How the Transportation Industry Is Increasing its Productivity Through Cloud-Based Solutions
The transportation industry is currently undergoing a massive digital transformation. Transportation enterprises are beginning to integrate modernized tools and software that are creating a productivity revolution among industry leaders. That said, there is still some resistance to the comprehensive (and inevitable) change looming on the horizon. Integrating more technology can feel like one is losing quality and managerial control. In reality, it is the opposite.
Cloud computing allows transportation firms to reduce traffic-related costs, increase communication efficiency, and maximize the productivity and output of deliveries. How does it do that, you may ask? Through interconnected, accessible, cost-effective applications, such as the Connixt suite of cloud-based mobile app solutions. To help illustrate some of the benefits of cloud-based solutions like the ones offered by Connixt, here is a brief overview of how cloud computing is improving the productivity of the transportation industry.
Streamlining Routine Processes
One of the biggest challenges facing transportation is the inefficiency surrounding routine, paper-reliant processes. Even the biggest transportation providers still rely on pen-and-paper solutions for simple and repeatable tasks. By integrating technology to automate some of these basic operations, companies are reducing hours of human labor which can then be allocated to more value-added activities. Mobile-computing is a cost-effective way to reduce the use of paper while also increasing the productivity of these processes through digital automation and connectivity.
Metrolink, a valued Connixt client, was trying to find a way to streamline some of the routine activities performed by its train operators. One such activity was the submission of a delay report. According to the Southern California transportation provider, 80 to 90 of their train conductors submitted delay reports for the 1000 trains that Metrolink runs every single week. Filling out a paper form and physically handing it in to a supervisor is a costly, inefficient process that can add up over time. With the introduction of iMarq, Metrolink was able to save about 200 hours of manual time entry because of the digital transmission of information.
Cloud-based solutions like iMarq help transportation providers optimize their collection, transmission, and storage of information – freeing up time for more efficient and valuable activities amongst their employees. Because workers are able to access and share this information from the convenience of their smartphone or tablet, all involved in the process including supervisors and management can receive live updates regarding work orders, arrival times, delays, and exception reports.
Eliminating Zero-Value Added Activities
A big problem that plagues almost every corporation is the number of zero-value added activities that their employees engage in, especially when in the field and dealing with distributed or moving assets. These activities include traffic delays, unnecessary data transfers, and inefficient communication networks where employees have to invest time in reiterating previously delivered information.
Using traffic as an example, roadway congestion costs American enterprises about $175 million every year. This adds up to about 41 hours per year per person. Trying to minimize the amount of zero-value added activities is a worthwhile investment, when you consider the amount of time and resources you are saving on a daily basis. Through cloud-based solutions, transportation providers can reduce the number of zero-value tasks by improving their data sharing capabilities.
Using another Connixt client as an example, LA Metro Rail Fleet Services, much like most others in the industry, used to rely clip-boards and paper to conduct its activities. Train inspections, for example, used to require workers to perform written inspections for the 300 or so cars that were in operation every single day. This produced piles of paperwork, and relevant information had to be manually uploaded to a computer to be stored and accessed. Similarly, hand-written documents created a lot of illegible forms that required even more time to interpret and decode.
Through iMarq, LA Metro’s Rail Fleet employees are able to view their assigned inspections along with the relevant forms and checklists, send the results through the app, along with annotated photos and comments (no more hand-writing!), and eliminate zero-value added activities related to the process. A simple addition like this eliminates all of the unnecessary time and effort spent facilitating a paper-reliant system.
Cloud-based mobile solutions allow companies to leverage the convenience, accessibility, and productivity offered by cloud and mobile computing without having to invest in the hardware and servers necessary to facilitate it. It is a cost-effective way to modernize your business and optimize the efficiency of your operations.
To learn more about how you and your business can unlock the power of cloud-based solutions like iMarq, download our e-book or contact us directly to book a consultation.
