As the head of information technology for Moscow's ground passenger transport since 2015, Pavel Krovyakov has been working to improve the digital services for passengers and enhance the technological solutions for employees.. Through his efforts, a Unified City Dispatch Control System and Antison Smart System have been implemented, which have greatly helped manage the transport system in the busy capital. These systems allow for the simultaneous management of thousands of vehicles and drivers, ultimately resulting in a reduction of accidents on the roads.
In this interview, Pavel shared his insights on how proper implementation of information technology can lead to improved transport management and discussed the qualities that distinguish outstanding CIOs..
- Pavel, with over 12 years of experience in IT project management across diverse industries, how would you explain the significance of digitalization in modern business operations and the pivotal role of a digital director in leveraging technology to achieve business goals?
- In today's world, every enterprise has a business strategy. Even small businesses have a strategy that outlines their goals and expected timelines for achieving them. IT plays a crucial role in helping companies gain a competitive edge and advance towards their goals. Digitalization affects all aspects of a business, from production to finance, marketing, and sales. That's where a digital director comes in - they help companies leverage modern technologies to achieve their objectives. As companies grow larger, the number of tasks and projects they undertake increases, which necessitates proper prioritization and consistency in action. Hence, the need for a digital director becomes more critical in larger organizations.
- With a successful track record of implementing more than 100 innovative projects per year, what do you consider to be the most crucial skills for an IT manager to possess? Specifically, which skills have been the most valuable to you in your work, and how have you developed them?
-Successful IT management rests on three pillars. Firstly, it requires the ability to apply general and project management knowledge. While I'm skeptical of business school programs and individual courses, I did receive a PMP degree from the Project Management Institute in 2011, and an MBA from the Stockholm School of Economics in 2018. However, practical experience is more important than theoretical knowledge, and both hard and soft skills are crucial in our line of work. Many companies have plenty of theorists who create beautiful presentations and talk about business models, but have little to show in terms of execution. To be effective, you must be able to apply your knowledge to specific projects, taking into account stakeholders, resources, risks, team dynamics, and more. This can only be developed through years of experience
Secondly, an IT manager must be prepared to take responsibility and dive deep into the projects they're managing. Having a technical background can be an asset, as it allows you to solve problems that may arise during the implementation of innovative projects. You must be able to listen to experts, question their input, and ultimately make decisions that may be uncertain or even risky. When making decisions, it's important to understand that you will always have doubts, especially since managing IT projects involves dealing with new people and new developments. This isn't a routine operational activity where you do the same thing every day.. No one can say for sure whether the new technology will work, but making a decision is critical, as without it, everything remains on paper or in slide presentations.
Finally, an effective IT manager must be able to build a competent team of employees, contractors, vendors, and other partners. The team's size can range from a handful of people to hundreds, depending on the project. During implementation, you must be able to switch flexibly between strategic, middle, and even micro-level management, taking the lead during difficult times. You must also demonstrate that you're keeping a close eye on the project's pulse and can be relied upon. In turn, you must be able to rely on your team.
- How did you transition from your IT start-up to your position at Mosgortrans, and what factors led to your appointment?
- Since 2014, I have been leading an IT start-up that focused on creating data centers and innovative, secure, geographically distributed software and hardware data storage systems with increased reliability. One of our clients was Mosgortrans, for which we developed a program to modernize its critical IT infrastructure 24/7. The project was supervised by the general director of the enterprise, who appreciated my approaches to management, initiative, consistency, and technical expertise. At the time, Mosgortrans was looking for someone to develop and implement an IT strategy for the enterprise, and I received a job offer that I accepted. I was excited about the scale of the tasks, as the projects we were working on could impact the lives of 20 million residents and many national and international visitors to the city.
When I arrived at Mosgortrans, there was no unified IT service, and each department was solving problems individually, sometimes duplicating each other's functions. As a result, I had to develop an appropriate IT strategy and a roadmap for the development of all digital solutions for the Moscow urban passenger land transport, as a program had already been launched to modernize the city's transport complex.
