Railinc Launches Rate & Route Tool to Optimize Rail Freight Shipping

AI-Powered Tool Simplifies Freight Shipping and Reduces Costs
Railinc, a leading technology provider based in Cary, North Carolina, has unveiled its new TransmetriQ Rate & Route tool, designed to streamline the rail freight shipping process for carload shippers. The tool leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to eliminate the time-consuming and complex process of manually searching for rate and route options across various sources. Traditionally, rail shippers spend hours or even days navigating websites, PDF documents, and other materials to find the best shipping rates and routes for origin/destination (OD) pairs. The Rate & Route tool simplifies this by providing instant access to comprehensive shipping options that include transit times, costs, fuel surcharges, and accessorial fees, making the decision-making process faster and more accurate.

According to Danny Dever, Senior Product Manager at TransmetriQ, the new tool stores shippers’ contract data and public rate information, and presents real-time, complete OD-pair rate and route options that allow for easier and more informed decisions. This not only saves time but enhances the overall efficiency of the shipping process, particularly for shippers seeking to quote new business or serve existing customers.

Better Visibility and Efficiency for Shippers
With the Rate & Route tool, shippers gain enhanced visibility into their shipping options, making it easier to assess different routes and rates in real time. The tool displays public tariffs, contract rates, and operational routes, providing shippers with a more accurate view of how their freight will move across the rail network. This transparency enables shippers to choose the best shipping option that suits their specific business needs, whether they are managing existing shipments or bidding for new contracts.

In addition, Railinc’s tool helps rail freight shippers avoid costly delays and provides fast responses for urgent shipment requests. The development of this tool comes after over a year of research and collaboration with shippers to understand their challenges around disparate rate information and to offer a consolidated, user-friendly solution.

Supporting Sustainable and Green Freight Solutions
The introduction of Rate & Route also aligns with Railinc’s commitment to promoting more sustainable logistics. Rail transportation is already known to be a greener alternative to trucking, offering 75% lower greenhouse gas emissions. By optimizing rail freight routes and making shipping more efficient, the tool supports efforts to further reduce the carbon footprint of the logistics industry.

Mika Majapuro, Vice President at TransmetriQ, noted that the tool provides shippers with the visibility they need to choose rail as a more sustainable option for freight transport, further enhancing the attractiveness of rail as an eco-friendly solution in the logistics supply chain.

Real-Time Data for Smarter Decisions
In addition to Rate & Route, Railinc continues to lead the rail industry by providing real-time, accurate interline rail data, which is critical for optimizing rail network operations and improving supply chain efficiency. Railinc serves as the largest source of such data in North America and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Association of American Railroads.