PROACTIVE SHIPMENT MONITORING
Focus on Your Business, Not the Railroads
Let RSI perform the daily railcar tracking and expediting of your shipments while you focus on less clerical tasks. We have a professional team that works with the railroads every day.
Shipment Monitoring Services
- Exception Management: Work with rail carrier(s) to facilitate movement of problematic railcars.
- Full Service: Proactively track and trace railcars to identify potentially jeopardized shipments and work with rail carrier(s) to facilitate movement.
- On Demand: As requested, investigate railcars to resolve outstanding issues.
- Diversions: Submit and track railcar diversions.
RAIL RATE MANAGEMENT
Control Your Rail Rates
RSI provides rail rate procurement and rate database management services; either in a supporting or leading role. Staff in our rate management group have an average of 20 years of rail rate experience.
Rate Management Services
- Rate Estimates: Construct rate estimates utilizing a proprietary costing model.
- Actual Quotes: Obtain published rates or work with the rail carrier(s) to obtain quotes.
- Rate Database: Maintain rates and applicable details in the rate database.
- Fuel Surcharges: Adjust monthly fuel surcharge rates as changes are announced.
- Tariffs: Monitor public tariff changes and update the rate database.
- Contract Renewals: Play a supporting or lead role in the renegotiation of renewals.
- Optimization: Conduct route analysis to determine optimal routing, even implementing and managing Rule 11 routes.
RAIL FLEET ADMINISTRATION
Maximize the Productivity of Your Rail Fleet
RSI Logistics offers complete rail fleet management services. Whether it is analyzing your fleet requirements, maintaining the day-to-day positioning of cars, or managing railcar leases, put RSI’s team of experienced rail fleet management professionals to work for you.
Rail Fleet Administrative Services
- Maintain Mechanical Database: Maintain equipment characteristics and fleet assignment in mechanical database.
- Fleet Sizing: Conduct an analysis to allocate and balance railcars across locations to meet supply and demand requirements.
- Maintain Lease Database: Maintain lease and rider details in the lease database.
- Invoice Audit and Payment: Perform audit and transact payment of lease invoices.
- Circular OT 57: Create and manage Circular OT 57 applications.
- Ad Valorem: Collect necessary data and compile reports required to properly file Ad Valorem tax forms with applicable state(s).
RAILCAR MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT
Minimize Maintenance Costs and Ensure Compliance and Safety
RSI’s railcar maintenance and equipment management services help to maximize the productivity of your fleet.
Maintenance Management Services
- Schedule and Shop Cars: Schedule and shop railcars for routine and non-routine railcar maintenance needs, including scheduling Mobile Repair Units (MRU).
- Maintain Inspection & Repair History: Document and report maintenance events and history.
- UMLER/EMIS Management: Maintain records in the UMLER/EMIS database.
- Shop Estimates: Review and approve estimates.
- Invoice Audit and Payment: Perform audit and transact payment of shop invoices.
RAIL FREIGHT BILL ACCOUNTING
Eliminate Finance Charges, Overcharges, and Reduce Staff Time
If carrier billing errors are not being properly identified and contested, it’s likely that your transportation costs are being inflated by 2-3%. RSI’s freight accounting team has proven experience managing and streamlining the freight audit process.
Freight Accounting Services
- Freight Audit: Receive and audit incoming freight invoices, verifying accuracy of rates and charges before approving for payment.
- Freight Approvals: Provide a report of freight approvals, from which you can pay railroads directly.
- Invoice Payment: Execute payment of freight invoices on your behalf.
- Post Audit: Review and audit historical freight account information and provide a report of open items.
- Manage Rail Accounts: Investigate and assist in resolving inconsistencies with railroad freight accounts.
- Disputes: Initiate and manage freight bill disputes using rail carrier protocols.
- Accessorial & Miscellaneous Charges: Receive miscellaneous invoices, review validity, and approve or dispute as necessary.
SPECIAL PROJECTS
Whether you are new to rail or an experienced shipper, RSI is available for project based work when the time, focus, or expertise is not available internally.
Special Projects
- Rail service design and setup
- Rail rate analysis and benchmarking
- Mileage equalization audit
- Demurrage management
- Fleet sizing and fleet asset strategy study
- Finding and evaluating new rail locations
- Administering significant fleet changes
- Leading value stream mapping exercises to assess a shipper’s rail program
Petroleum Manufacturer cuts costs and improves efficiency with help of RSI Logistics
Download the case study to learn how RSI Logistics helped a petroleum manufacturer reduce the average out-of-service time for railcars by 15%, reduce rail carrier finance charges by 97%, and improve asset utilization to reduce fleet size by 12%.
Comprehensive Service, Cutting-Edge Software
RSI Logistics also offers comprehensive software in addition to our complete services solutions. Whether you need to track and manage railcars, or need software to help you analyze the best rates, RSI Logistics has software to help you do it. Learn why customers are also using a software platform.
Interested in learning more?
Get all your questions answered and learn how RSI can help streamline your rail logistics processes.