.„_ CRPY F &) n CANADIAN TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH LE GROUPE DE REDIERCHES SUR LES TRANSPORTS AU CANADi
21st ANNUAL MEETINL
PROCEEDINGS
VANCOUVER, B.C. MAY 1986
A 91
AmmanEn ITRANSPORIATICtl WITHIN THE CINNADIAN FORCES
by
Major Howard L. Mooney, CD Canadian Forces
1.0 Introduction
. In a country as large and geographically diverse as Canada with a harsh, changeable climate and a relatively small and dispersed population, effective transportation is essential for the protection, development, and economic well-being of our nation. No other element of the economy has such a pervasive influence upon our society. Similar to the commercial sector, transportation manifests itself in virtually every activity within the Canadian Forces both in times of peace and during war. In peacetime, transportation expenditures by the Department of National Defence (OND) account for ten percent of our annual budget. In time of war or national emergency transportation forms the vital bridge between support and operations and consequently is an essential ingredient for victory. To quote Sir Winston Churchill's truism from The River War:
"Victory is the beautiful, bright-coloured flower. Transport is the stem without which it could never have blossomed."
1.1 Situation Assessment
During the last few years, the technological developments centered on the application of automation within the transportation community have been tantamount to an information revolution. New software programs, specifically tailored for the transportation community are being developed almost on a daily basis. Coincident with these developments in the commercial sector, many agencies within DND who routinely interface with our organization have adopted automated systems. Transportation managers who are Charged with the responsibility to manage transportation activities and resources on behalf of the Canadian Forces (CF) are placed at a considerable disadvantage for want of cowparable systems.
Automated systems have become indispensable for efficient and profitable transportation management in the private sector. In contrast, transportation management within the Canadian Forces has remained almost exclusively a manual operation. Bearing in mind the importance of current and accurate information in order to effectively manage resources; military managers have been forced to
1 MAJ MOONEY 92 become corputer-literate and familiar with the Characteristics of automated systems in order to protect the interests of the Crown.
In order to gain greater visibility of our transportation assets, to optimize the use of existing resources, and to provide managers with a performance measurement system; our department has been obliged to assess potential applications for automation. Trends toward deregulation of the transportation industry in Canada and the advent of relatively inexpensive, easy to use "off the Shelf" software have prcupted us to automate many of our operations in order to efficiently carry out our mission of managing transportation on behalf of the Canadian Forces.
1.2 Outline
This paper basically chronicles boo years of ,...1c,rk that has been done in developing a Transportation Management Information System (TM1S) for the Canadian Forces. After providing same background information which serves to identify the scope of transportation activity within the CF, management objectives and our goals in introducing automation are described. A, brief outline of the system design methodology which was adopted and an explanation of the TMIS which we envision is then provided. After giving a brief narrative descriptions of several projects, sate concluding remarks are provided.
2.0 Transportation in the Canadian Forces
2.1 The Scope
It is estimated that transportation expenditures account for approximately one billion dollars annually or about 10% of the defence budget. There are over eight thousand DND personnel directly involved in transportation. This includes a wide range of managers and tradesmen involved in all modes of transportation and every related activity. Unlike our American counterparts, our military managers go to the commercial sector to purchase transportation services only after we have exhausted our own resources. Our involvenent therefore is extensive and covers the entire garrut of everything from the movement of household goods to running our own postal system. More specifically, these activities involve:
- an airline providing world-wide personnel and cargo services;
- a sophisticated passenger reservation system that handles over a quarter of a million bookings annually on military aircraft as well as $15 million annually in commercial air reservations;
- a customs clearance service for all personnel and cargo moving into and out of Canada;
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- a passport service that is critical to meet military exigencies involving the issue of about 6,000 passports at a cost of $250,000 annually;
- a fleet of over 20,000 commercial pattern vehicles ranging from staff cars, buses, snow removal equipment, tractor trailer units, to airfield support equipment;
- a •system to control the movement of household goods which handles 16,000 military moves annually and administers the policy affecting a total of 22,000 federal government moves representing an investment of about $70 million each year in Canada's moving industry;
- a worldwide CF postal system, that is very active in peacetime and crucial in wartime, involving over five million pounds of mail and a value of seven million dollars annually;
- hundreds of military and civilian operators established and trained to drive anything in our inventory and a compre- hensive vehicle safety system; and,
-hundreds of traffic technicians trained in the wide variety of transportation services including administrative, strategic, and tactical airlift; and
2.2 The Objective
The Director General Transportation (DOT) for the CF has recognized that automation must be introduced as quickly as possible in order to optimize the use of existing resources, improve service, reduce costs and improve our operational response capability. Enhanced efficiency on the part of Logisticians means that scarce financial resources can be made available elsewhere within the department. In order to remedy the situation, DOT has embarked upon an ambitious, comprehensive plan to automate transportation management within the CF. The integration of component sub-systems for various transportation applications as well as the relationship between DGT and other departmental systems have been addressed resulting in the creation of a Transportation Management Information System. Bearing in mind the lack of empirical data upon which to base management decisions and our direct involvement in the commercial transportation marketplace, mcst of the systems under development will very rapidly pay for themselves when they are implemented.
