The rail freight transport system (GTS)
Transporting cargo in an efficient manner demands a thorough plan for execution. Everything from planning departures to placement of containers on trains must be done before each departure. When placing the cargo there are many things to be taken into account: The weight of the container will determine where you can place it, since it will lead to increased strain on carriage and rails. In addition, braking distance will increase. The cargo must also be placed on a carriage that will be detached from the train at the right station. This is only a small part of what CargoNet employees must observe in their work.
The plan is carried out at train terminals all over the country. The employees depend on access to relevant and updated information, among others, about train, train departure, containers, and orders.
Without a well-functioning work support system, this type of comprehensive process would be expensive and time-consuming with increased risk of errors and accidents. CargoNet needed a system that gathers all information about freight transportation, and which can provide support in all work tasks.
Excellent cooperation with Computas makes it possible to adapt the system continuously as our business evolves
Jonas Mæhlum, project manager at CargoNet
Result
The work support system we created is a solid foundation for all CargoNet’s activities. It helps CargoNet keep track of all aspects of rail freight transportation. When everyone uses the rail freight transport system (GTS) the data is synchronised in real time, and it ensures that information is always updated and shared with all users of the system.
Crane operators lift containers off and on trains, and inspectors monitor and report possible damages on carriages and locomotives. To make the system accessible to employees working outside the office, we developed applications for mobile and tablets, specially adapted to their work tasks. Instead of registering data manually by pen and paper, data can now be inserted directly into the system. This reduces, among other things, the number of operational steps and risk of data loss.
To ensure more accurate data, save resources at the customer service center, and reduce number of operational steps, we created a customer portal, where CargoNet customers can create, change and keep track of their transportation orders.
Award winning and solid
Just over ten years after the start GTS won the prize for the world’s best case management system in private sector at the Global Awards for Excellence in Adaptive Case Management in June 2013. This proves that GTS is a flexible system that can handle changes over long time.
Flexible and adaptive
The freight industry was facing major changes. It was necessary for CargoNet to have a system that could adapt large, unforeseeable changes over time. Our knowledge and long experience with adaptive systems made it possible to develop a system that easily can be adapted to organizational changes and changes in workflow.
We based the task on our own framework, FrameSolutions, which is developed to create systems with precisely this need. This has resulted in a robust system that is as applicable today as it was ten years ago.
Want to know more?
Please fill out our contact form
