Messages from 2019 - AMCON Software GmbH

Molbergen’s Mayor Bastian visits AMCON

verenadrees — Wed, 11 Dec 2019 09:24:20 +0000

The current mayor of Molbergen, Witali Bastian, paid a pre-Christmas visit to the software manufacturer AMCON. Together with his representative Andreas Unnerstall, he toured the company and was warmly welcomed by the managing directors Olaf Clausen and Darius Rauert.

In two years, the new company building is scheduled to be completed on the site of the old sports field in Molbergen. This was reason enough for Bastian to get an early overview of the products and employees of the software company. “We are very pleased that AMCON chose our community and that their software will soon be making its way from Molbergen to transportation companies all across Germany,” said Bastian. Olaf Clausen and Darius Rauert explained the company’s future plans in a brief presentation over coffee and cake. Afterwards, the premises on Osterstraße were toured, and Bastian and Unnerstall were able to experience the functionalities of the UFHO system firsthand.

Attractive employer in the region

Currently, 74 employees work at AMCON programming software for public transport companies. From ticket sales across various distribution channels, to inspections on mobile devices, to webshops and real-time information for passengers, the UFHO system by AMCON covers almost every area relevant to the operations of transport companies.“Currently, our colleagues work at two locations, and from January, a third temporary office will be added, as we no longer have enough capacity at Mühlenstraße. We are therefore eagerly looking forward to finally starting construction in Molbergen next summer,” says Darius Rauert. “With AMCON, we are gaining another company that employs and trains skilled workers and thus offers attractive software jobs for the people of Molbergen,” summarizes Bastian.

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Member of Parliament Dennis Rohde and the SPD district board visit AMCON

verenadrees — Wed, 30 Oct 2019 09:31:45 +0000

Innovative, open, and distinctly North German — this was how the software company AMCON from Cloppenburg presented itself on October 29th to Member of Parliament Dennis Rohde, district chairman Detlef Kolde, and members of the SPD district board of Cloppenburg during a visit to the constituency. AMCON’s UFHO system is now in use by over 40 transport companies across Germany, including WestfalenBahn, Hamburger HOCHBAHN, Hülsmann Reisen, and the Omnibusbetrieb Wilhelm Janßen from Saterland. Topics such as employee motivation and political issues related to public transport (ÖPNV) were discussed during the visit.

Software made in Cloppenburg

Managing directors Olaf Clausen and Darius Rauert welcomed MP Dennis Rohde and the SPD district board with a company presentation over coffee and cake. During the subsequent company tour, various software solutions from AMCON, already in use by well-known bus and rail operators, were showcased. The visitors were impressed, especially by the topics of employee recruitment and retention in rural areas. With currently 17 trainees and dual-study students, AMCON is defying the IT skills shortage by training the specialists of tomorrow itself. “Without our employees, we wouldn’t be as successful. That’s why, in addition to training and dual studies, we also host open house days, inviting IT classes from local schools. Our presence at job fairs in Cloppenburg, Emden, and Oldenburg is also important to us to be perceived as an attractive employer in the region,” said Rauert. Political topics, such as subsidies for the public transport sector, were also discussed. Clausen suggested that investments in German public transport should not be made only sporadically but planned with a long-term perspective.

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Bus company Vetter commissions AMCON

verenadrees — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 09:43:54 +0000

Vetter Verkehrsbetriebe, based in Salzfurtkapelle, has commissioned the Cloppenburg software company AMCON to implement a new vehicle solution in its buses. Over the course of the coming year, a total of 150 vehicles will initially be equipped with the UFHO system. In addition, Vetter has commissioned a subscription management system for students and major customers, as well as an eTicket solution. “With around 500 buses and 750 employees, Vetter Verkehrsbetriebe is one of the largest private bus companies in Germany, and we are very pleased to carry out this project,” says Darius Rauert, managing director of AMCON.

