WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has released letters from Class I railroads outlining their “peak season” service plans.
In June, Chairman W. Douglas Buttrey sent letters to the chief executive officers of the seven largest railroads and to the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA), asking the railroads to inform the STB of their plans to ascertain the demand for, and to prepare for, the provision of peak-season service; their performance goals for the remainder of 2006 and their plans for achieving those goals; and their plans to communicate their service goals and plans with customers.
In announcing the public release of these replies on July 20, Chairman Buttrey said: “I am today making available to the industry and the public the railroads’ responses to my June 28 letter regarding their respective service plans for addressing the ‘peak’ shipping season.
“The information in these responses should assist freight rail users in planning for the peak season. I want to thank the railroads for their timely responses with the information requested,” he added. “In the current climate of rapidly increasing demand for rail service, the railroads indicate that they expect to handle this year’s peak season with reasonable efficiency. In this regard, the railroads report significant capital investments in facilities and equipment, focused operational planning to enhance their performance metrics, increased hiring and training of employees, and regular communication with customers. I trust that these responses that we are posting in full on the Board’s Web site will prove to be informative and helpful.”
To read the railroads’ responses, click here.