2.3 Limiting Factors
Due to the scope and complexity of transportation activity, it has been necessary to divide this ounibus system into smaller,. attainable projects which address both word processing and computer requirements at bases and stations, command headquarters, within
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geographic regions or topical areas and at National Defence Headquarters (NDHQ). Transportation does not and cannot work in isolation, and therefore our relationships with the supply oganization, Customs and Excise Canada, finance, other departmental projects and the communications authorities within DND have been taken into consideration in planning. Reoognizing the fact that autaintion is not necessary or desirable in every case, preliminary studies were conducted in order to verify each requirement.
Many of our automation requirements can be satisfied with very little modification to existing commercial software which is currently available. The rapid development of cheaper, better, more user-friendly hardware and software makes the in-house development of Large omnibus projects impractical and expensive. These factors, carbined with the projected life expectancy of any automated system, make many large capital projects obsolete before they can be introduced. Keeping in mind the requirement to Obtain systems which are capable of being networked, and the desireability to standardize training and maintenance, a phased approach in developing a THIS is considered to be the most practical approach.
2.4 Organizational Objectives
The IMLIS has been created in order to assist CF transportation authorities in making the most efficient, econanical and practical use of the resources at their disposal. Specifically these objectives entail:
- enhancing our capability to respond to operational transportation requirements;
- providing management information to inprove the procuremnt, distribution and use of our carmercial vehicle fleet;
- improving efficiency while reducing cost in moving passengers, materiel and furniture and effects;
- minimizing fatalities, personal injuries and costs to END by introducing a more dynamic and active vehicle safety program;
- providing autcnation assistance to transportation units at bases and stations;
- introducing word processing, computer and electronic office technology to transportation headquarters wherever it will enhance operations;
- establishing an interface with internal and external computer systems which will achieve DOT management objectives; and
- examining and refining existing and potential functionality with a view to satisfying DGT management objectives.
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2.5 ADP Goals
The goals for introducing automation to applicable areas within CF transportation are the following:
- to inprove operational response capability;
- to reduce the costs associated with transporting personnel and materiel;
- to improve the efficiency of existing transportation services;
- to facilitate the management of transportation functions;and
- to improve working conditions for transportation staff at all levels and therefore increase their effectiveness.
3.0 System Design Methodolovy
System Design Methodology/70 (SDM 70), purchased by the DUD several years ago from Atlantic Software Inc., is currently in use and provides the framework and necessary guidance to design, develop and implement a computer project from the initial conceptual stage to an after-installation assessment. It has been particularly valuable to military functional experts who are not familiar with computer technology or system design techniques because of the step by step guidance that it provides. It has also served to standardize design and development technique within DUD.
The main drawback to strict adherence to SDM 70 methodology has been the amount of documentation required to work through the process. It is designed to be developed in stages and as a result, there is a built-in redundancy of information. The overall effect is that it is a very good but meticulous, deliberate and slow system of design methodology.
In order to concurrently develop a wide range of projects in a relatively short time span, it was necessary for our staff to adopt a refined version of SEM/70 in order to expedite the development of our management information system.
