Tide Buss and Consat Telematics: the shift towards intelligent electromobility

Powering the future

Tide Buss AS is one of Norway’s largest mobility providers and a key player in Denmark, operating public transportation under contract. With over 5,600 employees and a fleet of more than 2,300 modern buses, including a growing share of electric vehicles, Tide Buss delivers over 20,000 daily bus and light rail departures. Headquartered in Bergen, the company offers a wide range of services, from local transit and Airport Express to sightseeing and light rail.

In January 2024, Tide Buss went live with Consat Telematics’ solution in Norway, marking a significant step in its transition toward electromobility.

Project overview

Partners:

Tide Buss AS and Consat Telematics

Location:

Norway

Objective:

Seamless integration of electric buses into Tide’s operations, focusing on managing battery status, predicting remaining range, optimising charging processes, and enhancing efficiency through eco-driving coaching.

Completion date:

January 2024

“While there are other solutions out there, we ultimately chose Consat for its functionality, price and reputation.”
- Geir Vikane, Head of Business Development, Tide Buss AS

The challenge:

Scaling up electrification in all climates

As a frontrunner in adopting environmentally-friendly technologies in the transportation industry, Tide Buss is committed to providing sustainable travel experiences across Norway and Denmark. A central focus of their efforts is the transition to electromobility, which requires focus on managing battery status, predicting range and optimising charging.

Operating in diverse regions, including the northernmost parts of Finmark, where temperatures can drop to minus 30 degrees Celsius for extended periods, adds complexity. Although the buses are equipped with heaters, starting them manually at the right time is both logistically challenging and costly.

Tide Buss also faces the challenge of preparing buses for extreme cold climates, where this process typically starts early in the morning to allow for adequate heating time. Simultaneously starting all heaters can result in excessive energy consumption and overheating without supervision, while forgetting to activate them may leave buses uncomfortably cold for both drivers and passengers.

The solution:

Smart technology for seamless integration

To ensure reliable daily operations and support the shift to electromobility, Tide Buss leverages Consat Telematics’ data-driven tools to enhance both performance and uptime. This includes system analysis, OTA (over-the-air) updates, and battery range optimisation — all contributing to OEM success. With all buses constantly connected, remote diagnostics help prevent unplanned stops. When an anomaly is detected in the system, the platform promptly identifies the problematic signal, enabling corrective action before disruptions occur. This proactive approach resolves issues before they impact traffic.

State of Charge: By providing connection to the bus’s powertrain, traffic controllers can always view the current battery charge status.
Remaining Range: Based on historical data and knowledge of the bus’s planned route, the system provides clear information on how much energy is needed to complete the route. If the charge level falls below the required threshold, both the traffic controller and the driver receive an early warning, allowing them to act in time.
Charging Station Integration: Allows charging to be started, stopped, and monitored remotely.
Remote Heater Control: Consat’s vehicle computer, integrated with software applications for traffic management, enables Tide Buss to automatically and remotely start heaters, ensuring a comfortable temperature inside buses. This streamlined approach enhances comfort for both drivers and passengers while optimising energy usage, reducing costs, and prolonging battery life. The solution also contributes to lower carbon dioxide emissions by reducing reliance on diesel for heating purposes.

Core functionalities

Designed for efficiency, built for scale

Integration of electromobility operations with existing systems.
Monitoring battery charge status in real-time.
Predicting remaining range based on historical data and route information.
Remote control of charging stations for efficient management.
Implementation of eco-driving coaching to improve energy efficiency and driver comfort.
Automatic pre-heating of buses during cold weather for passenger comfort and energy optimisation.
Automatic passenger counting (APC).

Intelligent solutions for extreme weather

Tide faces the challenge of preparing buses for extreme cold climates, where manually starting heaters at the right time is costly and challenging. The process typically starts early in the morning to allow for adequate heating time. Moreover, simultaneously starting all heaters results in excessive energy consumption and risks buses becoming overheated without supervision. Forgetting to activate heaters can also leave buses uncomfortably cold, for drivers and passengers.

Consat’s vehicle computer, integrated with the software applications for traffic management, enables Tide to automatically and remotely start heaters, ensuring a comfortable temperature inside buses. This streamlined approach enhances comfort for both drivers and passengers while optimising energy usage, reducing costs and prolonging battery life. The solution also contributes to lower carbon dioxide emissions, reducing the reliance on diesel for heating purposes.

”Monitoring operations and traffic is where Consat’s functionality benefits us most. Our main goal is to provide a constant data stream showing the bus’s location and automatic passenger counting.”

– Geir Vikane

Head of Business Development, Tide Buss AS

The results:

A smarter, more efficient electric fleet

The solutions provided by Consat Telematics are delivering significant value to Tide and its customers:

Enhanced visibility into bus status and energy consumption across different routes.
Improved safety with reduced disruptions due to insufficient charge.
Optimisation of bus schedules based on consumption, leading to cost and labor savings.
Efficient charging management, leveraging cheaper electricity rates and reducing power peaks.
Remote control of chargers, minimising manual labor and streamlining operations.

In summary:

A step for the future

Through its collaboration with Consat Telematics, Tide Buss AS is advancing its transition to electromobility, boosting sustainability while achieving cost savings, greater operational efficiency, and a reduced environmental footprint.

Enhanced visibility into bus operations

Improved safety and reduced disruptions

Optimised schedules and cost savings

Efficient charging management

Consat Telematics introduces Yard Management