The Distribution and Systems Study Group (DSSG) met on 25 and 26 September at UIC. It was the first application of the schedule decided by the Passenger Forum, with the DSSG, Price/Commercial Issues Study Group and the Merits/Prifis Group of Experts meetings taking place on three consecutive days. The idea seemed to have boosted participation, with over thirty members attending DSSG.
Amongst members attending for the first time were representatives of Greek railways (OSE) and the ferry company Attica. Greek railways have recently connected their system to the Hermes network and have installed a completely new reservation system. They thus see the need to participate actively in the international distribution community.

The first half-day of the meeting included the TAP TSI Sounding Board, the group of experts monitoring the progress of the Technical Specifications for Interoperability on Telematics Applications for Passenger transport. The DSSG was informed that its Chairman Mr Dell’Arciprete (Trenitalia) had recently been appointed the third CER Speaker in the ERA Working Group, reflecting ERA’s recognition that CER’s pre-eminent role in the drafting of the TSIs meant it needed better representation. The status of work is such that the ERA group is ready to begin drafting Chapter 4, a fundamental part of the TSI, once the general structure of the processes underlying international passenger traffic has been defined.

The meeting then addressed the specific issues dealt with by the two working groups under the remit of DSSG: Innovative Ticketing Group (GBI) and Passenger Maintenance Group (GMP), the latter with its two technical sub-groups Ticketing Action Group (TAG) and Team Messages (TM).

The most important outcome was the approval by DSSG of the solution designed jointly by GBI/TAG for the introduction of barcodes on the standard RCT 2 tickets. The issue had been to create a ticket layout containing information to help combat ticket fraud and hosting data to be used in automatic after-sales processes as an alternative to the magnetic strip. The latter system, which is currently used by a few RUs and is codified in Leaflet 918-2, will very probably be phased out in the light of IATA’s decision to use only electronic tickets from 2008. ATB-type printers, which are the only ones able to both print and record data on a strip, will thus become obsolete.

Using the solution approved, the right-hand side of the ticket will be printed in a similar way to the RCT2 (though narrower), enabling a 2-dimensional Aztec barcode to be inserted on the left. At its next meeting, GMP will define in detail the modifications to be made to Leaflet 918-2 to implement this new standard, and Mr Krieg (CIT) will do the same for the Ticket Manual (GTT-CIV).

DSSG was also informed by the GMP Chairman Mr Zietlow (DB Systems) of the status of work regarding the main codes used in international passenger traffic (RU code, train number, train category, station code). DSSG had requested that any multiple codes be harmonised, both to remove the current confusion and to lay the groundwork for the TSP TSI with its single codings. A technical sub-group is currently handling this matter, and will make its final proposals to the next meeting of the group.

Mr Zietlow’s presentation was his last to the group, since he will be retiring at the end of 2007. DSSG thanked him for his work over the years and wished him all the best for the future, and unanimously approved as his successor Mr Clemens Gantert (also DB Systems). The meeting also provided an opportunity to say goodbye to another familiar face at DSSG, Mr Friso Bartstra, seconded from Dutch railways, who had worked for many years in the UIC IT department.

DSSG’s meeting for 2008 were set for 12/13 March and 24/25 September.