The largest TSL enterprises find it easiest to secure funds for the implementation of relatively the most advanced management support tools. Currently, however, medium-sized enterprises in the industry are also implementing very modern IT systems. They are supported by both technology (the Internet, mobile communication, or software used in a leasing model) and increasingly attractive financing methods. It is easier for smaller companies in the industry because they do not have to deal with IT systems inherited from previous technological eras. More serious problems are associated with the computerization of large companies in the industry. But even here, work is gaining momentum year by year.
Smaller ones spend more efficiently
The exact number of people employed in TSL has not been fully recognized by official statistics. In the assessments of DiS, an independent research agency specializing in studies devoted to the applications of computer science in various fields of the economy, it was shown that the level of employment in the Polish TSL sector has currently reached around 730,000, while the 50 largest TSL enterprises account for about 280,000 employees.
In the 2006-2010 period, the worst year for TSL industry IT spending was 2009. This was due to the general economic downturn and the resulting decline in transport orders, and consequently, a drop in employment in the industry. In 2010, the value of services provided by the TSL industry increased slightly. However, this was not reflected in the employment figures in the 50 largest enterprises in the TSL sector, which systematically declined between 2008 and 2010, regardless of the economic situation. It seems that one of the reasons could be an increase in the efficiency of the IT systems used.
The structure of IT spending in the 50 TSL sector enterprises shows that the leading investors, i.e., Poczta Polska and the PKP group, spent a few percentage points more on IT in 2010 than would result from their share in generated revenues. This means that other investors spend money on IT slightly more efficiently than the largest ones.
Multimodality
It is sometimes surprising how the current state of organization is affected by legacies not only from previous decades but also centuries. The condition of roads, the railway network, or the organization of airports and ports—all of this, despite the best strategies, cannot be changed from year to year. Computer science does not allow for overcoming all the shortcomings of the TSL sector organization in Poland inherited from previous eras. However, in many cases, it can significantly help to correct them.
In recent years, the concept of multimodal transport, in which the route of goods or people is covered using more than one means of transport, has also been gaining importance in Poland. An essential condition for the popularization of multimodality is the creation of possibilities for easy transshipment, repacking, and in the case of passenger traffic, simply a convenient and quick transfer for travelers.
In an era of increasing passenger traffic and a growing number of transported goods, the use of computer techniques in optimizing multimodal transport will become increasingly important. The only thing is that transport multimodality should currently be treated as a permanent strategy for investors, not a short, passing fad.