Canada's truckers call on railways to improve services

THE Canadian trucking industry is urging the railways to improve service, to enable the two transportation modes to work together and provide "reliable" intermodal service to shippers, according to Toronto-based Truck News.

The demand was made by the Canadian Trucking Alliance in a submission to a panel formed by the federal government as part of its rail freight service review.

It follows the findings of a CTA survey in which 82 per cent of respondents expressed displeasure with the current level of service provided by Canada's Class 1 railways. Common complaints include wait times at intermodal terminals, unreliable on-time performance and demurrage fees.

"Some trucking companies would like to move more freight over rail if only the conditions could be made more palatable," said CTA chief executive David Bradley. "Some who have tried, have given up. If all supply chain partners work together and live up to their service obligations, the freight transportation system as a whole will become more efficient."

The CTA suggested the railways create action plans to respond to the anticipated recommendations of the panel and that improvements be overseen by the Canadian Transportation Agency, the report said.

"Trucking is a bastion of free market competition, and we are loathe to suggest that bureaucratic structures be put in place that would regulate the relationship between business partners," said Mr Bradley.

(Source: www.schednet.com)