CRPY F &) N CANADIAN TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH LE GROUPE DE REDIERCHES SUR LES TRANSPORTS AU Canadi
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.„_ 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; 2 MAJ MOONEY 3 - 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 3 MAJ MOONEY 94 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. 4 MAJ MOONEY 95 2.5 ADP Goals The goals