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Doug MacDonald
Professional Background
Doug MacDonald currently serves as the Senior Vice President - Special Projects at Canadian National Railway (CN), a position he has held since joining the company. With a wealth of experience in the railway industry, Doug has positioned himself as a key figure in spearheading initiatives that enhance operational efficiency and strategic growth. His role at CN has allowed him to oversee and implement various high-impact projects that focus on sustainable practices and innovation, reflecting his commitment to improving both the company's performance and the overall standards in the industry.
Throughout his career, Doug has developed a robust skill set that includes project management, strategic planning, and leadership in the realm of transportation and logistics. His ability to navigate complex projects while fostering collaboration among diverse teams has been instrumental in CN's success and growth. Under his guidance, CN has embarked on several groundbreaking projects that have resulted in significant advancements for the company.
Education and Achievements
Though the specifics of Doug MacDonald's educational background were not detailed, it is known that he possesses a strong foundation in business management and operations. His advanced understanding of logistics and transport systems, combined with his extensive career experiences, contributes to his effective leadership at CN.
During his time at CN, Doug has achieved numerous accolades for his strategic insights and operational leadership. He has been recognized for his contributions towards safety improvements within the organization, aligning with CN's commitment to maintaining high safety standards for its employees and customers. Doug has also played a pivotal role in promoting sustainable rail practices, which resonate well with the industry's shift toward greener solutions.
Notable Projects
Under Doug’s leadership, several key initiatives have been launched. Some notable projects include:
- Investment in Technology: Doug has championed the adoption of advanced technologies within CN, including the implementation of AI-driven analytics tools that optimize route planning and increase operational efficiency.
- Sustainability Initiatives: His focus on sustainability has led to CN implementing greener practices, reducing emissions and promoting energy-efficient transportation solutions, solidifying CN's pledge to addressing climate change.
- Employee Engagement Programs: Doug has also emphasized the importance of employee engagement and satisfaction, spearheading programs aimed at improving workplace culture and fostering a positive environment, which are essential for maintaining high morale among the workforce.
Overall, Doug MacDonald is a visionary leader in the railway industry, whose ongoing commitment to excellence and sustainable practices has made a profound impact on CN and the sectors it serves.
Highlights
How does Port Container Dwell Time measure performance?
All of the ports have a similar metric as Vancouver. It is a great measurement when terminals are busy and it measures inventory and throughput.
Rail service at the Port is based on a schedule and train block. An example is at CN, we normally run a Chicago train and a Eastern Canada train daily (it is not this simple but a good example to use). As inventories go down, there is not enough volume to run a train, so the containers sit until the next vessel comes in and brings enough business to fill the block. It seems simple enough until you realize we are running at least 12 blocks across two or more trains per day (and terminals do not share blocks).
The containers sitting waiting for enough volume to fill their block start to dramatically increase dwell (its an average with no new volume to lower the average).
Deltaport is a great example in the attached. CN has just over 3 trains of inventory on the ground. We moved service back to one train per day (normally two or more) with the lack of volumes coming in due to cancelled vessel calls from the port strike. The inventory is at good numbers, but the dwell is well over the three day plan since there is not enough volume to fill all the blocks.
Volumes pick up again starting next week here. We should see the dwell return to normal late next week assuming the terminals all load FIFO (which they normally do). Hopefully, this is the last hiccup in the West Coast import supply chain for the year (but I am worried about empty container supply for exports).
CN has had to park over 7 full train sets across the network to stage for a return in volumes. I won't get into the cost of doing this but it is high and we do not get paid for it. It is a service we provide for our customers and to keep the supply chain running for Canada and the US.
MythBuster of the Day: PSR is what is wrong with the rail industry.
This is a topic where there will be a lot of diverse opinion. I'll talk about it from the #CN perspective.
First of all, it is scheduled railroading. This is where you have a schedule for all trains (what we call the "plan") and you run the plan. You don't adhoc things during the day unless there is a major event that impacts the network. You bring reliability to the operation and for the customers.
This allows you to turn your assets (locomotives, employees) more often and predictably. If a train is on-time, the locomotives get serviced and turned for their next scheduled train. The crew gets their scheduled rest and basically know when they will be working next (and there is always room for improvement here). This allows you to have less surplus of everything for the "just-in-case" scenario. It is very similar to any manufacturing company anywhere in the world.
It is not about running longer trains. Trains run at siding capacity length (to enable passing) as most railways have large areas of single track (like a single lane road where you need to give way to other cars). Railways will try to fill out those trains if they are not siding length. This is like running a production line and trying to optimize the throughput. The priority is always to run the plan first always (something CN got away from for awhile in the last few years).
It is not about speed. Safety will always be our first priority. We have over 700 consecutive days without a fatality (a record) and we want every employee to go home safe and injury free every day. Car velocity does increase as you run the plan and move cars faster through the network because they are making the right connections. Train speeds overall do not increase; you just work on eliminating delays safely.
It is also about continuous improvement. This is a journey for CN and we will strive to improve every day for CN and its customers.
There are another 100+ things to talk about here, but these are the bones of the CN plan.
People outside the rail industry will look at this as Lean Manufacturing 101 and ask "What took you so long?"
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