Business challenge – a need for accurate journey information
Freightliner is a leading operator in the UK Heavy Haul rail freight market. Part of their vision is to shape the future of freight by offering customers cutting-edge solutions. Freightliner needed a better way to monitor where drivers are against the schedule so they can more accurately challenge Schedule 8 payments levied for causing delays – payments which can prove costly for a large operator.
To gain a clearer understanding of why delays happen and to avoid paying for delays which are not their responsibility.
“Historically, to get the information we needed, we would have to find out which driver was on the roster for a particular route and ask them to report back as to why the train was delayed. By the time we’d identified and contacted the driver, they could be on a rest day, or may have forgotten the journey details. Getting information about delays was a very manual and inefficient process.”
– Michael Leadbetter, Service Planning Director at Freightliner
Solution: RailSmart Co-Pilot implemented
RailSmart Co-Pilot is a system which helps operators manage delays. It sits on an iPad in a cradle in the cab of a train and the driver logs into an app at the start of a journey. The device GPS identifies where the train is and captures any points where it is behind schedule.
At the end of the journey, RailSmart Co-Pilot prompts the driver to enter the reason for any delays they encountered on the way. With this information the operator can identify whether or not their operation is responsible for those delays.
Identifying the cause of delays
With RailSmart Co-Pilot in the drivers’ cabs, Freightliner gained the technology to monitor reasons for delays in real-time.
“The beauty of having the iPad in the cab is being able to capture and share information about a journey instantly, when drivers reach their destination. Drivers just enter a reason code for a delay, or add some free text to describe what happened – a level crossing failure, for example, or a delay following another service.
“RailSmart Co-Pilot gives us accurate, real-time information about delays. This allows Freightliner to work out whether they are responsible for the delay, or can challenge a Schedule 8 payment. We can quickly and easily dispute delays we are not responsible for, which is a huge benefit for us.” – Michael at Freightliner
A safety conscious implementation
As RailSmart Co-Pilot sits on an iPad in the driver’s cab, one of the key changes was for drivers to get used to using the technology. Velociti helped Freightliner to manage the installation process and make sure drivers felt confident using the solution.
“New technology means change, and the thing about change is, some people embrace it, and others are nervous of it because it can involve new ways of working. 3Squared helped to overcome any nervousness by involving drivers in the training and implementation from the start so they quickly became comfortable with the new technology.” – Michael at Freightliner
We also worked with Freightliner to ensure the new kit was well set up and positioned in the cab.
“The train cab is a safety critical environment, so we installed cradles to hold the iPads. We worked with union members to test different positions for the iPads to make sure they were clearly visible without being distracting to the driver. We also fitted USB ports to keep the iPads charged, meaning there’s no fiddling around with cables mid-journey.” – Michael at Freightliner
A system that informs and protects
RailSmart Co-Pilot has also helped to provide an additional layer of safety for Freightliner’s drivers. All train drivers have a high level of route knowledge in order to operate a service. But when it’s night time or when visibility isn’t as good, RailSmart Co-Pilot adds extra peace of mind by analysing driving conditions as well as timing points.
“Another advantage of having RailSmart Co-Pilot in the cab is the added reassurance. When it’s dark outside and drivers can only see two rails disappearing in front of them, the system will let them know exactly where they are and what’s coming up. RailSmart Co-Pilot is a great memory aid that complements drivers’ existing route knowledge. As of today, 95% of our drivers are finding the system has made their jobs easier.” – Michael at Freightliner
Looking to the future
Freightliner is looking at ways RailSmart Co-Pilot can help to cut the cost of network delays even further, as well as optimising the performance of individual trains and
reducing energy consumption.
“Having installed RailSmart Co-Pilot on the drivers’ devices, it means there’s scope to use the GPS data in new ways. For instance, we could use it to update drivers’ knowledge of the routes and to advise us on conditions such as slippery rails due to leaves on the line. RailSmart Co-Pilot will help us continue enhancing driving standards and improving operational performance.” – Michael at Freightliner
