II TRANSPORTATION SUB-COMMITTEE

Several meetings held and evaluation is expected at the February JTC meeting of the proposed 12 consolidation points. This sub-committee was energized by industry looking for cost cutting and improvements to service. Consolidation, bypass and in-plant verification are the cornerstones of this group’s work.

One sub-committee member, Michael Druce, Director Communications and Public Affairs (Ontario), Quebecor World, sums up his vision and the win-win opportunities.

Michael Druce, Director, Communications & Public Affairs (Ontario), Quebecor World Aurora

INDUCTION & TRANSPORTATION WIN-WIN OPPORTUNITIES JTC Transportation Working Sub Group There are a number of new initiatives emerging from the different groups involved in searching for solutions to induction and transportation issues.

What is starting to emerge is an understanding of the end to end induction process starting with the mail owner, flowing through the database service bureau and the MSP and providing for a complete electronic interface with Canada Post distribution and revenue verification elements. A lot of work is being done by Canada Post to value stream map the entire process to determine where the real opportunities lie. The value stream mapping process includes all the various inputs referred to here. Industry representatives involved in these discussions have been adamant from the beginning that there needs to be a clear “win-win” situation based on productivity improvements and resulting bottom line impact for all the players. Although there is still much work to be done the new process could look something like this: When preparing the mailing list the service bureau would add some additional information to the existing format. Individual packages/pallets would be identified with a unique number. The basic mail sort schematic would be maintained but the final output would sort the mail into a number of bypass destinations which mimics those currently used by BMF Gateway for their cross-dock consolidations. There will be approx.12 bypass destinations. All containers will be bar coded for easy identification. After the mail has been prepared the ESOM and back up mailing data would be sent electronically to Canada Post. There would be no paper involved at all! Information on the volumes of the bypass mail available for shipment would be sent electronically on a regular update basis maybe several times a day to Canada Post. There would be a number of mailers and mail service providers in a “loop” system. Canada Post would build by-pass trailers using the data supplied by the “loop” participants and would schedule trailers to collect the mail from the mailers premises. Residue mail for Gateway would also be collected by Canada Post using trailers returning to Gateway empty. In other words Canada Post would collect all the mail rather than the mailer having to deliver it. Specially equipped by-pass trailers would permit easy loading of different sized pallets and maximum use of available capacity. What are the advantages for the mailer ? Lower costs, faster delivery to destination and improved tracking. What are the advantages for Canada Post? More bypass of Gateway reducing the bottleneck as well as associated costs, better use of transportation resources and the opportunity for improved induction processes using existing database audit information which the mailers already have.