How the Tracsis Digital Track Authority Mobile App is Reducing Dispatch Errors

Replacing phone and radio communications with a digital process ensures dispatchers and field employees are always working from the same data, while reducing approval time by up to 95%.

The Tracsis Digital Track Authority (DTA) Mobile App is proven in the field to significantly reduce errors and approval times when managing track authorities and bulletins.

How? While it is impossible to remove all risk of error, the DTA app reduces miscommunication when issuing and managing track warrants by replacing radio and phone calls with a digital process.

Proven Rail Safety and Efficiency Benefits

Ensures the dispatcher and the field employee have the same data
Reduces approval times by up to 95%
Reduces on-hold time by up to 90%
Turns 30-minute tasks into tasks that take three minutes or less
Reduces dispatcher workload by up to 20%
Creates a simpler, more streamlined process

A. What the dispatcher sees in Computer-Aided Dispatch

B. What the field worker sees in the DTA Mobile App

Why the Tracsis DTA Mobile App is Transforming Dispatch

Designed specifically for use with a mobile phone or tablet by a rail worker on the go, the Tracsis DTA Mobile App is compatible with iOS, Android and Windows.

It is a one-stop shop for mandatory directives, handling all types of track bulletins and warrants. In addition, the app retains all active authorities and bulletins if a device goes offline.

The ROI is extensive:

Efficiency: fewer phone calls, less time spent on hold, less data entry, and direct access to data for managers
Productivity: dispatchers have more flexibility around when to service requests, while field workers can start and end work without delays
Safety and peace of mind: everyone is working from the same data set
Visibility: managers can see all authority and track warrant information at a glance, and know where work crews are without having to ask the dispatcher

Case Study: Genesee & Wyoming (G&W)

G&W is North America’s largest operator of short lines and regional railroads and a recognised industry leader in rail safety. As part of a long-standing partnership with Tracsis, G&W began using the DTA app in 2023.

Proof Points

The DTA Mobile App is now used by more than 90 G&W owned or managed short line railroads, almost all G&W railroads in North America.
G&W dispatchers manage about 150,000 track warrants on average each year. The app has significantly reduced errors while also cutting process times, creating a significant safety and efficiency improvement.
The vast majority of track authorities and bulletins for G&W’s MoW team are now managed on the app. For every authority processed over the phone, there are 10 processed via the app.
While some field employees were reluctant to embrace the technology at the outset, the DTA app is now preferred by almost all employees.
Dispatchers now prefer to be assigned to railroads where field workers are using the DTA app.

All our teams like the app. They enjoy the ease of it, they like the security of it, they like to know that when they request limits, they can see the same information as the dispatcher. Overall, we’ve had a good experience with it and the Tracsis team has been great.
“It’s far safer. There’s no misinterpreting, no misunderstanding, no mishearing, whether it’s milepost limits, times, locations, or people’s names, unlike when you’re talking over the radio or on the phone and there’s trains running and horns blowing in the background.”
Tom Ferris, VP Dispatching
Genesee & Wyoming

Read the G&W case study.

Previous Process: Read and Repeat

Many rail operators rely on inefficient dispatch communications processes which:

Require both parties to be available at the same time to have a conversation
Require critical information to be transcribed onto a form and read back
Have variable communication quality due to background noise
Harbour a substantial risk of error

“The traditional verbal process is synchronous and time consuming, taking one call at a time, with several callers typically waiting on hold to request and update their track authorities and bulletins. Those on-hold times can get long when several calls are stacked up, and the dispatcher has other time-sensitive tasks they need to perform.
“Meanwhile, there are more calls waiting on hold for the dispatcher to answer. And when the field employee is done with their work or wants to release a section of track, they may need to wait on hold again to release or update their authority. And the cycle continues.”
Andy KunzmannChief of Technology
Tracsis

Solution: A Digital Communication Process That

Allows the dispatcher and field employee to communicate asynchronously
Allows the field worker to populate the form themselves, reducing data entry for the dispatcher
Simplifies the process for the dispatcher to review and approve

The field employee enters the information directly on their mobile app, selecting the territory, track, and other attributes for the requested authority or bulletin. They can do this in advance of heading out to the job site.
“When the dispatcher processes the request, they will see all the information that the requestor has entered, already filled out on the form that they would otherwise need to populate themselves using the conventional verbal process.
“This reduces the dispatcher’s workload, as now they only need to review the request and validate it for conflicts. Changes can be quickly made if needed and the modified form is sent back to the field employee for review.
“This happens in real time, and each party can be doing other things while the process is proceeding.
“Once both the dispatcher and the field employee have reviewed and confirmed the final details, the authority or bulletin can be put into an active state by the dispatcher.
“Typically, for a MoW field employee, if they send their request before leaving the shop, it will be approved and ready to go by the time they arrive at the field location.
“The same digital process can be used when it’s time to update or release an authority.”
Andy KunzmannChief of Technology
Tracsis

A. What a dispatcher sees in Computer-Aided Dispatch

B. What a field employee sees in the DTA Mobile App

Next Steps

G&W: Roll Out to Train Crews

More than 500 G&W team members are using the DTA Mobile App and the number is set to substantially increase in 2026 as a version for train crews is rolled out.

A total of 30% of track authorities at G&W are issued to MoW employees, while 70% are issued to train crews, so the productivity, safety and time-saving benefits will escalate in the second stage.

G&W has so far introduced the DTA app to train crews on five railroads and will continue to expand adoption for strategic railroads.

Expanded Functionality

At Tracsis, we never stop innovating. We are investigating options for geofencing, leveraging AI to drive further automation, and the potential for a graphical “view only” function of the full Computer-Aided Dispatch network from the DTA Mobile App.

Performance isn’t promised. It’s proven.

Find out more about Tracsis’ market-leading Computer-Aided Dispatch capability.