Project Name: INFORMATION SYSTEM E-BDZ-CARGO
Overview
BDZ—CARGO is a licensed railway transport operator working internationally and within the Republic of Bulgaria. The company holds the largest market share in the country and possesses the necessary resources, professional expertise, experience, and international connections to provide any type of railway transport services. It obtains significant traction and has a large rolling stock fleet.
Since the end of 2014, BDZ-CARGO and all freight stations where the company is the railway operator have implemented and now operate the “System for Operational and Commercial Activities—e-BDZCargo” This system, developed by Sirma, encompasses all key technological processes from placing a freight/cargo order to issuing an invoice to the customer.
Project Scope
Sirma has successfully implemented several contracts/projects for BDZ CARGO, resulting in a robust long-term collaboration. Our partnership has grown stronger through several key activities:
- Development of a resource management and planning system for freight transport.
- Create B2B interfaces for exchanging consignment note data between customer ERP systems and e-BDZ Cargo and provide different electronic services to customers.
- Ongoing upgrades and enhancements to system functions according to the evolving client needs.
- Ongoing maintenance and support for operational and commercial activities at BDZ CARGO.
Challenges
The main challenge was to create a complex web-based, multi-layered information system with service-oriented architecture in a very tight timeframe in this domain. The projects encompassed analysis and specification, software and database design, development, integration, testing, documentation, implementation, and ongoing 24x7 maintenance and Tier 2 support throughout the system’s operation.
Solution
The system is composed of five subsystems*/modules and interfaces:
- Operational Traffic Management Subsystem - supports all activities of organising and managing train operations within the railway transport operator.
- Sales and commercial operation subsystem - covers all activities related to supporting the processes of selling transport services and commercial operations.
- Statistics supports an interface that provides reference and reporting information for the different management levels.
- Administration - ensures the maintenance of parametric and catalogue information necessary for the overall operation of the other subsystems.
- E-services - e-services provided by BDZ-CARGO to its customers.
In addition to the above main functions, among the most critical functionalities is the availability of various interfaces for data exchange in real-time with external systems. The system offers different interfaces for B2B communication and integration with external and internal information systems, namely:
- B2B communication with customers’ systems for submission of data for KPM, CIM and CIM/SMGS (consignment notes);
- Integration with the train operation management system (TMS) of NRIC for daily receipt of the timeframe of newly assigned dispatch trains;
- Integration with BDZ-CARGO internal information systems - accounting systems, tracking accounts for the stay of Bulgarian railway wagons on the lines of foreign railway administrations, tracking accounts for the rental of foreign wagons, etc.
Technology stack
Multi-layered MVC server architecture consisting of:
- Server operating system: MS Windows Server 2022
- Database management system: MS SQL Server Standard 2022
- Web and application server: MS Internet Information Server 10
- Software platform: MS . NET 4.8
- Software libraries: JavaScript платформа Knockout JS, JQuery | ASP.NET MVC | ASP.NET WebAPI Services | .NET 4.8 | Microsoft Entity Framework | Telerik Reporting.
Results
The implemented system significantly improved the quality of services provided by BDZ-CARGO to its customers and the effectiveness of operation inside the railway operator itself. The software system was delivered on time, and the initial project has since been expanded into several consecutive contracts to enhance the system’s functionalities and capabilities.
All project activities were executed correctly, with high quality and within the agreed timelines, in compliance with Bulgarian legislation and the requirements set by the contracting authority, BDZ-CARGO. The Sirma team demonstrated exceptional professionalism, efficiency, and expertise throughout the project’s implementation, showcasing their versatile skills for executing similar projects in the railway transportation domain.
*(detailed descriptions of subsystem parameters are available on request)