- You have spent six years successfully developing the IT business at Mosgortrans, the largest land transport operator in Europe, which has resulted in improved passenger transport in Moscow. What specific actions did you take to achieve these results and how did you present your IT strategy to the management?
- Strategy in its classical sense seems to me to be some kind of boring document. I always presented our IT strategy in the form of a roadmap with "before and after" slides to the management. We centralized systems, removed duplicate transport, and addressed security concerns. My team and I already had a plan of systematic IT tasks to be done based on the business strategy of the city and the enterprise, such as increasing transport speed and passenger loyalty.Looking at management's business ideas, I suggested how IT could help achieve their goals." However, any work must begin with a technical audit of processes and infrastructure: until you yourself see how the processes work, what equipment is available, you will not be able to do anything. When I came to Mosgortrans, I temporarily stopped all purchases, because it was useless to spend the budget until we figured out what we needed.
- Could you provide an overview of the resources utilized, including budget and personnel, in successfully implementing your IT strategy, along with relevant metrics to highlight the scale of your responsibilities and achievements?
From 2016 to 2021, we had an annual budget of up to $70 million to implement our IT strategy, involving over 400 IT unit employees and dozens of specialized contractors. The results were impressive - public transport developed significantly from 2015 to 2018, driven by IT. I'm pleased to say that we were able to fully implement the IT strategy we developed and even exceeded our goals in some areas.
By the time I left Mosgortrans, we had automated more than 95% of all processes. It's important to note that fewer than 1% of IT managers in our country have experience implementing such a large number and complexity of innovative projects. Additionally, the scale of transport infrastructure in most countries is not comparable to that of Moscow. As a result, I now work independently to assist private clients in implementing IT projects.My competencies are valuable to both national and international businesses. In 2022, I successfully completed projects for an international architectural firm (Russia-Germany-Portugal) and a Russian-Czech FMCG company. I conducted a technical audit and developed a roadmap for the implementation of an IT concept for both companies.
-How has digitalization aided Mosgortrans in coordinating and managing over 800 daily routes, considering the complexity of their operations and the high volume of vehicles on the road?
- With over 6,000 vehicles operating in Moscow every day, various incidents such as accidents, road works, and breakdowns can disrupt routes. In response, dispatchers need to promptly introduce backup routes, adjust schedules, and inform drivers and passengers of the changes. To address this issue, I organized the development and implementation of a modern online platform that integrates a data bank with planning and dispatching systems. The platform processes information from navigation sensors on the vehicles and external systems, enabling dispatchers to automate a range of processes and perform hundreds of operations online each day.
Prior to this, Mosgortrans employees used an outdated dispatch control system developed in the 2000s. Many operations were manual, and the system lacked the ability to conduct them online. There was also no centralized information system for the transport complex, carrier dispatchers, city services, and drivers. Over 400 dispatchers, more than 20,000 drivers, and various city services and authorities interested in monitoring the transport system daily were waiting for a modernized system.
- How did you develop and implement a successful service, and what were the key factors that contributed to its functionality and unique features?
- The project took around two years to go from inception to implementation. I was responsible for defining technical requirements, assembling an internal team, and engaging an IT contractor. Initially, the developed solution was piloted at two parks for over six months before being expanded to the entire enterprise. At the time of creation, there were no comparable systems in Russia or Europe in terms of functionality.
We have increased dispatchers' decision-making efficiency, reduced labor costs for transportation, simplified scheduling, and analyzed passenger flows on routes. Our software package won a prestigious award in the "Smart Solution of the Year" category for public transport at the 2nd annual Digital Leaders Award 2021 in Dubai. I also received recognition from the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for my significant contribution to the successful implementation.
Overall, this system is critical for urban land transport.. Even if the turnstiles are out of order, they can be opened, allowing passengers to continue their journey.. However, during road incidents, decisions need to be made instantly to avoid traffic congestion. Routes, schedules, and reports from the Ministry of Internal Affairs must be taken into account when driving.
