Full Service, and Piazza Service departments, highlighting the human element behind the organizational structure. This recognition of personnel underscores the collaborative effort required for successful fleet management and service delivery.
Essential procedures for the Coordinator Operator include dressing the daily service, managing technical operations from the central office, overseeing depot logistics, monitoring contracts, and managing vehicles based on life cycle cost. Understanding the "scraps" graph, which tracks idle buses, is also critical for performance assessment.
The integration of piazza services across Bologna's depots is achieved through coordinated supervision, global service management, and cross-depot training. The Coordinator Operator is central to this integration, acting as a process manager who unites diverse operational elements.
The relationship between the passenger customer, the driving personnel, maintenance staff, and piazza service teams is presented as interconnected. The autobus TPER is at the center, with all teams working collaboratively to serve the passenger, moving away from siloed operations towards an integrated system.
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