A picturesque Swiss municipality where tradition meets innovation - at least when it comes to the public work involved in refuse collection and waste management:
In Muri-Gümligen near Bern, a town in the administrative district of Bern-Mittelland with around 13,000 inhabitants, E. Bigler Transporte AG shows how modern technology can be used to make public work more efficient.
The traditional company, which will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2025, is a real role model, and not just when it comes to ambitious sustainability goals such as the operation of electrically powered refuse collection vehicles and the planned use of wind energy. Under the leadership of Reto Lauper, who has been in management for 12 years, the company has now introduced the EineStadt digital trash can app to monitor and empty over 200 waste garbage cans and dog toilets.
Automated documentation of public works - day by day
Daniel Hadorn, a long-standing employee of E. Bigler Transporte AG, has experienced the digital transformation at first hand. Having worked for the company for 30 years, he sees the introduction of the EineStadt administration software as a significant improvement in his day-to-day work.
Every morning, Daniel starts his shift by coming into the office, grabbing one of the company smartphones, logging into the clear EineStadt app and digitally accepting the order assigned to him. Thanks to the software, the jobs are automatically generated on a daily basis and are based on actual needs, which increase in summer in particular, for example when the public squares along the Aare are more frequented.
“It used to be pure chaos,” reports Reto Lauper, who, as the 4th generation Managing Director, wants to keep optimizing the business - and has to identify weak points to do so. “We had an analog road map - control-relevant points as colored dots on it. It was difficult to keep track of who had done what.” Today, the EineStadt maintenance software shows users exactly which litter bins and dog toilets need to be emptied in their area of responsibility. This means that employee Daniel knows exactly what needs to be done, can plan his route optimally and the app automatically tracks his activities via GPS. “Sure, there's more control now than before. But - the work just runs better this way,” he says. Daniel and the rest of the team agree: nobody feels personally controlled here; the employees pull together - and in addition to a better overview, they now also have tangible proof that they were actually at the object relevant to the inspection.
More efficiency & transparency through digital tracking
The introduction of digital trash and dog toilet monitoring has not only changed Daniel's day-to-day work, but has also improved the efficiency of the entire operation. Before using the management software, the daily routine was: just do it. This was a disaster, especially for new employees, but also in terms of documentation. Often nobody knew which areas had already been approached, which waste bins had been emptied or not and where the employees were currently located.
Now there is structure and clarity - the new overview ensures that effort is reduced and all tasks are completed effectively and efficiently. In concrete terms, this now works by using GPS tracking to track which object has been approached and “processed”. The tracking is programmed in terms of location and time so that an emptying is detected. The smartphone or tablet running EineStadt only needs to be in the vicinity of the object for long enough. “Sometimes I take the smartphone with me if the bin is too far away from the vehicle,” explains Daniel, ”but most of the time I can leave it in the vehicle as the app reliably recognizes the object.”
Data protection is a top priority
Reto Lauper is also enthusiastic: “Working with EineStadt works so well now, we are really satisfied.” Thanks to the application for digital management of public properties, everything can also be documented and justified. The combination of robust NFC chips and digital mapping software ensures that every step is documented. To ensure that employees do not feel monitored, a mechanism has been integrated into the software that only saves the location if the employee moves a few meters away from the waste bin. As soon as the employee leaves the radius of the bin, the location is no longer recorded, for example if they drive to a supermarket parking lot during their lunch break.
The digital transformation is convincing - and provides evidence in the event of complaints
Sandra Reindle, Waste Operations Manager, has been with the company for seven years for good reason: In addition to the exemplary female quota of 50% for drivers that E. Bigler Transporte AG fulfils, Sandra also appreciates the benefits of digitalization in the company. “It happens again and again that people have the feeling that the waste bin hasn't been emptied just because it might already be full again - and they complain. Especially in summer, but also because consumption continues to rise, this happens quickly. Thanks to EineStadt, we finally have proof - now we can say: Yes, it was emptied today at 11 a.m. by employee so-and-so,” she explains. Initially, the team may have had to get used to the new “control”, but Sandra emphasizes that this is necessary and helpful in the working environment. “The boss is allowed to know what you're doing. You really don't feel personally controlled,” she adds.
The concrete advantages for Reto Lauper and his team are obvious: complaints from residents can now be answered with concrete data. And figures and arguments can now also be disclosed to the city in a well-founded manner - whether for statistics or for negotiations. “There is finally proof and a basis,” emphasizes Lauper. New staff can also familiarize themselves much more quickly and understand what needs to be done, as the structure is clearly defined. In short, digitalization means progress in all situations. A “paper trail” is no longer up to date - and the municipal waste disposal company is now finally on the safe side legally.
Digital planning & optimization of routes
The digital application not only records the emptied waste bins and dog toilets, but also offers a comprehensive solution for optimizing route planning and resource management. Better route planning can minimize the distances travelled by refuse collection vehicles - which can ultimately lead to a reduction in fuel, energy and emissions.
Last but not least, EineStadt also offers the option of real-time monitoring. Employees can track their routes in real time and report any problems immediately in the app.
Conclusion: Sustainable future prospects through digitalization
The digital monitoring of waste bins and dog toilets in Muri bei Bern is a prime example of how technology and tradition can go hand in hand to promote efficiency and sustainability. Thanks to tracking with EineStadt, employees as well as citizens and the municipality itself benefit from a clean and reliably managed environment. The software makes it possible to plan and execute tasks precisely, which reduces the workload and increases staff satisfaction. Digital documentation means that complaints from residents can be processed more quickly and effectively, which strengthens trust in municipal services. Public administration is also already benefiting from the advantages offered by the One City software: Numerous building and depots are already using the system to optimize their internal processes in times of a shortage of skilled workers.
E. Bigler Transporte AG shows how digitalization can bring practical benefits in everyday life that go far beyond simply increasing efficiency. Thanks to its innovative approach and the integration of such management software, the company is ideally equipped to successfully shape the next 100 years. Muri bei Bern is an example of success - and a pioneer for many other cities, municipalities and companies in the D-A-CH region that want to take a step towards digitalization!
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