Provision of Vehicle Performance Data
UIP regularly points out the high importance of vehicle performance data for Wagon Keepers and ECMs around Europe. It has previously formalised its general demand on vehicle performance data in its Position Paper on a European Strategy for an Efficient Exchange of Rolling Stock Data in Rail Freight (July 2013). UIP still believes that complete vehicle performance data in high quality is an important input to assure compliance of ECMs with highest standards of vehicle maintenance and to improve efficiency of vehicle maintenance systems.
Although legal requirements within both the TSI (TSI OPE 4.2.2.5) and the ECM Regulation exist, today’s legal framework falls short of saying clearly which data should be exchanged and how. The attempts to use a contractual basis (such as the GCU) to ensure that all parties involved in the maintenance process exchange relevant information have failed due to complex authorization discussions over data access rights, a lack of standards for data quality and formats and a fear of loss of proprietary information related to traffic patterns. Only very few Railway Undertakings deliver vehicle performance data to Wagon Keepers/ECMs, and those who do, take no responsibility for data quality and completeness.
Furthermore, since 2012 and following the recommendations of the EC Task Force on Telematics Applications, limited progress has been made towards achieving a common European solution for the mileage calculation for Rolling Stock (see recommendation 12 of 08/57-DV61EN01, handled at RISC53).
UIP believes that the time has come to demand a revision of the legislation applying to data exchange in order to achieve a coherent and full territorial coverage of performance (input) data exchange for freight vehicles.
This paper formulates the following demands for the provision of vehicle performance data and addresses the European Commission, Rail Safety Authorities and Sector Organisations.