Rail technology company ZTR signed an agreement with railcar leasing company GATX to install ZTR’s advanced and newly available railcar remote monitoring solution, PIVOT, on railcars in GATX’s North American railcar fleet that will be equipped with telematics solutions.

The PIVOT telematics solution will collect, monitor and distribute data through the ZTR platform as well as the RailPulse platform from GPS gateways and wireless sensors mounted on railcars with the goal of driving improved service levels, visibility and productivity into rail-based supply chains.

“This collaboration is a testament to GATX’s commitment to innovation and relentless pursuit of enhancing the customer experience,” Robert A. Zmudka, Senior vice president and chief commercial officer for rail in North America at GATX, said. “Our selection marks an important step in progressing RailPulse’s collective mission to make it easier to ship by rail through the use of new technologies. With ZTR’s PIVOT solution, our customers can benefit from increased visibility into the location, condition and performance of their fleets.”

PIVOT is a remote monitoring solution with wireless technology that is purpose-built for the railcar industry. The PIVOT solution is powered by BlackBerry Radar technology, which delivers asset tracking solutions. The solution creates the potential to track GPS location, trip progress, impact detection, load/unload status, hand brake position and the open/close status of doors, hatches as well as gates. The platform also has a suite of reporting and configurable alerts, turning any railcar into a smart railcar. Railroads and shippers can potentially benefit from reduced turnaround times, instant identification of delayed or misrouted railcars, and continuous monitoring of the integrity of goods and railcars, all while reducing overall operating costs and maximizing the utilization of their existing fleet.

“Today signifies a significant milestone in the evolution of railcar leasing. This strategic agreement will enrich the leasing experience for customers as we usher in a new era of digitalization to deliver unparalleled insights and efficiency in the world of rail transportation,” Sam Hassan, president of ZTR, said.