How DeWaterbus in Antwerp Got a Metro-Level Passenger Experience in Just 12 Weeks
Key takeaways
To modernize maritime public transport in Antwerp, DeWaterbus required a complete digital overhaul to replace fragmented systems. Bits of Love delivered a full-scale ecosystem—including a custom administrative scheduler, a mobile ticketing app, and a real-time notification center—in a record-breaking twelve week window. By streamlining complex stakeholder dependencies and integrating Shopify and Business Central, we ensured seamless data flow from operational drafting through passenger travel. This project exemplifies our ability to deliver high-performance, human-centered mobility platforms that make every stakeholder’s day easier—from dispatchers to daily commuters.
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Client
DeWaterbus
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Services
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Links
Installeer de app
Navigating Beyond Manual Operations and Scattered Data
DeWaterbus faced a significant operational hurdle: their planning and scheduling processes were entirely Excel-based, an approach that had become unworkable at scale. They lacked a dedicated scheduling tool, making it impossible to distinguish between “drafting” a schedule and “publishing” one live for the public. This lack of a “staging” environment created a high risk of operational errors.
Furthermore, the passenger experience was limited to a basic web-based ticketing portal with no mobile companion app for route planning. Most critically, there was no mechanism to alert travelers to delays or disruptions in real-time, a fundamental requirement for any modern public transport network.
We needed a partner who could translate operational complexity into real progress, in record time. Bits of Love delivered exactly that.
Philippe Ophoff, Manager at DeWaterbus
Mapping Complexity into a Masterpiece of Operational Flow
We adopted a strategy-driven approach, serving as the lead orchestrator among multiple technical partners and the client. To unify data across external platforms, we first mapped every operational flow, ensuring that syncing between Shopify, Business Central, and the custom frontend would feel like a single system rather than a patchwork. This meticulous “data craftsmanship” allowed us to position the complex backend as a high-performance tool tailored to their reality.
- The Custom Scheduler (Admin): We developed a backend that enables administrators to meticulously draft and test schedules before deploying them, ensuring data integrity and reducing administrative burden.
- The Mobile Ecosystem: A native route planner and ticketing app were created to provide a “metro-style” experience on the water, putting the entire journey (and real-time updates) in the traveler’s pocket.
- Deep Integrations: We unified the commercial and financial backbone by integrating Shopify and Business Central, utilizing tailored middleware to connect disparate platforms without disruption.
12 Weeks
From kickoff to full production launch—including app stores and middleware—without downtime.
Quick
Operational changes can now be drafted and published in minutes, improving communication and trust.
4 integrations
Unified data across Shopify, Business Central, the internal scheduler, and mobile apps
From Unpredictable Ferry Rides to Real-Time Clarity
The launch of the DeWaterbus digital ecosystem marks a shift from spreadsheet-driven operations to a service-first mobility platform. Operational teams are now equipped with tools that seamlessly integrate into their day-to-day workflows, enabling them to respond quickly and confidently to disruptions or schedule changes.
This directly translates into clearer, more timely communication for passengers and a more reliable travel experience. What was once a collection of fragile, disconnected systems has become a unified operational backbone, empowering DeWaterbus to better serve its internal teams and passengers every single day.
This app turned my unpredictable ferry ride into the most reliable part of my commute.
DeWaterbus Traveler
Want to transform scattered tools and manual chaos into a real-time data management platform? Let’s craft your operational backbone with the same care we bring to every line of code, every data flow, every interface.
