Transportation

Turn fragmented data into a strategic asset that drives compliance, efficiency, and growth

Meet Jonathan & TWL

Meet Jonathan & TPL

Chief Data Officer

TardyPackage Logistics (TPL)

Transportation

$8.2 billion annual

* Jonathan isn’t a real person but a composite of multiple clients we’ve worked with in the past.

  • Multinational transportation company with $8.2 billion annual revenue
  • Operations span rail, road, and sea logistics across North America, Europe, and Asia
  • Employs 25,000+ people globally with fleet of 5,000+ vehicles and 250 locomotives
  • Jonathan serves as CDO (3 years) with 8 total years at TPL
  • Strong technical background in data science and computer science
  • Bridges technology capabilities and business needs
  • Build a unified data architecture that connects 14 disparate systems into a cohesive data platform providing consistent metrics across all business units.
  • Implement robust data governance frameworks that ensure data quality while streamlining compliance across all 28 countries of operation.
  • Enable predictive maintenance capabilities by integrating IoT sensor data with maintenance history to prevent costly breakdowns.
  • Develop advanced analytics models for network optimization, dynamic routing, and fuel efficiency improvements.
  • Transform TPL’s data capability maturity from reactive reporting to predictive and prescriptive analytics that drive competitive advantage.
  • Spends 40% of his department’s resources reconciling conflicting data from multiple systems before it can be used for basic decision-making.
  • Cannot provide consistent answers to executive questions about fleet utilization, maintenance efficiency, or on-time performance metrics.
  • Struggles with data ownership and accountability across geographically dispersed business units with inconsistent data practices.
  • Cannot effectively implement advanced analytics due to data quality issues, siloed information, and inconsistent master data.

A recent board meeting has intensified pressure on Jonathan after the CIO presented a competitive analysis showing TPL trailing industry peers in digital capabilities. The COO openly questioned the value of TPL’s current data investments, citing the continued inability to track key performance metrics consistently. The CEO is now requesting a comprehensive data strategy with concrete ROI projections within 60 days.

Jonathan needs the help of a consultancy that can help him drive business value quickly – one with deep expertise in both transportation industry data challenges and practical implementation experience.

Do Jonathan's challenges sound familiar?

Navigate from data chaos to operational excellence

DataCatalyst works with large transportation companies to optimize business value through data management and data governance.

We help with strategy and implementation of leading-edge technologies and practices, delivering projects with a 100% success rate.

Our unique Accelerate methodology provides transport companies with a battle-tested framework tailored to your industry’s unique challenges. This holistic approach combines strategic planning with rapid implementation, and emphasizes business-driven requirements and practical solutions.

We help you transform disconnected data silos into a unified source of truth that drives operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and competitive advantage.

When disconnected data derails performance

In transportation, data management and data governance issues manifest as operational inefficiencies that impact service reliability and profitability.

  • Siloed asset data across telematics, maintenance systems, and parts inventory prevents a unified view of fleet health and utilization.
  • Inconsistent equipment hierarchies make it difficult to track components and aggregate data for meaningful analysis.
  • Lack of real-time visibility into the location and condition of vehicles, goods, or passengers leads to delays and poor decision-making.
  • Data quality issues in intermodal operations cause delays, lost cargo, and billing disputes when exchanging information between different systems and organizations.
  • Customer data fragmentation across ticketing systems, loyalty programs, and customer service platforms hinders personalization and seamless experiences.

But these data challenges extend far beyond operational headaches, eroding profitability, compromising safety, and diminishing competitive advantage.

  • Increased operational costs from inefficient routes, fuel waste, and reactive maintenance approaches.
  • Safety and reliability risks from poor data quality and inadequate predictive maintenance capabilities.
  • Poor customer experience from delays, lack of communication, and inability to provide personalized services.
  • Suboptimal pricing and capacity decisions made without good data on demand patterns and costs.
  • Loss of competitive edge in an increasingly digital and data-driven industry.

Take control of your transportation data

DataCatalyst specializes in data management and data governance solutions for large transportation companies.

Master Data Management (MDM)

We implement MDM solutions to create a single, authoritative source of truth for your critical business data.
Asset Data MDM
Centralize information about vehicles, equipment, and infrastructure, including maintenance records, specifications, and location data to enable better asset lifecycle management.
Unify customer information across different systems to enable personalized services and improved customer relationship managemen
Consolidate information about routes, schedules, and networks to optimize operations and improve planning.
Standardize parts data across your organization to reduce errors, improve maintenance effectiveness, and optimize inventory.

Data Governance

We help establish comprehensive governance frameworks to ensure data quality, compliance, and effective management.

