Significance of the contractual relationship for the efficient railway maintenance project planning

Abstract

Efficiently planned railway maintenance helps ensure reliable infrastructure and the proper functioning of its components. The Swedish Transport Administration delegates maintenance work to contractors through a tender process. This paper analyses differences in communication and collaboration in the planning and execution of maintenance under two contract types. A document review and interviews with 22 project managers identifies issues in planning and scheduling related to knowledge transfer at contractor companies, booking time for maintenance and lack of trust between contractors and the client. The results show how the two types of contracts are perceived differently by the parties to the contracts.