.In the first instance, preliminary investigations were conducted for each project in order to ensure that automating that particular transportation function or activity was practical and desireable. Then based on the premise that functional expertise resides with the actual users; personnel from the topical area were appointed as functional analysts for the project. The next stage was composition of a detailed "Statement of Requirement" for each sub-system. This document was written using the principle that the systems analysts who would work on the project in later stages of development would not possess anything other than a very rudimentary knowledge of the functional area. Documentation started with an
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extremely detailed description of present operations and procedures. The functional analyst then listed what he perceived as the deficiencies or problems with the existing system. From there, he listed potential solutions to recify the deficiencies which had been identified. The next stage was to select what was considered to be the best solution.
After approval of the Statement of Requirement by senior management, the projects are turned over to systems analysts for design. This work is done either "in-hcuse" or contracted out to civilian consultant firms. In both cases, a set of "Abbreviated Specifications" is composed. The process includes the selection of information elements which will constitute the data base, outlining the relationships of various functions and information elements, then building a logic model for the system. Input and Output screens are designed and finally the entire process is documented. The functional analyst who has actively contributed to this process obtains the concurrence of senior management when be is satisfied that the newly designed system will satisfy the perceived needs which were detailed in the Statement of Requitement.
The project is next banded over to the engineers within the department to compose a set of "Technical Specifications". Only a few pages long, these specifications address the hardware, communications, software, operating system and proyramming Language which will best satisfy the requirement.
Concurrently with the research and development, departmental approval and funding is obtained for each project. Once the technical specifications are completed and funding identified, the project can be sent to the Department of Supply and Services to let the contract on our behalf.
4.0 The Transportation Management Information System
The Transportation Management Information System is the name that we have assigned to the omnibus project which is created in stages as our automated applications are developed and implemented. This conceptual overview of a network of sub-systems integrating to create a THIS - ensures that the standardization of bardWare, software, operating systems, programming languages and training is addressed during the developmental phases of each project.
The was establishes the necessary ccumunications and data links between each transportation operating and management level in order to effect overall management of the functions to the degree required. Each component project is designed to permit compati- bility of operation and the exchange of information. All transportation projects developed on behalf of the CF are an integral part of the THIS thereby providing the DGT with a system to effect management of transportation resources throughout the entire structure of the Canadian Forces.
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5.0 Projects CUrrently Under Development
5.1 A NATIOUAL MATERIEL DISTRLBUFION SYSTEM (NMDS)
In addition to our on internal freight resources, DND spends approximately 129 million dollars annually purchasing transportation to move materiel. In order to make more efficient use of our existing resources and to minimize expenditures for freight shipments, a system is required to capture information upon which management decisions concerning materiel movement can be based. This system will assist Transportation Agents (TAs) in the field, who currently work in isolation, by coordinating the use of military and commercial freight resources based upon volume and frequency patterns, efficiency and economy. It will allow for far greater consolidation of Shipments at both origin and in-transit thereby optimizing the use of all modes of transportation an a regional, national and international basis. In time of war or national emergency, it will form a national materiel traffic network capable of quickly responding to operational requirements.
In order to effectively manage the movement of materiel the entire physical distribution process must be addressed rather than dealing in terms of the supply and transportation functions in isolation. The system must also be proactive and be based upon planned and forecasted movement requirements. The NMDS will replace the current almost exclusively reactive method of responding to freight shipments, with a management planning system. The benefits, particularly the potential monetary savings, become obvious as soon as additional control and coordination are introduced to the distribution function.
The NMDS will provide an information base which will permit the introduction of DRP, MRP or "Just-in-Time" distribution. From the initial procurement through to consumption or disposal of the goods, control can be exercised. In preparation for the NMDS, new freight documentation enabling the capture of transit times, costs, carrier data, volume over given routes, optimum routing, the weight and cube of shipments, and the basis of a performance measurement system was introduced forces-wide during 1985. The NMDS will use this information as a data base to provide managers with information which will assist in the decision making process. Should our tractor -trailer fleet be expanded? Should the routing of existing road freight services be modified? What are the optimum times to pick up or deliver freight at given locations? Are we making optimum use of space available for freight on our buses and other commercial pattern vehicles? Can more or better tariffs be negotiated with commercial carriers between specific city pairs or along high volume routes? In short, the NMDS will enable us to capture the history of our freight movement and use it to our advantage.
