HTM

Within the new digital transformation process, it quickly became clear that the existing IT structure was insufficiently future-proof. For years, the application landscape had been shaped by a "buy-over-build" strategy, resulting in countless separate SaaS solutions operating side by side. The lack of central control led to confusing processes, limited integration options and risks in terms of security and compliance. At the same time, outdated development methods using technologies such as C# and Visual Basic significantly slowed down the turnaround time for new software, leading to a growing IT backlog. As a result, departments started to deploy digital tools themselves, without consulting IT. This led to duplicate systems, higher costs and fragmented management. In addition, collaboration between IT and business became fragmented, resulting in employees receiving insufficient support in their daily work.

To change this, Marco Stevens, Manager Business IT Platforms, spearheaded a new DevOps approach. Eight multidisciplinary teams were given responsibility for both vehicle infrastructure and essential back-office systems. To explore the potential of low-code, three proof-of-concepts were launched with Mendix. One of these initiatives focused on a recognisable bottleneck: in the event of disruptions, field staff only received information after passengers had already been informed via digital channels. This situation highlighted the lack of internal information provision. Employees were dependent on manual updates via notice boards or SharePoint, which resulted in delayed and sometimes incomplete communication. The urgency was clear.

The first applications were implemented in a short period of time and formed the basis for a broader transformation. One of the first successful projects was the development of MyHTM, an internal platform for employees, which is now used daily by almost all 2,400 employees. This application grew into a central hub with nearly thirty modules for things like internal communication, HR information, workplace reservations, and incident registration. This eliminated the need for manual processes and external systems, resulting in significant time savings and an improved user experience.

HTM saves more than €200,000 annually in maintenance costs thanks to the switch to Mendix and has now developed more than 15 applications with the platform. These applications support a wide range of processes, from communication and complaint handling to real-time vehicle monitoring. The flexible deployment of Mendix enabled HTM to respond quickly to the introduction of OVPay, the national digital payment system for public transport. In a short period of time, the team developed a service portal and an engine that processes millions of API requests, fully orchestrated via Mendix.

The combination of technological advances, organisational agility and strategic partnerships has enabled HTM to innovate more quickly and efficiently. This approach now serves as an example within the Dutch public transport sector, with other transport operators such as RET and GVB also showing interest in HTM's approach. By sharing experiences and collaborating with industry peers, HTM is contributing to the further digitalisation and improvement of public transport in the Netherlands.