Travel information for carriers

DCRI stands for Dienstencentrum Reisinformatie (Travel Information Service Centre). This organisation acts as liaison between rail carriers and the NS service producer that provides the services. In order to fulfil this role, DCRI abides by principles laid out in a Governance document describing its processes, tasks, responsibilities and roles.

• The DCRI ensures that the services are provided in a non-discriminatory and cost-transparent manner, and that competition-sensitive information is treated with confidentiality.
• In addition, it is the main service desk for the rail carriers to request the development of services and to report disruptions.
• The DCRI manages the Service Level Agreements (SLA’s) with the Service Producer and Travel Information in accordance with the rail carriers, and records the agreements pertaining to service development.
• It also registers and delegates the disruptions and reports the status back to the rail carriers.
• Periodic reports on the quality and finances of the service provision are issued.

Scope

The scope of the services provided pertain to the production and distribution of:

• The PA announcements for travellers at the station (automatic and via the PA announcer).
• The travel information on the dynamic station signs as entered by InfoPlus.
• The provision of travel information source data to NDOV (Nationale Data Openbaar Vervoer) helpdesks for the service schedule and changes to the schedule as a result of new input and engineering works, such as delays, changes of track, etc.

This includes the functional, application and technical management of the Travel Information Systems, but excludes the management of the dynamic station signs and PA installations (ProRail).

The DCRI issues an annual report each year (P&L) to the rail carriers, with a transparent overview of the costs of the services and the contributions paid by the carriers and the government. It also holds quarterly meetings with the carriers to discuss these matters. The DCRI then coordinates a procedure described in the Governance document with the carriers according to a predetermined meeting structure.

The DCRI is an organisational function with a limited number of roles that are performed on a part-time basis by employees of NS(R). DCRI is not a party to contracts, because it is not a legal entity.

• DCRI Manager: Tim van Leeuwen
• Account Manager: Maaike Bögels
• Service Manager: Ariene van den Blink
• Process- and Financial Manager: Linda de Boer-Wijnker

All recipients of travel information at the stations sign a standard contract with NS. The rate method has two components: the base cost, which is the total amount of the costs that are spread equally among the carriers, and the apportionment scale applied to these costs.

The apportionment scale: the following method is used to calculate each carrier's share of the base cost:

• The total number of stops is determined.
• These stops are classified based on the station classification as determined by ProRail.
• Each stop in a station classification is then assigned a value, so that stops at larger stations (with more travel information and waiting facilities) are weighted more than stops at smaller stations with fewer or no facilities. For example:
• In the fourth quarter (before 1 November), the rate is determined based on the stop records provided by ProRail and approved for the next schedule year by DCRI. This is then communicated to the rail carriers.

If you are a new passenger carrier in the Netherlands and would like your trains to be displayed on the dynamic station signs, please contact: DCRI@ns.nl.

The admission procedure is described in the 'Rules and Regulations' section.

NS can also provide other types of travel information, in addition to travel information at the stations, such as the (yellow) departure signs. This is not included in the DCRI product selection, and must be arranged separately via NS. This service is also described under 'Rules and Regulations'.

Available upon request: DCRI & non-DCRI service catalogue (DCRI@ns.nl)