Umbrella City Lines
Reference Project
Scheduling System for the Driving Personnel
Umbrella City Lines GmbH| Profahr
Umbrella City Lines GmbH (Umbrella), as one of FlixBus’s key partners in Europe, covers over 25 million kilometers annually. As a subsidiary of the Czech corporate group Umbrella Mobility SE, Umbrella has expanded its business and now also offers services in public transport (ÖPNV), rail replacement services (SEV), and bus replacement services (BNV). Among other things, Umbrella operates bus lines for Deutsche Bahn in the Görlitz district, for Hamburger Hochbahn, and for Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein. The company currently coordinates 214 shifts and 98 vehicles across 5 German locations and employs over 300 drivers.
The task
Umbrella City Lines GmbH faced the challenge of renewing its personnel scheduling system to keep pace with rapid company growth. The increasing number of assignments and the growing complexity of structures made optimized long-term shift planning impossible with the existing system. Therefore, a new solution was sought that would allow the management of multiple locations with their own operational agreements and payroll requirements, while flexibly accommodating the diverse needs of drivers. After a market screening, the company chose the personnel scheduling system PEAK.PROFAHR
The solution
The system automatically receives all rotation and change data via the VDV standard interface and creates optimized duty rosters after comparing the stored shift position. It takes into account legal regulations, company agreements and collective agreements and supports the respective billing form specified by the client.
The integrated company information and communication solution is also indispensable for Umbrella. Using an internet-enabled device, such as a smartphone or tablet PC, employees can access the duty programs and log in to work. Whereas in the past, employees had to pick up the phone or write short messages back and forth under great time pressure, dispatchers can now see immediately where someone is missing and need to be quickly rescheduled.
The new system is popular with the driving service because everyone can choose from up to seven location-specific shift rhythms, view duty schedules and billing data regardless of time and place and swap journeys flexibly and according to transparent criteria via the integrated duty swap exchange.
With PROFAHR, we can respond flexibly to our employees’ requests and react quickly to all kinds of changes.
Axel Meske, Head of Operational Planning at Umbrella City Lines
Responsibly on course for growth
With PROFAHR and the integrated mobile communication solution, Umbrella City Lines is also perfectly equipped on the IT side for its growth trajectory. The system enables the company to meet not only all legal, operational, and collective agreement requirements of its various clients, but also its employees’ expectations of a modern, responsible employer.
The advantages
Flexible creation of binding and long-term timetables
Consideration of different company agreements, collective agreements and billing forms
Mobile access to operating programs for all employees
Mobile start of service
Fast response to changes of all kinds
Relieving the scheduling department of routine tasks
Choice of up to seven shift rhythms
Consideration of employee wishes with a high degree of fulfillment
Increase in employee satisfaction
Significant reduction in travel and staff absences
Reducing the risk of employee turnover
Increasing attractiveness as an employer
Umbrella in figures
*Status 2024
Provides services for various clients in the areas of public transport, SEV and BNV
5 locations in Germany
Over 300 drivers
214 Services
98 Buses
Software used
PEAK.PROFAHR
Personnel planning
Service exchange
MOK or BIK
