Sharing tracking and tracing data to improve operations of supply chain actors

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyse, by means of in-depth case study, opportunities offered by sharing rail-wagon tracking and tracing data for operations of actors of an automotive Supply Chain (SC). The study shows that sharing data via a wagon tracking and tracing system provides opportunities for traffi c authorities to better monitor infrastructure usage. This will lead to improved maintenance procedures by transport operators and, further, will enable the tracking and tracing of containers and pallets demanded by transport customers. This research provides guidelines for the adoption of Radio Frequency Identifi cation (RFID) for vehicle tracking and tracing, especially in rail logistics. New opportunities created by the auto-identifi cation of rail wagons and sharing of tracking and tracing data are not discussed in the current literature. This research topic has generated a great deal of interest from the rail industry in Europe.