“By standardizing train sizes, we can smooth out volume fluctuations throughout the week,” NS reported Aug. 29.
Over the past three months, a team of 118 people from NS’s IT and Business Operations departments and external consultants developed the new Thoroughbred Resource Planning System, or TRPS, which the railroad said is pronounced as “Trips.”
According to NS, the key benefits of TRPS are:
- “Operational Predictability: Implementation of the reservation system will lead to more predictable operations, reduced uncertainty, and enhanced planning accuracy for both customers and Norfolk Southern.
- “Customer Involvement: Customers have played a role in designing this system, ensuring it aligns with their operational requirements.
- “Technological Integration: The reservation system will integrate with existing systems, including AccessNS, ExpressNS+, OPTCS, and Sentinel, ensuring a smooth transition and efficient data flow.”
NS recommended that those doing business at its terminals log into the AccessNS platform and get familiar with the new functionality. For the first two weeks, customers will be able to see how the screens operate, watch as reservations fill upon unit ingate, and explore the different screens where they can see the new data, according to the railroad, which noted that each new page will have a “Help” button with more information on what the screen is for and what functions exists for customers within the screens. Additionally, there will be “How To” guides within AccessNS to help navigate the new functionality.
“We look forward to the successful implementation of this system and the positive impact it will have on our operations and customer satisfaction,” NS reported.
In other NS intermodal developments, last fall NS and Florida East Coast Railway expanded their domestic intermodal interline services for customers doing business in Florida, and NS and CN announced a new domestic intermodal service linking CN-served Canadian markets with NS-served Kansas City and Atlanta.
