Key Issues Raised by Rail Freight Service Review Panel (RFSR)
CN Response – a Comprehensive Service Agenda of Continuous Improvement and Supply Chain Collaboration
Key RFSR Issues
Need to improve rail service on a
commercial basis
Need to establish supply chain collaboration
agreements with operational/commercial
stakeholders
Need to enhance supply chain visibility
through better performance reporting on a
bilateral basis
Need to address other key issues:
 Dispute Resolution mechanism

Non Transportation charges
Central Elements of CN’s Service Agenda
Proof Points

Major CN effort to improve fulfillment of customer car orders for shippers of
industrial products

94% weekly car order fulfillment in 2012

Scheduled Grain Plan -- breakthrough in CN’s car spotting reliability at grain
elevators in the countryside

85% daily spotting reliability since January 2010

New and improved notification of service changes and exceptions at customer
facilities

Improved communication and listening by CN confirmed in regular customer surveys

Fastest, best quality terminal to terminal service, a top CN priority

CN recognized by RFSR as industry leader

Major CN push to implement collaboration agreements in the last two years

Agreements with all major ports and terminals in Canada

Signed service agreements with customers across all business segments

Agreements with customers representing close to 50% of revenues

Seeking similar agreements with smaller customers

Reached out twice to all CN customers to offer service-level agreements

Core component of CN’s strategic agenda, enabling the development of a much
more efficient supply chain

Built trust and confidence required to manage information

Intermodal container business, a prime example of customer engagement through
daily sharing of key performance metrics

Significant reduction in time spent by containers at ocean terminals, making
Canadian ports highly efficient and competitive

Daily collaboration with Canadian grain companies, coal producers, generating
greater efficiency and fluidity in these supply chains

Recent record grain traffic performance on West coast, increased coal exports

Revamped, efficient, commercial CN dispute resolution mechanism

Commercial Dispute Resolution process available and widely communicated to all
customers

Major initiative to address this pain point by improving accuracy of invoicing

Invoicing accuracy at 98%, significant improvement in last three years