Data governance charters and policies
Develop tailored policies and procedures that address the operational complexities and safety requirements of transportation operations.
Establish clear ownership structures for fleet data, route information, scheduling, and regulatory compliance documentation.
Implement monitoring tools and processes to ensure the accuracy of logistics data, supporting route optimization, maintenance scheduling, and regulatory compliance.
Create comprehensive business glossaries and data dictionaries to standardize terminology across operational divisions and external partners in the logistics chain.
Develop governance processes that maintain accurate records for vehicle maintenance, driver certifications, and other regulatory requirements.

Data Strategy

We’ll help you develop a comprehensive data strategy that plots a clear route to achieving your business goals.

Business goals workshop
We first assess your organization’s strategic objectives and identify how data can support long-term business goals.
We evaluate your existing data landscape to identify gaps and opportunities.
We help your business stakeholders envision an ideal future state that is achievable and adaptable.
We create a practical roadmap that aligns with where you are today and that is flexible for where you want to go tomorrow. We design realistic, achievable phases designed to deliver value quickly.

Drive transportation excellence with our unique Accelerate methodology

The Accelerate methodology is our battle-tested approach to guiding transportation clients through the entire data lifecycle. Developed through hundreds of successful implementations, Accelerate is a holistic methodology that views each business comprehensively, considering not only the immediate data needs but how data management, governance, and monetization impact all areas of your organization.
Holistic understanding of your organization
We assess data opportunities across your entire organization – from fleet operations and maintenance to customer service and route planning. This comprehensive view helps us connect siloed data and create a unified platform that supports both operational precision and customer satisfaction.
Unlike purely technical implementations, our Accelerate methodology ensures business needs drive requirements. Through collaborative workshops, we map your current and future state processes to ensure data management and governance efforts directly support business goals like improving asset utilization, optimizing routes, and enhancing safety.
Our “gray-haired SWAT teams” of seasoned experts bring both deep technical knowledge and industry experience to each project. These purpose-built teams focus on speed and efficiency, providing you with direct access to senior talent throughout the engagement – not junior consultants learning on your time.
We capitalize on cost-effective means to create value quickly. By prioritizing critical data elements like fleet information, route data, or customer profiles for initial implementation, we reduce scope creep and accelerate return on investment. This approach is particularly valuable for transportation companies who need to see tangible improvements in operational efficiency.
Our methodology balances structured planning with flexibility, allowing you to implement new requirements on your timetable while realizing benefits progressively. This helps transportation enterprises manage the complexity of integrating asset, route, and customer data across multiple systems without disrupting ongoing operations.
We recognize that successful data initiatives require more than just technology. Our approach focuses on promoting ownership and understanding of data across your organization, fostering a data-driven culture where operations, maintenance, and customer service teams all work from a single source of truth.

Accelerate doesn’t just deliver a technical solution – it creates a sustainable framework for ongoing data management. We help establish the operating model and organizational structure to keep your data clean and consistent long after implementation, ensuring continued compliance, efficiency, and competitive advantage.

The result? A comprehensive data foundation that enables better decision-making and operational excellence across your enterprise, implemented by experts who will challenge your thinking, drive meaningful change, and ensure lasting success.

Data clarity fuels operational excellence

Enhanced operational performance

  • Optimize routes and reduce fuel consumption
  • Improve asset utilization and availability
  • Streamline compliance management

Safety and reliability improvements

  • Enhance vehicle and infrastructure safety
  • Support regulatory compliance reporting

Customer experience and revenue growth

  • Create a unified view of customers across touchpoints
  • Enable personalized services and communication

Strategic advantages​

  • Access reliable business intelligence
  • Develop data-driven operational strategies
  • Adapt quickly to changing market conditions
  • Build a foundation for potential data monetization

We don't just 'do' – we push, we question, and we challenge

We are wholly committed to driving success, not simply implementing tools.

Our teams actively question and challenge clients throughout the engagement, pushing beyond conventional thinking to identify the best possible solutions. We don’t simply agree with stakeholders – we engage in productive disagreement when necessary to ensure the right decisions are made. This consultative approach ensures your data initiatives deliver maximum business value rather than just technical implementations.

Client Success Stories

Catalyzing discovery: How a global biotechnology leader unified data to accelerate innovation

Powering improvement: How a major oil & gas operator achieved $25M annual savings through asset data transformation

Prescribing data clarity: How a global pharma company accelerated time-to-market by improving product data

Healing healthcare data: How a Medicaid MCO created golden member records to reduce claims denials by 75%

High-yield data: How a global investment bank implemented MDM and recaptured $75M in annual revenue

Delivering efficiency: How unified data helped a food distributor save $30M annually

Ready to embark on your data transformation?

Request a complimentary DataCatalyst Health Check to identify your most critical data challenges and opportunities. Our team of transportation data experts will provide insights into how your organization can transform fragmented data into a strategic asset that drives operational efficiency, safety, and competitive advantage.

Request a Health Check