TFR responds to FTW article

We refer to the article titled
”TFR fails to win strikestruck
business”, (FTW
October 12, 2012).
Transnet Freight Rail
finds the article to be
highly uninformed,
sensational, simplistic,
imprudent and naive
to say that TFR has
failed to capitalise on an
opportunity to pursue the
truckers’ strike.
The article displays lack
of understanding of how
TFR conducts its business
with customers as well as
TFR’s complementary role
with truckers – particularly
on short hauls.
What the writer fails
to grasp is that Transnet
Freight Rail does business
through entering into longterm
contracts with its
customers. All contracts
are based on individual
customers’ needs dictated
by conditions such as
distance, the availability
of sidings, daily, weekly
and monthly volumes,
frequency etc. TFR
does not “pick up” any
ad hoc cargo based on
circumstances such as
strikes etc. The assertion
that TFR would have
capitalised on cargo that
may not have been moved
due to “strike action” is
therefore mischievous.
For the past five years,
TFR has continued to
improve on its ability to
provide excellent service
in the container and
automotive business. The
company has significantly
invested in ramping up
its service offering in
this sector through its
growing capital investment
programme, including,
amongst others, investing
in new rolling stock, rail
network systems and
signalling.
In the past three years,
TFR launched a specialised
business unit called the
container and automotive
business unit to focus on
railing containers and
automotive products. Since
the establishment of this
unit, TFR has notched up
several successes. Most
notably, the company has
entered into long-term rail
contracts with different
shipping and automotive
companies such as MSC,
Maersk, Toyota, BMW and
so forth.
TFR also moves
containerised coal for some
Eskom power stations.
This strategy will succeed
in reducing full truck
trips per day from 3000 to
550 over the period. TFR
aims to reduce coal road
volumes from 37 million
tons to less than 7 million
tons per annum in the next
five years.
Sandile Simelane,
spokesperson TFR.