Letter: 'Spoornet must jack up service to win cargo from road'

I REFER to the article in which the CEO of the Rail Road Association, John Thompson, pleads for greater law enforcement against road transport companies who are overloading (FTW July 6, 2001).
He suggests that the freight industry should make more use of rail transport to rectify the imbalance between rail and road transport and wants government and the private sector to institute an intermodal transport system.
I have no problem with the abovementioned suggestions, but for the imbalance between road and rail to be corrected, Mr Thompson needs to look further than just calling for heavier penalties against road transport overloaders.
It is extremely frustrating to book cargo for transport by rail. I get the impression that Spoornet has no idea whatsoever when it comes to client liaison with regard to phone bookings.
I would also like to ask Mr Thompson if he has ever tried to trace a rail container movement between Johannesburg and Cape Town. You would be extremely lucky to get an answer from Spoornet immediately if at all.
John Roodt, Intersped, Kempton Park