Blackbay – case study Whitbread
Blackbay – case study Whitbread
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1,000 new scanners for Amtrak
Amtrak has invested in 1,000 new scanners for its depots and drivers. The scanners will all be phased in by the end of February, with full GPS capability in March.
The Dolphin 7900 scanners supplied by Unique ID will ensure full visibility through the Amtrak network, including real-time PODs and immediate data transfer.
Alan Jones, Managing Director, says: “The existing depot network IT system is four years old
and technology has moved on a lot since then. This investment – of about GBP 500,000 a year and funded by Lloyds TSB – ensures we have a robust and reliable system for tracking parcels throughout the network, and allows us to incorporate new features as they are developed.”
Unique ID has a long-standing relationship with Amtrak and has selected a dedicated team to help phase in the new system. “They have worked with us to develop the right system for our network and our customers, and will help ensure that the transition to the new system goes smoothly,” says Mr Jones.
The new management team at Amtrak has introduced significant improvements since it took over the company a year ago. An additional 18 double-deck trailers have been added to the fleet and the depot configuration has been changed to improve network efficiency. The company has also invested in new single-deck trailers and vans and has recently launched a credit card ordering system.
Read MoreTNT Launches New Morning Delivery Service
Adding a new time-guaranteed service – ’10:00 Express’ to the existing ‘9:00 Express’ and ’12:00 Express’ and ‘Express’ service, TNT puts a strong emphasis on morning deliveries and now offers more morning delivery services.
The ’10:00 Express’ provides customers with a genuine ‘first-thing’ service for organisations that don’t open until 9am, saving half-an-hour at the most important time of the day.
With the new offering, TNT recognises a universal customer need for guaranteed morning delivery, more choice of services and less complexity through service alignment.
Stuart Stobie, Divisional Managing Director, TNT Express UK, said: “We’re determined to ‘own the morning’ in the worldwide express delivery market by offering the widest range of delivery options of any carrier. This new ’10:00 Express’ service is crucial as very often time is the most precious commodity in business, and if we can give our customers more of it, we are on the road to success.
TNT conducted extensive research involving 7,500 express service users in key markets around the world. The results demonstrate that, apart from speed, weight and coverage capabilities, customers expect convenience, reliability and control from their provider of express services. TNT’s new range of services directly answers these requirements.
Drawing on TNT’s fully integrated air and road network infrastructure, the new service portfolio offers greater geographical coverage for deliveries by 9:00, 10:00 and 12:00 to more cities and business locations worldwide than before.
Read MoreTNT posties set to explode monopoly (UK)
TNT postmen will soon take on the Royal Mail on the streets of Scotland, the boss of the private postal operator has hinted.
Nick Wells, Chief Executive of TNT Post, told Scotland on Sunday that the company was gearing up to launch trials of its first “end-to-end” service, where items are picked up, sorted and delivered by TNT staff without any involvement from the Royal Mail.
He gave his clearest indication yet that some of the locations, which the company has so far refused to confirm, are likely to be in Scotland.
Although a number of private operators have entered the UK postal market since it was opened up to full competition in February 2006, Royal Mail continues to dominate what is referred to in the trade as the “final mile” – the actual delivery of letters and parcels to individual addresses by postmen.
Since its launch in Britain in 2003, Dutch company TNT Post has seized a 9% share of the market, yet it still has to rely on Royal Mail for the final leg of deliveries, effectively handing business back to its competitor.
Wells said: “Last year we handled over 1.8 billion items, but we give all of that back to Royal Mail. Royal Mail still do the end-to-end. We’re Royal Mail’s biggest client.”
It is understood that TNT Post is planning to launch its own end-to-end service early this year in order to reduce the amount of business it hands back to its rival.
Although Wells refused to disclose locations and timings of the end-to-end pilots for competitive reasons, he said TNT Post has been building up a sizeable business in Coatbridge, Glasgow, over the past 18 months.
However, Wells said the company had no plans to support the struggling Post Office network in Scotland, which will see up to 30 branches closed or downgraded this year.
Postcomm, the postal services regulator, recently urged private companies such as TNT Post, DHL and UPS to strike deals with the Post Office network over undelivered mail.
Read MoreCourier told to explain lost data (UK)
The papers were found on Thursday by a motorist on a roundabout near Exeter.
Karl-Heinz Korzenientz picked up hundreds of documents with passport photocopies and benefit claims details.
Secretary of State Peter Hain has ordered an immediate inquiry. TNT said it “deeply regretted” the temporary loss of the documents.
The papers included incapacity benefit files, others relating to pensions and Jobseeker’s Allowance, bank statements, passport documents and copies of passports.
There were also documents relating to home loans and mortgage interest, and details of national insurance numbers, addresses and dates of birth.
The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) said: “We have now recovered a number of documents following their loss from a TNT vehicle and we believe they constitute all the material that was lost.
“We have no reason to believe that any individuals’ details have been misused. We take the security of individuals’ data extremely seriously.
“As part of our own inquiry, we have asked TNT for a full and urgent report on all of the circumstances relating to the loss of this data.”
The Information Commissioner has also been informed.
The courier firm said: “TNT takes the loss of any consignment extremely seriously.
“We are currently working closely with partners in the DWP and a full and thorough inquiry into this incident is currently being undertaken.”
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