Digitalisation is no longer optional for intermodal terminals seeking to stay competitive. A modern Terminal Operating System (TOS) is central to improving yard efficiency, boosting throughput, and enhancing customer service. However, with the growing complexity of rail freight logistics, selecting the right system and provider is a significant challenge in itself.
This article draws from the Intermodal TOS Decision Guide published by Tideworks Technology, a U.S.-based TOS provider with a footprint in North America, South America, Oceania and Europe. The guide was updated in 2025, and this article builds on our previously published feature. It offers a deeper, more structured look at what terminals should consider today, especially as integration, automation, and scalability have become increasingly important in a rail-driven supply chain.
Many terminals now face the dual pressures of managing current constraints while preparing for future growth. It is now more important than ever for terminals to assess their business needs and choose the right provider that will support long-term business goals without locking operators into costly or inflexible solutions.
Step 1 – Assess your terminal’s TOS needs
The first step is to get a clear understanding of your terminal’s current operational goals and performance gaps. Is your priority to speed up gate transactions, improve yard planning, reduce unproductive moves, or enhance customer communication? These answers will help shape the type of TOS features you need and clarify whether your existing systems are still fit for purpose. Many terminals operate with legacy or homegrown solutions that struggle to support real-time planning or digitised workflows, making it hard to identify inefficiencies or track KPIs. Terminal data is most valuable when it reflects current operations. Real-time visibility can enhance yard planning, staffing, equipment allocation, and traffic control, while traditional software often falls short in supporting this level of insight, limiting your ability to optimise performance.
Terminals should also consider how their operations are likely to change in the next five years. Will container volumes increase? Are new services or partners expected to come online? A TOS that cannot scale with the business or integrate with future systems will quickly become a liability. Small and mid-sized terminals in particular should avoid assuming that their current footprint justifies only basic tools. If long-term growth is part of the strategy, then scalable and modular TOS solutions are worth prioritising from the outset.
Step 2 – Conduct a gap analysis
Once needs are outlined, terminals can begin identifying what’s missing. This involves examining whether current systems can integrate with external partners, such as trucking apps, appointment systems, or warehouse management platforms, as well as internal systems like billing and resource planning. If data cannot be exchanged in real-time across systems, or if manual workarounds are required to track shipments or manage yard assets, the existing setup may be limiting performance without being immediately apparent.
Integration isn’t just a technical detail; it’s the foundation for automation and efficiency. Without proper connections between systems, terminals risk duplicated work, delays, and poor visibility. Many older TOS platforms are not equipped to support this kind of digital environment. Mapping out current capabilities against desired features provides a clearer picture of the type of solution needed and helps avoid the mistake of underestimating future integration demands.
Step 3 – Audit your existing system
With the gap analysis complete, a structured system audit is the next step. This involves testing the flexibility, reliability, and scalability of the current TOS, if one is in place. Can it handle increased throughput? Can it support automated yard planning or prioritised work orders? Does it offer role-based access control, and how difficult is it to train new users? These are all practical checkpoints in assessing whether to upgrade or replace.
An audit should also identify less visible issues, such as whether inefficiencies are resulting in higher costs per move, slower truck turnaround, or missed service-level targets. Older systems may appear functional but can quietly erode competitiveness through wasteful equipment use, data delays, or security risks. If a terminal cannot track or respond to operational bottlenecks in real-time, it’s likely to lose both money and service quality.
Step 4 – Prioritise core capabilities in a TOS provider
With the current system assessed and future needs defined, the focus turns to what a modern TOS should offer. For rail terminals, key capabilities include flexible yard planning, automated gate-to-rail workflows, configurable business rules, and strong data visualisation tools. These features allow for better control of yard space, reduced manual intervention, and faster container handling. Operators should look for solutions that offer these features out of the box.
Equally important is the provider’s integration track record. The TOS must be able to connect with customer systems and third-party vendor tools using both traditional EDI and modern API formats. Without this flexibility, terminals may find themselves locked out of data-sharing partnerships or unable to adopt emerging technologies, such as AI-driven planning or DGPS-based tracking. Vendor transparency regarding these capabilities is essential — and so is evidence that the system was designed with rail in mind, rather than being retrofitted from marine applications.
Step 5 – Interview and vet vendors thoroughly
Once potential TOS providers are identified, terminals should dig deeper. This means asking practical questions about hosting models (on-premise or SaaS), support packages, and the provider’s upgrade roadmap. Cost is another primary consideration: licensing fees are just the start. Terminals should also factor in training, third-party integrations, ongoing support, and future scalability costs when evaluating return on investment.
Security and vendor reliability are also key. Ask how data is isolated between clients and how downtime is prevented. Is the system monitored 24/7? Can the provider support your internal IT team during the onboarding process? Look for providers that offer not just a tool, but a partnership, with implementation expertise and a forward-looking product strategy that can keep pace with rapid changes in the rail freight sector.
Step 6 – Evaluate vendor experience and fit
Ultimately, it’s crucial to evaluate the provider’s credibility in the intermodal space. Have they worked with terminals of a similar size and complexity? Do they understand the operational demands of rail logistics — including appointment systems, truck coordination, and live-load management? A technically solid product is of limited value if the vendor doesn’t understand your specific use case or cannot support implementation effectively.
Terminal operators should also consider whether the provider offers professional services, managed hosting, or consultative support that goes beyond software delivery. A good TOS partner should be invested in your long-term success, not just system uptime. The right provider brings both domain knowledge and a proactive approach to problem-solving, ensuring that the TOS becomes a strategic asset rather than a technical hurdle.
Choosing the right TOS provider is a critical step toward improving efficiency, scalability, and service quality at your terminal. Use these steps to clarify your priorities, avoid costly missteps, and build a TOS strategy that supports both your current needs and future growth. A smarter, more agile terminal starts with asking the right questions and selecting the right partner. Download the full Intermodal TOS Decision Guide to take the next step toward smarter, more agile terminal operations.
