Bob Tuchek, President

The U.S. has far more freight rail miles than any other country. Railroad strategies like Precisions Scheduled Railroading (PSR) aim to minimize new tracks and make existing lines more efficient. With features like double-stacking intermodal containers, longer trains, and optimized shipping schedules, PSR is paving the way for an improved transportation and distribution infrastructure. To capitalize on these benefits, shippers need a rail logistics solutions provider that makes operations simpler, more efficient, and cost-effective.

This puts RSI Logistics in the limelight.

For over 30 years, RSI Logistics has been a key provider of rail freight management software and services, helping shippers reduce freight and administrative costs and improve supply chain control and performance. Its rail-centric offerings enable clients to manage rail transportation across various railroads, access vital rail transportation information, centralize rail operations into one convenient system, and control freight spending.

Complete Control through Comprehensive Solutions

A smart railcar management software, Rail Command® is at the heart of RSI’s operations. Specifically designed for rail as opposed to other transportation management systems, the software offers a range of features like order management, railcar tracking, demurrage reporting, data visualization, rail rate management, and freight audit.

“Anybody that ships significant quantities via rail needs transportation management software to operate with efficiency, and Rail Command® does it better than any other,” says Bob Tuchek, president of RSI Logistics.

Shippers also benefit greatly from the Rail Impact® software, a cost and rate benchmarking application designed to help them make informed decisions while selecting a lane. By entering details like origin, destination, route, and commodity, they can identify lanes that are overpriced. They can easily generate an estimate and start working with the railroad that offers the best deal instead of making multiple requests for pricing on different lanes.

As part of its rate management services, RSI either takes the lead on negotiations on behalf of the customers or prepares them to efficiently negotiate carrier rates.

“Our proactive tracking and tracing services involve constant monitoring of clients’ railcar movements, identifying where shipments can be delayed, and expediting their railcars, both loaded and empty," says Tuchek.
Shippers looking for help managing railcar repairs find value in RSI's fleet management services. RSI's team takes the lead coordinating and managing the process of sending railcars to be repaired.

RSI’s rail freight audit services help customers ensure efficient and timely management of bills. As the bill-to party, it inspects the freight and ensures that the charged amounts are correct. Customers have the option to pay the railroad companies directly or have RSI make payments on their behalf.

Customized Solutions for Each Challenge

While PSR and similar strategies have optimized rail operations across the country over the last few years, final mile switching has remained a tough nut to crack.

RSI addresses these challenges through its efficient final mile services. In one instance, the team worked with a manufacturing company that received plastic pellets at 30 different facilities. With some of their facilities capable of holding no more than ten rail cars at a time, they faced a significant challenge

when railroad authorities reduced the frequency of their final mile switching from three times to once a week. Multiple railcars shipped by suppliers were being sent to the client’s location, often more than ten at a time. The client’s capacity limitations caused congestion in their serving yards and increased demurrage costs.

To address this challenge, the team created a weekly shipping schedule for their suppliers. When the volume of railcars went beyond the client’s capacity, they were diverted to a storage track, where they would be held until there was room. For locations where the weekly schedule made keeping up with the volume of production difficult, bulk terminals were identified to transload the materials from railcars to trucks. The client, who previously incurred demurrage costs of $3.8 million per year, is now on track to reduce it to about $500,000.

RSI’s success over the years stems from its highly experienced and qualified team. Industry best practices are constantly incorporated into its services. Extensive training programs enable the staff to perform better and drive customer satisfaction.

“Finding reliable employees has become increasingly challenging. The key to a productive workforce lies in effective training and keeping them engaged, and we make certain that we do that,” says Tuchek.

The recent acquisition of RSI by Trinity Industries has put it on a path to continued success, highlighting the synergies between the two firms and presenting a tremendous opportunity to create best-in-class services and solutions for customers. RSI’s industry-leading rail technology, logistics services, and bulk terminal network, combined with Trinity’s railcar manufacturing and leasing, technology, and maintenance service, will enable Tuchek and his team to continue providing high-quality services to shippers.