Transdev February 2020

Keeping communities moving

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Keeping communities moving

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TRANSDEV AUSTRALASIA

Transdev’s mobility team is tackling change management to navigate huge improvements across its Australasian public transport operations

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e’re managing over 2,000 passenger train services each week on 154km of train track running on a 1,500 volts DC system,

operating 83 Matangi class electric multiple units and loco hauled coaches across five lines.”

The scope of Jonathan Tulitt’s role at Transdev 04

Wellington is vast. Recently taking up the Wellington-based post of General Manager of Operations, Tulitt oversees the day-to-day operations of the Greater Wellington regional passenger network, ensuring that it runs to timetable with minimal disruption. Looking at the whole scope of business elements from leadership of the Onboard teams (Locomotive Engineers, Train Managers and Passenger Operators), maintaining a high level of network performance, management of the Service Control Centre and Network Facilities, as well as service planning functions, Tulitt draws on a wealth of experience across a decade in the rail sector.

“I first joined Transdev as a Fleet Controller working inside the control room at Britomart Train Station in Auckland as a frontline staff member monitoring rolling stock movement,” recalls Tulitt.

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14mn

Passenger journeys per year

2,000+

Passenger services per week

5,700 Number of employees

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“ Whether it be new technology, or improvements to back end operations, we’re introducing new systems to better track performance and ensure it’s at 06 the forefront of what we do” — Jonathan Tulitt, General Manager, Operations, Transdev

“I moved into a project management role delivering electronic train protection across old rolling stock, and from there I took on depot operations management — overseeing service operations of a new depot when we transitioned into electric train operations.” Since then Tulitt has progressed through several roles, including Acting COO in Auckland, which sees him well placed to drive new initiatives and innovations as the company embraces transformation.

Tasked with turning under-performing business functions around, such as disruption management, and keen to re-engage staff to ensure Transdev delivers a consistent high performing service, Tulitt’s achievements in his first six months in Wellington are already evident. “I’ve introduced a comprehensive performance improvement plan in Wellington, focused on lifting levels of service performance back up from the previous high 80s into the high 90s,” he says. “Whether it be new technology, or improvements to back end operations, we’re introducing new systems to better track performance and ensure it’s at the forefront of what we do.”

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘APPLY NOW TO BECOME A TRANSDEV DRIVER IN WELLINGTON’ 07 Tulitt is working with all of Transdev’s

and transparent work ethic through my

internal and external stakeholders to

management and leadership team,” he

develop a concise plan while support-

says. “To me, it means doing what I say

ing additional upgrade work across

I’m going to do, following through on

the network so that, when new infra-

my commitments and ensuring that I

structure comes online, his team can

involve my staff, and our internal stake-

utilise it to its maximum capability via

holders, in all of the decisions we make.

timetabling, optimised staff utilisation

It’s been a tough culture shift, and a

and rolling stock management.

trust building exercise not just for my

As Tulitt’s team execute his improve-

frontline staff and management team,

ment plan, the importance of having

but for me too. I’ve had carte blanche

the right culture to achieve Transdev

to run things as I see fit, and that brick

Wellington’s goals cannot be over-

wall of trust that I’ve chosen to rebuild

stated. “At Transdev Wellington I’ve

in the short time that I’ve been here is

tried to instill an inclusive, open, honest

really paying off.” w w w.t ra nsdev. com . a u

TRANSDEV AUSTRALASIA

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Tulitt admits it’s been a challeng-

mould that vision with the staff so they

ing process for frontline staff, but

understand where we’re trying to go

they’ve risen to the challenge. “It’s a

and bring them on the journey. It’s been

well-established, heavily unionised

a key piece of the puzzle that’s been

business where perhaps it’s not always

missing previously.”

been easy for staff to trust manage-

Technology has played a role in that

ment, but our commitment to being as

culture shift. “Introducing new technol-

honest and transparent as possible

ogy is always a challenge,” maintains

is helping us move away from an ‘us

Tulitt. “We have an older workforce

and them’ mentality so we can deliver

that are actively embracing the new

initiatives together.” He stresses the

technology; the driver tablets we’re

importance of using the right forums

introducing essentially replace the

to get feedback and incorporate that

paper function of the business. When

with company strategy. “We’ve got to

a locomotive engineer books on they

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Jonathan Tulitt Jonathan Tulitt joined the Air Force fresh out of school where he spent 10 years working as an Armament Technician. It’s an experience he credits with nurturing his belief in the importance of building trust in teams.

“It really set me up for where I am today,” he confirms.

“It’s essential in my role to build a solid trust network around you, not just in your frontline staff, but with your leadership colleagues too. We need to be able to lean on each other as required, bounce ideas off each other and take a collaborative approach.”

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Tulitt brings expertise in management gained from different sectors. “Just because we’ve always done something a certain way it doesn’t mean we have to keep doing it that way. Is there a better, safer or more efficient way to progress? I’ve hired people from aviation to retail and beyond to bring a wide cross section of experience to our network, enabling us to innovate more smoothly than we used to. It’s been really valuable to remove those blinkers and make sure we can see the wider picture across multiple industries to make what might seem like simple decisions with far reaching and positive outcomes.”