Board unit, ID-based eTicketing, and subscription management modernize ticket sales

The classic board unit solution with driver and customer displays, Epson printer, eTicketing reader, and IBIS adapter is an all-in-one package for bus drivers. In addition to ticket sales, the entire IBIS control can be managed via the board unit. The messaging function ensures continuous communication between the central office and the driver. An emergency/attack alarm function as well as passenger counting are also included. Thanks to RBL light, the new vehicle solution also features real-time integration with INSA-RBL, improving connection assurance. Furthermore, the local fare for the Anhalt-Bitterfeld district can be fully mapped via the UFHO backend system. In addition to the vehicle solution, AMCON is implementing a proprietary ID-based eTicketing system for Vetter, which has the advantage of interfacing with the mass personalizer and supports a white-/blacklist procedure. A subscription management system, including paper ticketing for up to 15,000 subscribers, is also part of the order. Subscription-specific products are integrated here, and the entire billing is handled via SEPA direct debit through the UFHO backend system.

“We are very excited about the project implementation and look forward to working with AMCON. The solution has convinced us, and we are confident that our employees will work well and gladly with the UFHO system,” says Johannes Wolke-Vetter, Managing Director of Vetter Verkehrsbetriebe.

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Project group ‘ROCIT’ gains momentum – Optimizing real-time forecasts for public transport

verenadrees — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 10:04:30 +0000

The ROCIT project group has begun its work. In a one-day kick-off workshop, the 12 master’s students of Business Informatics met with Prof. Jorge Marx Gómez, Barbara Rapp, and Cedrik Theesen from the University of Oldenburg, along with representatives from the software company AMCON in Cloppenburg, for an initial planning session. “The first step is now to develop project goals and define milestones,” says Prof. Marx Gómez, head of the Business Informatics department VLBA, who is overseeing the project together with Barbara Rapp.

Presentation of expectations and group brainstorming

Besides the University of Oldenburg, which is leading the project under the supervision of research associate Barbara Rapp, the software company AMCON is also involved. “Improving real-time forecasts for public transport companies is a highly demanded topic that affects many of our customers in the bus industry,” says Sebastian Schnieder, master’s student and development manager at AMCON, who initiated the project and will also be involved in it. After deciding on the project group’s name (ROCIT stands for “Real-time forecasts Optimization Concerning timetable Information of public Transport”), representatives from the university, AMCON, and the students presented their expectations and discussed initial possible project goals. The project is planned for one year, and the results will be presented at the University of Oldenburg at the end of September 2020. “It is important to us that the students do not lose sight of the scientific approach and work result-oriented. How they ultimately achieve their goal is up to them,” says Rapp.

Collaboration at eye level

At AMCON, project manager Alex Mut and training manager Rolf Norrenbrock support the students. AMCON provides the students with real-time data from the bus company Breitenbach from the past two years, which can be used for the group’s research and studies. In addition, AMCON serves as a contact for industry-relevant questions and offers assistance. “It is important to me that the group can work as freely as possible, and we will not impose any specifications on what, how, and when things should be achieved,” says Mut. The group meets weekly and collaborates both together and, in the future, in smaller teams on the project. In October, the group’s goals will be defined and the approaches established. Each project member will take on a seminar topic during the year and present it to the group. Furthermore, quarterly meetings will be held where milestones are presented and all project participants come together.

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Satisfied participants and a happy AMCON team – The 1st User Conference was a complete success

verenadrees — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 10:30:57 +0000

For three years, it was just an idea in the minds of management and sales; for six months, they worked diligently on it—and now the first User Days of the software manufacturer AMCON from Cloppenburg have already come to an end. From September 25 to 26, nearly 60 participants from the bus and rail industry gathered at the Thülsfelder Talsperre to learn about the new features of the UFHO system and to exchange experiences about its various applications with other users. “Our expectations were more than exceeded, and we are very pleased with this first event of its kind. The commitments overwhelmed us and showed that we have arrived in the market,” said Managing Director Darius Rauert.

Networking and sharing experiences were the main focus

In addition to showcasing the extensive UFHO developments of recent years, customers from the bus and rail industry also had their say during the Anwendertage. On the first day, Stefan Berger, Head of Tariff and Sales Management at WestfalenBahn, spoke about the use of UFHO software within his company. “Anwendertage are a great opportunity to exchange ideas with other industry colleagues. Compared to other similar events, AMCON dared to dive deeper into technical topics, which was very well received by many participants,” said Berger. On the second day, Karl Hülsmann Jr. also shared his UFHO experience, as he has been using the system since 2015 and co-developed the UFHO bus solution. The presentations were highly relevant and addressed current topics such as subscription management, webshops, ITCS, and customer terminals. Technical subjects like the AMCON Cloud, Kubernetes clusters, the multi-client system, and the base API were also presented and received positively by participants.