- What led to the creation of the "Antison" system, which is now widely used in Moscow transport and helps monitor the condition of drivers during flights?
- Passenger safety is the top priority for Mosgortrans. However, the traffic intensity in the city requires drivers to constantly focus their attention.. They have a difficult work schedule, so employees often face overwork. They may even experience "microsleep," where their consciousness switches off for a few seconds, without them realizing it. This can occur suddenly during prolonged work that requires high concentration, such as driving. Moreover, drivers can become distracted by their phones or other things, which increases the risk of accidents. Therefore, a technical solution was necessary to help drivers stay focused on the road..
To address this issue, we developed the "Antison" system, which uses a camera and neural network installed in the cabin to analyze the driver's condition in real-time. Antison identifies signs of drowsiness and detects when drivers are distracted from the road. When the system detects a risk of an emergency situation, it immediately notifies the driver with sound and light signals and informs the monitoring center. The dispatchers check the incident and take immediate action to prevent accidents. Importantly, the device notifies the driver directly when it detects a dangerous event, without the need for human confirmation..
- How did you efficiently implement the Antison system in a large fleet management company to monitor driver behavior and reduce accidents by 26% in its first year of operation?
In operation, Antison uses computer vision and artificial intelligence technologies to constantly analyze the driver's condition at over 60 points on the head and face using an infrared camera. Multilayer neural networks continuously analyze the video stream and can detect signs of fatigue or distraction, including yawning, rubbing the eyes, and slow or frequent blinking.. Further, Antison can monitor other behaviors, such as wearing a seatbelt or using a phone while driving. The system can recognize any danger within two seconds.
The Antison system is built on artificial intelligence technology, and it's not the first time we've used AI in our projects. In the past, we've installed smart cameras in vehicle interiors and at stop pavilions to monitor passenger traffic. Additionally, we've implemented automatic software and hardware systems for pre-trip medical examinations of drivers in parks.
Antison, which was introduced in 2020, has had a significant impact on Moscow's surface transport, In its first year of operation alone, the accident rate decreased by 26%, and there were also reductions in the cost of repair and renewal of the rolling stock, losses from downtime, and injuries to employees. The success of the system and its positive impact have been recognized through various awards, including the RB Digital Awards 2021 in the logistics category and the Georgy Gens national IT Stars award for "Innovative project of a social orientation." As a result of my active participation in the successful implementation of this project, I received personal gratitude from the Mayor of Moscow.
- Can you walk us through the implementation process of the Antison system?
- We first tested Antison on 30 vehicles and it showed that drivers were indeed struggling with concentration.. Within a few months, we were able to scale the system to over 7,000 vehicles. The project team worked around the clock in three shifts to ensure timely implementation. Eventually, Antison was installed on all buses, trams, and electric buses..
Afterwards, other businesses such as a Rosatom enterprise in Buryatia, the NLMK mining and processing plant in the Belgorod Region, and the Krasnoyarsk logistics company Polyus Group also began using our solution..
- How did the drivers respond to being monitored by the Antison system?
- With over 20,000 drivers, it's understandable that some were initially uncomfortable with being monitored.. Some even tried to avoid the cameras by covering them up or turning them away. However, we were able to explain to them that Antison was primarily intended to ensure their safety, not to spy on them.. We also conducted laboratory tests to ensure that the infrared, laser, and thermal radiation emitted by the devices were safe for drivers' eyes. These studies confirmed that the equipment was completely safe and had all the necessary quality certificates.
- With Mosgortrans operating over 800 routes and covering 1.3 million kilometers daily, carrying more than 5.5 million passengers, advanced technological solutions are crucial. Could you share how you successfully managed such a complex project?
- Here I think I won't surprise anyone and I'll say that the first is the importance of having competent and decisive leadership among the city and transport organization employees who are not afraid of taking responsibility. The second is to have a clear and unified strategic vision for the team to work towards. The third is the availability of funding, authority and support. And, last but not least, the team must be willing to work tirelessly 24/7 over many years to achieve success.
