FRIDA is developed together with its users
FRIDA is developed together with its users – it feels logical and efficient. Without FRIDA, life would be harder. That is what Helena Björn, Head of Public Transport Operations and IT at Länstrafiken i Västerbotten AB, says.
– It is good to have a system where we can gather information, and the KPIs make it easy to get an overview. Through FRIDA’s user association, we jointly decide what gets developed in the system– that way, Nordic Port can keep it adapted to contracting authorities’ needs.
Did you already know FRIDA when you started at Länstrafiken?
– I know FRIDA very well. I have worked with FRIDA the whole time– it was already in place at Länstrafiken when I started here in 2015, says Helena Björn.
What was it like when you first used FRIDA?
– To begin with, we only had reporting of kilometres and fuel– quite limited use. Now it is much more, and development continues.
Today you use FRIDA’s KPIs to monitor sustainability work. Can you describe how that works?
– I use several modules– including KPIs, the contract module and the reporting module.
My team and I verify that kilometres and fuel volumes are correct using the KPIs and the traffic report.
– Using the reporting module, I collect certificates confirming that the PTOs have purchased the fuel they reported in FRIDA.
Contracts at Länstrafiken i Västerbotten include, among other things, HVO biodiesel– hydrogenated vegetable oil– which handles the cold in the north. There are also biogas buses in Skellefteå, as the municipality produces biogas. Electric buses operate in urban traffic, and a few also run in regional traffic– there will be more in the near future, according to Helena Björn.
Do you use the reporting module for monitoring process requirements?
– In the reporting module, I also monitor active environmental work– for example, what environmental targets and aspects the PTOs have. I request various documents through the module, which are then reviewed. The contracts are very clear about what must be included in their active environmental work.
– We need to get better at using the reporting modulemore broadly– right now we really only use it forenvironmental monitoring.
How do you plan to use the tool more broadly, and when?
– We will try to map out which documents we currently receive through other channels and see how we can bring them into the reporting module instead, so that everything is in one place.
When you work with FRIDA and the reporting module, how does it work in practice?
– I usually open several FRIDA windows to look at different modules simultaneously and compare data. I depend on several modules to get a complete picture, as they show different parts.
– That is why I keep multiple windows open at once and compare data – that way I can assess whether the PTOs are meeting the requirements in the contract.
Is Västerbotten different compared to other regions in Sweden?
– Yes, we are special when it comes to procurement. In many parts of the country, transport is procured every ten years, but we procure continuously. So we have several smaller contracts, and right now we have several procurements under way – both this year and next year.
– The reason we do this is that we want to ensure that even small companies can survive and remain in Västerbotten. Since we also have patient transport and accessible transport, we have contracts with taxi companies as well.
How would you say FRIDA has performed over time?
– As FRIDA has developed, we have gained an increasingly better tool over time. Our monitoring has kept pace with the possibilities in FRIDA – we have grown and developed alongside each other. The user association has been very important here; we have had staff who were actively involved in the association throughout my entire time here.
Can you give an example of how FRIDA and the reporting module have brought clear benefits for your operations – perhaps even economic benefits?
– I would say it is largely about the quality monitoring work we do.
But I do not see this as a tool we should use to save money. I see it as: we have commissioned transport services, and we want to make sure our funders – municipalities and the region – get what they pay for.
Are there any challenges regarding vehicles in Västerbotten?
– The challenge with vehicles and FRIDA is that a vehicle here can be used across several different contracts. It then needs a primary contract plus additional contracts assigned to it. That is also something we need to monitor and follow up on.
It has happened that Helena Björn and her colleagues discovered that a vehicle had been put into service without the PTO having applied for an exemption, because a particular requirement was not met by that vehicle. In such cases there can be discussions about quality deductions – something that could have been avoided if the PTO had applied for an exemption in advance.
– In Västerbotten, we work hard to maintain a good relationship with our PTOs. That is why we hold regular meetings with all our transport operators.
Can you summarise how FRIDA works, in your view?
– For our part, FRIDA works well, but we have ideas about how we can use FRIDA more efficiently and integrate it with other systems.