Breaks and the evening event, which featured a DJ and the band Die Zwei, rounded off the event and provided ample time for informal networking. “It’s quite amazing how well our schedule worked out and how positively the guests responded in the feedback forms and after the event. We’re really proud of our team’s performance,” said Olaf Clausen, Managing Director of AMCON.

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The country needs software developers – 8 trainees and dual students are starting at AMCON this summer

verenadrees — Fri, 23 Aug 2019 10:41:20 +0000

The IT industry is nothing new, and with digitalization advancing across nearly all sectors, IT specialists are more in demand than ever. At the same time, interest in STEM careers among high school graduates continues to grow — a development welcomed by the Cloppenburg-based software company AMCON. “We received more than 60 applications this year, more than ever before. That is a very positive sign. For that reason, we decided to expand our training program,” says Olaf Clausen, Managing Director of AMCON. This year, six dual students in Business Informatics and two apprentices training as IT specialists in application development are beginning their careers at AMCON.

Since August 1, Rolf Norrenbrock has taken on the role of training manager. He will support the future software developers internally as a main point of contact and also strengthen AMCON’s collaboration with schools and universities.

Together with Jens Kuster, Rolf Norrenbrock will work on strategically aligning and further developing AMCON’s vocational training program to ensure that each individual receives personalized support. “We are pleased to have gained an experienced colleague in Rolf Norrenbrock, who will enhance our internal training and development concepts. We currently employ 17 dual students and apprentices across various years of training. To meet everyone’s needs, creating this new position was the right decision,” says Olaf Clausen, Managing Director of AMCON. After completing his master’s degree in Business Informatics at the Carl von Ossietzky University in Oldenburg, Norrenbrock worked for several years in project management. In addition to classic project management tasks, he was also responsible for designing and evaluating software architectures, particularly in the areas of mobile and web development. He has also supervised apprentices and students. “It is important to me that apprentices receive hands-on training from day one, quickly feel part of the team, enjoy their work, and have a dedicated contact person who supports both their professional and personal development,” says Norrenbrock.

Helmut Bezolt and Florian von Garrel are starting a three-year IHK apprenticeship at AMCON to become IT specialists in application development. Daniel Tapken, Oliver Renze, and Johannes Neugrewe will complete their study phases at IBS IT & Business School Oldenburg, with which AMCON has collaborated for several years. For the first time, AMCON is also offering the dual study program in Business Informatics in cooperation with the University of Applied Sciences Weserbergland in Hameln. Lukas Hein, Stefan Gerber, and Lars Kölker have chosen this path. To ensure that the future software developers do not incur housing costs, AMCON has rented an apartment in Hameln that will serve as shared accommodation for the students.

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National Express checks tickets using UFHO software

verenadrees — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 10:56:02 +0000

Just in time for the launch of the first Rhein-Ruhr-Express line by National Express Rail GmbH, the RE 5 (RRX) on June 9, 2019, train staff were able to use 27 mobile terminals equipped with AMCON’s UFHO software for ticket inspection, EBE recording, and sales in case of ticket machine failures. After the first days with the new control system, Marcel Winter, Managing Director of National Express Rail GmbH, gave an initial assessment: “Both our own impressions and the feedback from our partner Apollo, who provides customer service staff on our RE 5 (RRX) line, have been very positive. The customer service staff appreciate the intuitive handling of the UFHO system and had no complaints regarding ticket checks and EBE recording. The operational start was therefore a complete success in every respect.”

Expansion of collaboration for additional lines

The five tariffs VRR, VRS, NRW, DB (BBDB), and VRM are fully covered, with complete eTicketing integration.“In just six months, we implemented the order for this RRX line and are very satisfied with the results and collaboration,” says Darius Rauert, CEO of AMCON GmbH.

AMCON successfully won the contract for mobile ticket inspection and sales technology earlier this year through a tender and carried out the project. On December 15, 2019, the RE 6 (RRX) line will also go into operation, for which AMCON will supply the inspection terminals with the UFHO system.

