CN introduced chassis pools at the two terminals to increase the fluidity of operations, improve service and reduce costs, applying Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tabs to help manage the equipment. To maximize RFID technology, CN approached REZ-1 to jointly develop a real-time tracking, billing and collection functions for chassis used for over-the-road delivery and pick-up of containers. Until now, CN has manually performed these functions.
CN plans to use REZ-1 to track chassis use at all of its Canadian terminals by the end of 2008.
REZ-1's ChannelSpeed, used by more than 250 Intermodal Marketing Companies (IMCs), is a streamlined, reliable reservation and management system for intermodal equipment shipments. REZ-1 understands the suite of functions that IMCs using CN's chassis pool need because its online applications connect the intermodal community to their operation critical data and is used by more than 3,000 users to handle more than two million equipment reservations annually.
CN currently uses RailSpeed ' an application widely used by many Class I railroads ' to track and manage other rail-controlled equipment programs. RailSpeed provides to its users powerful visibility and control over equipment inventory and distribution.
'We are pleased to continue expanding our strategic relationship with CN as we work on this program,' said Mike Stern, REZ-1's Market Manager of Railroad Services. 'We believe this will create a number of new opportunities for CN as well as REZ-1. Our customized software applications help empower our customers in automating many aspects of their fleet management. This implementation will provide CN with direct benefits in the form of increased asset utilization, operational efficiencies and customer service.'
James Cairns, CN assistant vice-president sales and marketing, domestic intermodal, said, 'CN's Precision Railroading model is all about service, velocity, balance, reliability, safety, and asset utilization. Our deployment of the REZ-1 software will benefit both CN and its customers. We will shift from generating bills and tracking metrics after-the-fact, to tracking as expenses are incurred. This will generate significant chassis useage cost savings for the trucking community. It will also allow CN to continue improving the efficiency of the chassis pool by right-sizing its fleet. More timely metrics will improve asset utilization, reduce time wait costs and congestion in the yard.'