The system will provide the local TA with a decision support system as well as a means to automatically generate shipment
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documents, the capability to trace shipments and to forecast workloads. It will assist him with mode and carrier selection, pricing, scheduling, and routing. It will facilitate the consolidation of goods at origin and while in-transit and will schedule backhaul shipments for carriers. In addition to improving response time and service, this system promises to yield savings in manhours. The efficiency of existing operations depends largely upon the experience of the individual Shipping the freight and in many instances, he does not even camunicate with neighbouring bases or stations.
At headquarters, this system will provide an effective communications link to all WD agencies dharged with moving materiel and thereby permit efficient management of the system. Costs will be reduced considerably through greater consolidation, better route scheduling and more efficient use of resources. In additon to savings during routine operations, the Materiel Distribution System has the potential to reduce the costs associated with major CF projects and exercises.
5.2 FLEET MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM
The department owns a fleet of approximately twenty thousand commercial pattern vehicles. It purchases in the neighbourhood of forty million dollars worth of new vehicles annually and rents or leases another eleven million dollars in vehicles and services. In addition to policy concerning vehicle useage, decisions must be made concerning attrition of old equipment, distribution of replacement vehicles, optimization of the utilization of existing resources and approval of new specifications. In order to effectively accomplish these duties, there is a requirement for more timely, accurate and relevant statistical information. A more effective management system and better visibility of cur assets will result in less money being spent on rented equipment to complement the fleet. It will also optimize the use of our fleet and result in the purchase of fewer replacement vehicles. In the event of war, this system will greatly enhance our ability to respond to requirements involving the mobilization and deployment of goods and personnel.
Potential applications for this system include: a master Provisional Procurement List; national procurement surveys; a record of in-lieu holdings; a vehicle contract monitoring process; manipulation of extant manually prepared management reports at NDHO as an aid for the reassignment of vehicles to exercises; instructions to bases concerning overweight/oversize routing; and maintaining vehicle rental statistics nationally. The creation of this type of data base will enable managers at all levels to make more efficient and economical use of their transportation resources. Through cost avoidance and immediate savings, this system will pay for itself in a very few months.
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5.3 COMPUTERIZED CUSTOMS SYSTEM
WD expends millions of dollars annually for the purchase of transportation services to move materiel and a large percentage of this freight has to be customs cleared. An automated system capable of interfacing with Custom and Excise Canada's computerized system will expedite clearances, allow faster access to shipments, and permit customs documentation to be opened and closed instantaneously instead of obtaining temporary and then final clearances. The current manual system of maintaining and researching customs tariffs is Labour intensive, slow and prone to human error. This error factor occasionally results in the loss of customs clearance privileges which increases cost substantially. Human error also costs money through poor budgeting, increased paperwork and searching for data after the fact. Automation will speed the processing of customs clearances and consequently result in dollar savings for the Crown through faster response time and the holding of less inventory.
5.4 FURNITURE AND EFFECTS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
A system is required that will not only perform present functions more efficiently, but also create a database of information concerning government moves which will be available to units and NDHO. Potential applications for the system include: an automated Government List of Approved Carriers; current rates and tariffs for the movement and storage of furniture and effects, and a carrier penalty reporting system. Changes which result from the de-regulation of the moving industry will have a major impact upon procedures at all levels and will be a necessary component of an automated FELE system. A local management system will also address deficiencies which currently exist and permit efficient and economical management of the F&E system through the availability of accurate, timely and relevant information.
The availability of better statistical data will enable us to compete with industry more effectively during annual tariff negotiations and in the long run, result in lower costs to the department. Currently, annual expenditures for the purchase of services from the moving industry amount to approximately $70 million dollars.
5.5 TRANSPORTATION OFFICE AUTCMATION PROJECT (TNOA)
This project will assist base and station transportation authorities with routine administration such as record keeping, filing, sorting, lists, reports and returns. The labour intensive manual system currently in place results in the lack of timely, useful and accurate information available to a Base Transportation Officer (BTNO) for him to make the most efficient and economical use of his vehicle, manpower and financial resources. This system is designed to provide Base Traffic, Vehicle Safety and the BTMO with word processing and communications capability thereby forming a
9 MAJ MOONEY local transportation information network. The system establishes a communications link between bases and headquarters thus creating the potential for a regional/national transportation network for mutual cooperation and regional transportation coordination. This system will also standardize all administration and documentation within our transportation system and provide the basis for a national management information system. Trial sites include one base from each of the major functional commands; CFB Kingston, CFB Trenton, CFB London, CFB Lahr and CFB Halifax.
