Brand: ns

Dutch IT-student Dennis Stevense has developed an iPhone application for the NS (Dutch national railway services) called Trein (Train; Dutch). You can see up-to-date times for your preferred stations, look at disturbances and track work and save the data of planned train journeys. You can download it in the Apple Store for €2,39. By now there are 95 reviews, all very positive. Furthermore the NS was also working on an iPhone application, but has still threatened judicial steps.

The evolution of brands isn’t always easy; sometimes it’s difficult when the consumer takes control, but it’s a very normal part of the process. In a next step, the NS will be encouraging people to write applications for the iPhone, cell phones, laptops, navigational systems, e-paper and all other media we can use in the train. The NS will open special forums where developers can share their thoughts with other developers and potential users on its sites. The NS will be able to think along about what other information could be used. For example, it’s be pretty useful if someone who uses the OV-chipknip – a card used to combine all fares for public transport – gets delays based on their expected behavior. Or that a geographical location is attached to data so that you know exactly how to walk when you need to take detour with a bus. This is how brands and consumers start to work together more and more. Brands are experiencing a brand coming out, and that’s not always easy.

The NS (Dutch Railway company) displays its disruptions through an RSS feed. With this feed (Dutch) users will automatically be kept up to date of disruptions on the train tracks. Then third-parties have made a delaygadget (Dutch) for Windows Vista. This gadget allows delays to appear automatically on the traveler's desktop.

Traveling information is tailored more and more to the individual. For now you still see all the disruptions and delays, but soon you’ll see only those which are relevant to you. For now you can only see that there is a delay, but soon you’ll be able to see how long you’ll be delayed. For now it’s only for (Dutch) trains, but soon a mobility coaching brand will assist you to get from A to B and takes all available real-time information regarding trains, cars, bicycles (weather), walking (danger) or taxi (costs). This is only a start.

People traveling by train between Zwolle and Kampen will now be kept up to date of the local news and the most current travel-information like arrival and departure dates, and delays of trains to Zwolle.

We’re surrounded by ever more screens that connect us to the internet. Currently more or less as a broadcasting medium, including commercials; later to strengthen the experience of traveling by train (and in particular with the NS).