During the 1990s, the Canadian Pacific Railway used a tonnage-based operating model in which freight trains ran only when there was sufficient traffic to justify the expense. This model focused on minimizing the total number of freight trains in service and maximizing the size of each train. However, it did not necessarily use crews, locomotives, and equipment efficiently, and it resulted in inconsistent transit times and delivery schedules. Canadian Pacific and other railroads were losing business to trucking firms, which offered more flexible deliveries that could be scheduled at the times most convenient for customers. How could a DSS help Canadian Pacific and other railroads compete with trucking firms more effectively?