ROCS collects and processes real-time data on all types of TNT road connections in Poland: trucks operating between all company branches in night-connection mode, vehicles transporting road shipments to airports (so-called “air feeders”), as well as international connections.
– ROCS helps plan shuttle vehicle routes (so-called linehauls – operating between TNT branches), shorten transit times, better utilize the fleet – thanks to vehicle fill verification – and manage costs more effectively – says Krystian Kamiński, L/H Operations Manager, TNT Express Poland. – The most important thing, however, is optimization in terms of quality: ROCS helps create the most optimal connection network. By automating operations, the system eliminates the human error factor.
The system covers nearly 4,000 road connections in 32 European countries and is used by almost 2,600 users (150 in Poland). It consists of three modules: ROCS Plan, ROCS Operate, and ROCS Manage Cost & Performance. The first is used for planning scheduled linehaul connections. All users have access to it, but making changes is reserved for management staff. ROCS Operate is a platform for employees of branches and transshipment centers. The module is used to confirm the availability of drivers and vehicles, approve truck departures, and prepare documents and routes. It is possible to add new connections here (so-called “ad-hoc” – previously unforeseen, but necessary to ensure delivery of goods in accordance with the delivery deadlines declared by the company). All phases of operations are automatically monitored, thanks to which the system signals potential problems, e.g., potential delays at any of the stages. The module enables, among other things, the automatic preparation of complete documentation for the driver (detailed information on goods, destination, delivery time, etc.). The last module is ROCS Manage Cost & Performance, responsible for controlling and automating the calculation of costs for all connections. The module also allows for the verification of the quality of each connection: transport punctuality and any damage, etc.
ROCS is a proprietary TNT system; it is based on Windows applications, which makes it highly intuitive and simple – so that even people who do not work with a computer on a daily basis can operate it fluently. The system, hosted on a Citrix server, has been integrated with the SAP application. ROCS replaced the previously used ROMEO application, which operated on the UNIX platform. The system has been integrated with the software previously functioning at TNT.