On 24 June 2024, Federal Councillor Albert Rösti brought together representatives from the public sector and the logistics industry at a round table to discuss the importance of a national data infrastructure for the exchange of information. We at the VAP have been driving the networking of data within our industry for some time now. We will continue to play this pioneering role in the future.
That’s what it’s all about:
- What has happened so far
- Kick-off for a broad-based dialogue
- Putting customer benefits at the centre
- In small but sustainable steps
- Laying the foundations for sustainable rail freight transport
What has happened so far
The topic of data ecosystems has been on our transport policy agenda for some time. For years, we have been campaigning for the establishment of a meaningful platform and for the networking of relevant data within the entire logistics chain and its stakeholders. We have reported on the benefits of data integration and the latest developments in various blog posts. (see “Data ecosystems: Sharing data to double its added value”, “Ready for the next level of digitalisation” and “Wagonload transport can become competitive”).
The discussions surrounding the Federal Act on the Mobility Data Infrastructure (MODIG) and the National Data Network Infrastructure Mobility (NADIM) initially only involved decision-makers and those affected by passenger transport. Fortunately, those responsible took up the concerns of freight transport and the needs of shippers at our suggestion. This enabled us to support the public administration with arguments and use cases and subsequently involve our industry in the exchange of opinions.
Kick-off for the broad-based dialogue
On 24 June 2024, Federal Councillor Albert Rösti, Head of the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC), welcomed representatives of the public administration and the logistics industry to the round table. Heads of office and representatives from DETEC, parliament, numerous associations and companies from various areas of rail transport and the entire logistics sector were invited.
Mr Rösti wanted to find out what our industry thinks about a data infrastructure for exchanging information and what role the federal government should play. By inviting us to the discussion, he gave our members and partner associations the opportunity to play a key role in the further development of data networking. Those present agreed that a platform for the exchange of data for a mobility data infrastructure (MODI) is needed in order to simplify multimodal logistics solutions and flexible partnerships in networks such as single wagonload transport. Some expressed constructive criticism, but this did not fundamentally call into question the idea as a whole.
The chair of the meeting presented five use cases from different perspectives for a first phase of the MODI as a basis for discussion. One case presented the possibilities of better capacity utilisation on the railways and transparency of basic information and explained the extent to which these would benefit shippers and how the barriers to entry could be lowered.
Putting customer benefits at the centre
In our view, these considerations also include those aspects that have an impact on the range of freight transport services. Data ecosystems help to align multimodal logistics chains with the needs of customers and create added value for them. This requires innovative approaches at an organisational level and cooperation between market players. This is the only way to make freight transport more sustainable, more competitive and more customer-orientated.
Information on freight transport flows (domestic transport, foreign trade transport, transit) should be available to all parties involved in a timely and comprehensive manner, regardless of the mode of transport. This would enable those responsible at federal, cantonal and municipal level to utilise infrastructure components such as network capacities or transhipment areas more flexibly, coordinate them better, plan them in a more targeted manner and, if necessary, re-dimension them. As much of the necessary data is held by the federal government or is collected on its behalf, we believe that the public administration must play a central role in endeavours such as MODI and NADIM. In addition, with the introduction of the DAK, the associated, newly developed data sources can be meaningfully and additionally transferred to this data infrastructure.
In small but sustainable steps
In the coming weeks, DETEC will prepare a draft for the Federal Council and Parliament and involve the sector once again in order to reflect on the draft. The following elements are important to us for a harmonised further course of action:
- Remain pragmatic in order to provide practice-orientated data at a strategic and operational level with the greatest possible benefit for the stakeholders
- Utilise existing tools from Switzerland and abroad as well as well-prepared data (sources)
- Business and the logistics sector should play a key role in shaping this process; possible tasks for conceptual and operational phases will be discussed in the coming months
We at the VAP will play our part in ensuring that our members benefit from significant added value from the outset and that the needs of our industry are covered. With this ambitious goal in mind, we are already taking the first steps by promptly transferring the internal database of private connectors into a modern and internationally recognised tool and updating its content at the same time. To this end, we are in close contact with our colleagues in Germany and Austria in order to make further progress.
Foundation for sustainable rail freight transport
We are convinced that the public sector and the private sector must work together in equal measure to create a data ecosystem for rail (freight) transport and the entire logistics industry. This will make it possible to plan more effectively and operate more efficiently and to utilise investments in an even more targeted manner. It also forms the foundation for new business models, service improvements and partnerships between providers and customers.
