Effective execution of planned maintenance and fast problem-solving in the event of operating disruptions contribute to high operating stability and passenger satisfaction.

For the passengers, it is important that they can count on us. We therefor see it as our most important task to keep the trains running, so the passengers experience the fewest possible disruptions.

This poses substantial requirements for maintenance on the trains, infrastructure and systems, especially for a system with 24-hour operation. Due to precise procedures for effective planning of both preventive and remedial maintenance, we deliver constantly low figures for downtime and number of breakdowns – we actually raised our goals for these KPIs in 2016 – without compromising our safety or quality.

Reliable management of interfaces

Our effective procedures are the result of many years of experience with managing the many interfaces that arise when trains, infrastructure and systems must be maintained. As both an operator and infrastructure administrator, we perform the greatest part of the maintenance work ourselves. The remainder is performed by external suppliers, under our responsibility and planning, and in accordance with our high requirements for safety.

It is as important to optimise the internal interfaces. A close cooperation between purchasing and maintenance ensure that the necessary spare parts are available, so that the work is not delayed. Co-ordination with the Operations Department occurs every day on an on-going basis, but is also formalised in the form of a Service Level Agreement between the two departments. It specifies what the two departments are obligated to deliver to each other and with precisely what deadlines, so we are able to retain the high operating level both during planned maintenance as well as the unforeseen.

On-going optimisation

In order to minimise the time spend on maintenance and to ensure high service availability for the benefit of the passengers, we work on an on-going basis with optimising our processes. In fact, we have approx. 100 larger and smaller optimisation processes running every year.

We have made many optimisations in the last couple of years. Among them:

• replaced the train's collector shoes with a new type that is easy to change and saves time at the workshop
• replaced directional relays on the ATC system with a more durable type with longer service life and fewer errors
• Continually optimized internal track possession processes to ensure maximum time in the track without compromising safety

Innovations that make the maintenance work faster and reduce downtime for the benefit of the passengers do not arise solely from formal projects. Our technicians are trained in spotting new possibilities that can optimise work processes and extend the lifetimes of spare parts.

Among the more recent innovations are for example a fitting for train seats that lasts longer, a cleaning hatch that makes it easier to blow the cooling fins clean as well as a new way of measuring the electrical part on the train doors.

At the same time, we are constantly working on optimising our consumption of resources and minimising our energy consumption. Since 2013, we have reduced production waste, energy and water consumption. The latter is among other things due to an efficient water purification system that allows us to reuse 95 % of the water from the plant where we wash the trains.

Knowledge and experience

Keeping our focus on the passengers even during maintenance requires talented and innovative employees who can spot opportunities for improvements. Our technicians have substantial experience and in-depth knowledge about their professional areas, and receive on-going education and training to further develop their competences. Through a structured educational programme, we are also able to rapidly integrate new employees and spread the competences out into the organisation.

During my training we were encouraged to come up with solutions that could optimise the work, and that has stuck with me. When I have an idea for an improvement, I speak to my colleagues about it, and then I go back to thinking about the solution.