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must have all of their paperwork (bulletins, rules, procedures) – it can weigh up anything from three to six kilos! We’re now giving them access through a digital portal so they can synchronise each morning when they turn up, and at the start and end of each of their journeys. They will have the latest information at their fingertips wherever they are, in real time. The feedback from trials has been really positive.” Tulitt is also managing the transition of manually produced rosters to an electronic

Promoting business excellence throughout rail operations Proud to be working with Transdev Australasia

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Captures the right information at the right time from the right people Sets, tracks and reports on actions ensuring delivery of all business critical activities Instills best practice through consistent behaviours Drives business improvement by giving a comprehensive understanding of performance

Mobile Application Industry Systems

Additional Modules Asset Management Audit Management

Event Reporting Action Tracking

Fleet Management Delays & Attribution

Reporting

www.tracsisops.com info@tracsis.com

11 scheduling system called Hastus.

personal rosters, news, staff sharing,

“That’s going to enable us to automate

chat and digital forms for incident

processes to make simple changes to

reporting, standard admin processes

timetables for special events or even

and other cumbersome processes

whole new timetables, in a fraction of

now digitised in one app.”

the time currently required.”

Tulitt’s team in Transdev Wellington

When Tulitt’s frontline staff out on the network find an issue with a piece

benefits from synergies with the

of infrastructure they can take a photo

group’s global business. “Our big-

and post it directly to the app, allowing

gest group innovation has been the

management and critical service pro-

MyTransdev app,” he says. “It gives us

viders across the business to comment

a business portal from all across the

directly. “It’s particularly useful as a

world directly into the hands of our

group tool for disruption management,”

frontline staff which allows them to

says Tulitt. “We can push real-time

have a voice. The app’s facilities cover

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TRANSDEV AUSTRALASIA

app users and tell them exactly what’s happening and how any issues are being mitigated. Each business within the Australasian group has its own bespoke version of the app, but the framework is generic.”

While technology is supporting Transdev’s staff, it’s also helping to monitor and guide overall performance.

“One of our most important partners is Tracsis,” reveals Tulitt. “They’re supporting us to introduce a performance attribution system which will essentially 12

replace the system currently in use

by Transdev Wellington and our client, the Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC). We’ve committed to delivering the Compass system, which will become the primary attribution tool for our service performance in Wellington. It’s a big task to handle all of our contract abatement requirements in one piece of software, so we’ve been working with Tracsis to deliver that to GWRC’s specific standards.”

Transdev faces a challenge to deliver high performing and consistent service while upgrades to facilities and infrastructure in the region are ongoing, such as Wellington’s 1960s signalling

“ We’re making sure we push out more information to our staff while bringing in our third-party stakeholders to brief them, build that trust, and ensure the change management we’re going through is collaborative and everyone understands the ‘why’ behind the change” — Jonathan Tulitt, General Manager, Operations, Transdev system, antiquated overhead line structures, and single to double tracking projects. “We’re going through a big upgrade project on our network, led by our key partners KiwiRail and GWRC,” explains Tulitt. “As the network is upgraded, we’re making sure we push out more information to our staff while bringing in our third-party stakeholders to brief them, build that trust, and to make sure the change management we’re going through is softened and staff are well informed.”

Managing change successfully is something Tulitt has achieved in his w w w.t ra nsdev. com . a u

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previous role in Auckland where the EMU fleet was rolled out across the network, replacing old diesel with electric rolling stock. “It was like putting a PlayStation in front of someone that’s never really used a computer to do their job before,” he jokes. “It’s all about how we communicate that new technology with our staff and how we bring them on the journey.” Tulitt notes that staff in Auckland, particularly drivers, took on supervisory roles as people leaders across the network to better offer sup14

port to the wider team. It’s a transparent approach that’s paying off in Wellington,

“ The app’s functions cover personal rosters, news, staff sharing, chat and digital forms for incident reporting, admin processes and other cumbersome processes now digitised all in one app” — Jonathan Tulitt, General Manager, Operations, Transdev

where the recently completed bargaining on a multiple collective agreement was concluded in principle in a matter of weeks. “There was no need for strike action and the agreement was settled with the highest ever ratification (over 98%) of any collective in this particular union,” he explains.

The continued push for transformation sees Transdev monitoring the latest trends and keen to meet the future needs of its passengers. “We’re seeing more automation of manual systems, particularly onboard systems,”

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says Tulitt. “When we introduced the

84% renewable energy,” he says of the

electric rolling stock in Auckland we

company’s efforts to reduce its carbon

went from having no onboard signalling

footprint. “Patronage growth is driven

system to utilising the European Train

by environmental factors and it’s been

Control System (ETCS) that actually

interesting to meet the challenge of

tells the driver what’s ahead of them.

capacity outstripping our rolling stock

In Auckland, we’ve been using it suc-

capability. We’ve been on a tough road,

cessfully for over three years now.”

but we’re managing to do it.” For Tulitt

Tulitt points out that Transdev is com-

and his team, the signals Transdev’s

mitted to operating sustainable modes

transformation is sending show the

of transport with Wellington being

track ahead is clear.

one of the greenest networks in the country. “Wellington offers a very clean mode of transport, running on around w w w.t ra nsdev. com . a u

Transdev Australasia www.transdev.com.au