‘TFR spreads good service message by word of mouth'

01 Mar 2013 - by Joy Orlek

Transnet Freight Rail has
told FTW that it faces no
challenges in convincing
customers to use its service.
“Customers are using
word of mouth to share
the level of good service
they are experiencing,”
TFR spokesman Sandile
Simelane told FTW. “Like
in any system, it can
always be improved and
not all customers are fully
happy,” he said, “but we
are continuing to grow
market share in our general
freight business and are
comfortable with our
growth given the state of
the economy.”
Further details of the
level of growth will be
released when the annual
results are made public, he
added.
While TFR may deny
that it has any challenges in
winning traffic from road,
shippers approached by
FTW pointed to the lack of
reliability and predictability
of the service as a major
constraint in their modal
choice.
The introduction of a
scheduled service unveiled
by TFR CEO Siyabonga
Gama in November 2011
was a step in the right
direction.
But Simelane points
out that optimal operation
demands buy-in from all
stakeholders.
“TFR runs 1400 trains a
day throughout its network.
The Natcor (Gauteng-
Durban) is a key route for
automotive, containers and
other minerals.
“We are currently
experiencing 50%
compliance on this route
to the scheduled railway.
This is driven largely by
customer demand which
has been impacted by
the downturn as well as
incidents at container
terminals in Durban and
rail incidents en route to
Durban and Gauteng.”
Industry is highly
receptive to the scheduled
railway philosophy, he
added, and some are more
aware than others that in
order for it to work even
better requires all players in
the supply chain to support
the plan.
“Network reliability,
rolling stock availability
and ships offloaded
timeously are all key
indicators for the success of
the initiative,” he said.
A key stakeholder in the
big picture is Transnet Port
Terminals, and upgraderelated
delays in Durban
have clearly impacted the
rail operation.
In October last year,
TFR intermodal business
unit executive manager
Wiseman Madinane
told FTW that TFR was
revisiting the idea of
equalising rail rates on
the Jo’burg-PE route with
Jo’burg-Durban during the
upgrades.
These discussions are
continuing, said Simelane,
but no definitive decisions
have yet been made.
In response to customer
requests for better track and
trace feedback from TFR,
he said an initiative to
enable track and trace was
ongoing internally.
The objective going
forward is volume growth,
said Simelane. “Our Market
Demand Strategy requires
continuous improvement
and efficiency gains to
assist us to continue taking
market share.”