Due to the magnitude of this project, it has been divided into two phases. The first phase consists of a trial of five representative base transport organizations in order to validate the hardware and software that has been chosen and to refine operating and training procedures. The second phase entails adding the remaining thirty-seven bases and stations to the system.
5.6 BASE AUTCMATED TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS SYSTEM (BATOPS)
A requirement exists to provide automation support to base transportation unit operations. BATOPS, is an integral part of a large capital project which will automate many of the functions performed at bases and stations. Unlike the word processing application described in the TNOA Project, BATOPS will be a database management system that provides the necessary support to unit administration, record keeping, statistics gathering and despatch operations. The system has been designed to simplify and streamline base transport activities. The information, once automation is introduced, will form a dynamic data base upon which transportation supervisors will be able to draw in order to make effective use of resources.
5.7 STRATEGIC MOVEMENTS PLANNING SYSTEM
ADP assistance for contingency planning will significantly reduce the error potential and provide immediate access to the display and amendment of data. In addition, associated hard copy capability will permit the production of phased and master deployment schedules both in draft and final form, with programmed formats from the same data base. The whole process of assembling and moving forces, as well as allocating strategic lift resources for deploying forces will be significantly enhanced.
5.8 'VEHICLE SAFETY SYSTEM
DOT is responsible for developing and promulgating all policy concerning vehicle safety, driver qualifications and licencing for the CF. In order to devise and implement an effective national vehicle safety programme and to provide a means of measuring performance, it is necessary to develop a management information system based upon accident statistics and driver information. Potential applications include manipulation of information from accident reports, maintaining records for driver incentive awards,
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accident reports, maintaining records for driver incentive awards, -driver profiles, accident profiles, maintaining a defensive driving instructors file, sorting a large volume of reference material, and manipulating data in order to answer ministerial and other inquiries. An improved national vehicle safety programme will result in a reduction in vehicle damages, personal injuries and fatalities.
5.9 CF FOREIGN TRAFFIC WIT PROJECT
The Canadian Forces Ebreign Traffic Unit (CFFTU) in Montreal is responsible for arranging all movement of materiel by sea for the CF. Last year this represented approximately 1000 motor vehicle shipments to Canada and 1800 automobile shipments Westbound. 800 sea containers were Shipped out of the cryru and 1600 were received. In addition, there are recurring special projects such as the shipment of ammunition, goods off contract, and exercises. In order to arrange, control and monitor the import/export,customs clearance and inland shipment of goods, a great deal of documentation must be initiated by the CFFTU. A local area network of word processing equipment and personal computers will greatly assist them in the performance of their duties.
6.0 CONCLUDING MATERIEL
All of the systems discussed, as well as eight other automation projects have been initiated by DGT within the Last two years and are presently under development. While same systems remain purely conceptual, others are fully functional, operatinal systems. The number of projects being developed concurrently, and the vast scope of applications inspired the creation of the Transportation Management Information System. The framework of this TMIS ensures that standardization, compatability and communications requirements are addressed early enough to guarantee the development of a true managerial system. Automating transportation within the Canadian Forces is a massive undertaking which will take many years to accomplish, but a remarkably good start has been made.
Bibliography
Birkin, Stanley J. and Donald H. Sanders. Computers and Management In a Changing Society. McGraw,-Hill, Inc., 1970. Boucher, W.I. and E.S. Quade, ed. Systems Analysis and Policy Planning Applications in Defense. American Elsevier Publishing Company, Inc., 1968.
Dickerson, Steven L. and Joseph E. RObertshaw. Planning and Design. Lexington Books, 1975.
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FitzGerald, Ardra F., Jerry FitzGerald and Warren D. Stallings, Jr. Fundamentals of Systems Analysis. 2nd Ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1973.
DISCLAIMER
This paper represents the views of the author and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the Department of National Defence.
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