Rail Road brings on new equipment to speed up turnaround

RAIL ROAD Containers has embarked on an aggressive drive to expand its market share and attract more cargo from road to rail, says recentlyappointed director marketing and operations, Sidney Ueckermann. The company is already ‘tooling up’ in anticipation of increased volumes. Its Port Elizabeth operation has invested in a new Steelbro sidelifter, due for delivery at the end of this month. “There’s increasing demand from the market for containers to be placed on the ground, which is why we chose the sidelifter option,” Ueckermann told FTW. “It will free up equipment which can be deployed elsewhere, and help to speed up turnaround.” Rail Road has also bought a further nine trailers which are being refurbished and will be distributed in Durban and Cape Town. The company’s business is currently a 70/30 split between rail Rail Road brings on new equipment to speed up turnaround Sidney Ueckermann … ‘Superhighway’ rates have made rail extremely competitive. and road and changing that ratio is high on the priority list. “The introduction by Transnet Freight Rail of its ‘superhighway’ rates, which effectively reduce the cost of rail transport on the Durban – Gauteng corridor, has made the rail option extremely competitive and seen some shippers switching back,” says Ueckermann. But reliability remains a concern. Rail transit time is not the problem, he points out. “The delays are generally in the marshalling yards and getting into the terminal and the port. Part of the motivation for the purchase of additional trailers was coping with congestion.” On the whole, however, Ueckermann believes that service levels offered by TFR have improved significantly. While the service may not be perfect, it’s certainly moving in the right direction, he said.