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AMCON grows – Gerald Rietz is the new face in sales

verenadrees — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 11:10:33 +0000

Since June 2019, the Lower Saxony software company AMCON has strengthened its sales team. “With Gerald Rietz, we have added an experienced colleague to our sales force. He has over 20 years of experience in the public transport sector and will enrich our team with his expertise and practical knowledge,” says Darius Rauert, Managing Director of AMCON.

Rietz holds a degree in electrical engineering and most recently worked for seven years at a system solutions provider in Bavaria. There, he was responsible for sales of hardware and software in the areas of fare management, eTicketing, operations control technology, and passenger information. At AMCON, he will now focus on expanding sales in northern Germany.

Alongside Malte Gerber, Dirk Klingberg, and Wolfgang Quast, Gerald Rietz is the fourth sales representative with industry expertise covering Germany. Additionally, AMCON is seeking more colleagues for sales in Austria and welcomes applications at bewerbung@amcon.de.

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AMCON launches webshop for RAB in Baden-Württemberg – Combined ticket for the 2019 Federal Garden Show now available

verenadrees — Thu, 25 Apr 2019 11:25:50 +0000

Baden-Württemberg (BW) is celebrating the launch of the new Baden-Württemberg-Tarif (BW-Tarif), which simplifies travel across the state. In the past, travelers had to purchase up to three different tickets to get from point A to point B — now, one ticket is all it takes. The software company AMCON has developed a webshop for DB ZugBus Regionalverkehr Alb-Bodensee GmbH (RAB), where customers can conveniently purchase BW tickets from home. “This project is a first for AMCON in many ways. It’s the debut of our new microservice-based backend system in a webshop. Additionally, we’re using our newly developed tariff abstraction layer based on HUSST 2.41, which was designed by our five-person tariff team,” says Sebastian Hoth, project manager at AMCON.

The webshop’s product range includes point-to-point fares, flat-rate tickets, and combination tickets. Now exclusively available is the BUGA Kombiticket, which includes both a public transport ticket and an admission ticket for the Bundesgartenschau (Federal Garden Show), taking place in Heilbronn from April 17 to October 6, 2019. The ticket costs €30 and ensures a comfortable, hassle-free journey — no long lines at ticket counters, allowing visitors to fully enjoy the blooming displays. The BW-Tarif was launched on December 9, 2018, and applies to all public transport trips in Baden-Württemberg that cross the boundaries of transport associations — including some routes into neighboring federal states. It is valid on all local trains, regional buses, and S-Bahn services, and includes the use of city trams and buses at both the departure and destination points. “We are very satisfied with the webshop implementation and have sold more tickets in the first few days than expected,” says Stefan Miller of DB ZugBus Regionalverkehr Alb-Bodensee GmbH.

With the introduction of the BW-Tarif, passengers benefit from significantly cheaper fare options, making inter-association travel even more attractive and convenient. Webshop: https://bw-ticket.de/

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Rasender Roland relies on AMCON’s advance ticketing system

verenadrees — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 11:44:39 +0000

White chalk cliffs, lush green hills, all framed by blue waves — the Baltic Sea island of Rügen is a natural paradise and a popular holiday destination each year, perfect for soaking up the sun, swimming in the sea, and relaxing. One of the island’s major highlights is the narrow-gauge railway “Rasender Roland.” Since this year, the Rügensche BäderBahn has relied on AMCON’s software for ticket sales. “The rollout of the stationary sales terminals and mobile devices went very smoothly. The sales process is intuitive, and our staff required minimal training,” says Thomas Schneider, project manager at Rügensche BäderBahn, operator of the Rasender Roland.

Stationary and mobile advance sales

In total, six stationary ticket counters are equipped with the UFHO system. Four of these counters are already in use at the Rügensche BäderBahn stations, which run daily between Lauterbach Mole, Putbus, Binz, and Göhren. Additionally, 38 mobile terminals enable train staff to sell tickets onboard. Online tickets with 2D barcodes can also be scanned for validation. As the partnership continues, AMCON will develop a webshop for Rasender Roland.Nach der Harzer Schmalspurbahn, der Mecklenburgischen Bäderbahn MOLLI und der Parkeisenbahn Wuhlheide in Berlin ist die Rügensche BäderBahn nun bereits die vierte Schmalspurbahn, die auf die UFHO-Software von AMCON setzt. Im weiteren Verlauf der Zusammenarbeit wird AMCON einen Webshop für den Rasenden Roland umsetzen.

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