Smart Terminal Program

As a leading North American transportation and logistics company, technology enablement is at the forefront to drive operations at CN. The Smart Terminal Program, launched in 2019, is a multifaceted transformational journey. A suite of new applications, new yard designs and IoT-enabled hardware technology, together unlock future capabilities at CN Intermodal Terminals.

The program began with the replacement of the core terminal operating system. Successfully implemented in 6 terminals now, it improves inventory accuracy and enhances real-time visibility of deployed resources. This deployment has been a key catalyst in optimizing planning capabilities by introducing more precise work scheduling and resource allocation. The program has streamlined the loading and unloading operations between trains and external carriers, ensuring safer and more efficient operation. Leveraging advanced data analytics, actionable insights drive continuous business improvements.

Building on these foundational benefits, we continue to work on improving operational workflows to better meet customer needs and enhance supply chain reliability.

Where are we today?

The Smart Terminal implementation has followed a phased approach. To date, the following intermodal terminals have been equipped with Smart Terminal capabilities:

Yard Maps and Changes

As part of the project, we have redesigned majority of our yards, while maintaining our priority for safety. Some of the changes to the yards include:

Storage Capacity

Increase the total container ground count and the maximum number of containers handled per day.

Storage Locations

Strategically designate storage locations to improve access and facilitate day to day operations.

Layout

Improve zone accuracy, consistency of aisle width and create a uniform naming convention to provide visibility for container locations and maximize productivity & fluidity.The new yard naming convention also helps our carter community to quickly locate containers.