Ottawa Light Rail Maintenance Review
Client: Rideau Transit Group
Location: Ottawa
Start date: 2021
End date: 2022
Duration: 3 Months
Services provided: Maintenance Review
The Ottawa Light Rail System was commissioned in 2019 and handed over to the Rideau Transit Group to undertake maintenance under a 30-year Project Agreement.
After two years of operation, Network Rail Consulting (NRC) were contracted to undertake a review of the maturity of the maintenance activity and organization and provide recommendations to support potential efficiencies and improvements for the remained of the maintenance contract term.
The review consisted of a study of relevant documentation ranging from the headline Project Agreement down to individual maintenance work instructions. This was followed by a period of interviews and discussions with representatives from the client and their subcontractors at RTM’s offices.
The scope of work was to review asset management planning and the organisation and delivery of maintenance of:
- Railway Infrastructure;
- Facilities;
- Structures; and
- Revenue Service Vehicles.
This was presented back to the client in the form of a technical report, supporting presentation and feed-back session to senior management with suitable recommendations.
Our Approach
The review was delivered using NRC’s “Heart of Asset Management” approach. Based on best practice, this is not a full review of corporate asset management capability, rather it focusses specifically on maintenance and looks at the day-to-day activities undertaken within the maintenance function.
We reviewed:
- Asset Management Plans;
- Quality Plans;
- Appropriateness of Maintenance;
- Effectiveness of Maintenance Management and Reporting Systems;
- Workorder Management;
- Employee Competence;
- Support Departments (Engineering etc.);
- Adequacy of Tools and Equipment; and
- Adequacy of QA/QC Processes.
Within the technical report (and discussed at the feed-back session) were several recommendations to support RTM improve their compliance.
These were in the areas of:
- Asset Management Plan;
- Inspection Regime;
- Fault and Incident Response;
- Reporting;
- Corridor Access Planning; and
- OEM Support.