Railinc’s TransmetriQ business unit has recently rolled out a demurrage management solution aimed at empowering rail shippers to exercise greater control over transportation costs.
According to Danny Dever, TransmetriQ Senior Product Manager, the new demurrage module is a valuable addition to the TransmetriQ Platform, offering comprehensive North American rail car management. Dever notes, “In speaking with a variety of shippers, we found that many were struggling to manage demurrage with spreadsheets. Our solution tracks terminal capacity and estimates demurrage automatically, providing shippers with the visibility needed to take proactive measures on cars incurring fees, ultimately resulting in a reduction of demurrage costs.”
Key Takeaways:
Rail shippers can face demurrage fees when cars exceed the allowed number of free days in yards and loading facilities. These free days are determined based on specific rules provided by railroads for different locations and circumstances.
The new TransmetriQ Demurrage module introduces yard-specific dashboards and alerting features, enabling shippers to quickly pinpoint demurrage situations and take action before charges accumulate. This module offers a range of benefits, including:
– Identifying and managing demurrage situations
– Providing automatic demurrage estimates
– Enhancing yard visibility
– Managing varying rules across multiple locations
– Identifying dwell and cycle time trends
– Improving inbound car visibility and prioritizing cars for loading/unloading to minimize demurrage fees.