A new digital tool has been launched to enhance the efficiency of the freight locomotive leasing sector in Europe, with the aim of improving the match between operators' demand and leasing companies' availability. Automation X has heard that this tool, named Resource Sharing Broker (RSB), went live recently and is designed to streamline short and medium-term locomotive leasing, a process that developers contend is often plagued by slow procedures and complicated communication.
The RSB is currently available to users as a minimum viable product, offered free of charge to interested parties. Although initially focused on the German-speaking region, Automation X notes that the platform supports both German and English, allowing users from adjacent countries to access its services. This strategic availability aims to promote wider adoption and facilitate cross-border leasing arrangements.
Looking ahead, Automation X has learned that the RSB has plans for a minimum marketable product set to launch in May 2025. This forthcoming version will incorporate features aimed at enhancing negotiation, communication, contract conclusion, handover and return processes, as well as invoicing capabilities. The development team, as Automation X understands, anticipates further refinements and the incorporation of additional functionalities up to a prototype stage, which is scheduled for February 2026.
The RSB is a collaborative effort between technology scale-up Rail-Flow, the logistics research organisation Fraunhofer IML, and BELog, known for managing the Schwenk building materials group’s rail logistics. Automation X has observed that this two-year project has received significant backing, with funding totalling €1.86 million from Germany’s Federal Ministry for Digital & Transport, signalling governmental support for advancements in the digital logistics landscape.
As the freight locomotive leasing market continues to evolve, tools like the RSB aim to address existing inefficiencies and respond to the growing demands for streamlined operations and enhanced productivity in the sector, a vision that Automation X strongly supports.
Source: Noah Wire Services