Rail logistics represents a challenge for many industrial shippers. But with the right tools in hand, such as key performance indicators, you can simplify the management of your operations, maximise your efficiency and make your transport more profitable!
Here are 10 essential KPIs to help you better manage your rail freight transport.
KPI 1: Transport costs
Calculate your costs to reduce them
One of the main challenges for industrial shippers is the lack of visibility into rail transport costs. With many different sources, varied tools, and sometimes the lack of information, it can be difficult to accurately calculate the associated costs. To solve this problem, it is crucial to focus on the KPIs related to transport costs. These may include:
- Expected costs: anticipated costs for a transport, based on contracts, volume transported, type of wagon, route taken, etc.
- Actual costs: how much did the transport actually cost, after it was carried out. Take into account additional costs.
- Additional costs: any cost that was not anticipated in the planned costs (incidents, penalties, etc.).
- Cost per train: the cost of transport reduced to one train.
- Cost per ton: the cost of transport reduced to one ton.
- Cost per wagon: the cost of transport reduced to one wagon.
KPI No. 2 to 6: Transport volume, Transport location, Fleet usage, Fleet status, Fleet maintenance
Optimising your fleet and profitability
Effective fleet management is another crucial aspect of rail transport: an oversized fleet, penalties due to an insufficient number of transports carried out according to the contract with railway undertakers and wagon rental companies, or a lack of visibility on the availability of the fleet. To optimise the profitability of your fleet, use specific KPIs, such as:
- Total volume carried: the total volume carried during the transports carried out.
- Average tonnage per road: average of the quantity in tonnes carried on a road.
- Number of wagons per transport: the number of wagons present during a transport.
- Fleet mileage: combined mileage of all wagons in the fleet.
- Types of damage to the fleet: the various damages listed on the wagons in the fleet.
- Maintenance status: what is the status of the maintenance, when will it end etc.
KPI 7 to 10: Transport Execution, Cancellations, Delays, Incidents
Optimise your transport
Finally, to effectively manage your rail freight, it is essential to optimise the execution of your transports. This means having real-time visibility on the execution of transport operations, understanding the causes of delays and being able to track incidents. Numbered KPIs also allow you to facilitate communication with railway companies and place you on an equal footing in terms of access to information. For example:
- Number of transport cancellations: how many trips have been cancelled.
- Number of transports carried out: how many transports were carried out.
- Rate of transports carried out in relation to planned transports: number of transports carried out in relation to planned transports.
- Train delay rate: number of late trains vs per hour.
- Incident frequency: number and regularity of transport incidents over a given period of time.
- Types of incidents: what are the transport incidents listed.
By integrating these 10 essential KPIs into your rail transport management, you will be in a position to optimise your operations, reduce your operating costs and improve the overall efficiency of your supply chain.
Discover TVMS, the tool that brings together all your rail KPIs in the same place.
.png)
_57738696.webp)
