RailAmerica, Greenbrier contract for management services
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-ChiefGreenbrier Management Services, LLC (GMS), a full-serviceprovider of railcar management services and a wholly-owned subsidiary of TheGreenbrier Companies, is providing railcar management services to RailAmerica,Inc. GMS services include processing for car-hire payables and receivables, andcar repair payables.
GMS began processing car-hire payables on railequipment that is interchanged onto RailAmerica’s network of 39 regional andshort line railroads in late 2009, as well as car-hire receivables generated byRailAmerica’s railcar fleetTo date, implementation of payables and receivablesprocessing has been completed for three of RailAmerica’s five regions. Finalimplementation is expected to be completed early in 2010, ahead of schedule.
GMS utilizes its proprietary Enable™ car accountingprocessing system to perform these services. “Enable is a robust, web-enabled,proprietary product, with patent pending, that integrates the processing ofcar-hire payable and receivable data,” GMS said. “The system allows customers toproactively manage their car-hire by processing data daily and gives customersan unmatched combination of functionality, scalability, and value backed by GMS’sstrong commitment to customer service. Enable is appropriate for deployment byrailroads, shippers and lessors of all sizes and complexities, including ClassI’s. Clients are assured their data remains confidential through rigorousannual third party audits.”
In addition to car-hire processing, GMS is providingcar repair payables processing for RailAmerica utilizing its proprietaryEntrust™ maintenance management system. As part of this service, GMS isproviding Association of American Railroads and shop billing audits plus backoffice administration to meet RailAmerica’s railcar repair requirements. Theweb-based Entrust system “provides accurate invoice audits, shop estimate andrepair processing, bad-order disposition and wreck management, plus maintenancecost analysis reporting,” said GMS.
GMS customers include Class I’s, short lines andregionals, major operating lessors, industrial shippers and financialinstitutions, and investors. GMS provides rail asset management systems and/orservices to more than 70 railroads and 223,000 railcars. Services include auditingrepair invoices, managing AAR repair billing, performing ongoing maintenance ofrailcars, compiling maintenance data, and servicing damaged equipment.
