Abstract: The impact of b double operation on an's business will be confined to bulk cargos, with the greatest effect being felt by short/ medium distance movements of petroleum products and some short distance general freight movements to provincial cities. For some other commodities rail's revenue may be eroded slightly but it is unlikely that significant traffic will be lost. Long distance general cargos carried by rail are much less threatened by b doubles, although there may be some impact on the shorter inter capital city corridors, eg, Adelaide Melbourne. Introduction of new 5 pack technology in mainline rail corridors will give rail a substantial cost advantage which will ensure that in those corridors where it is efficiently used, rail will gain market share despite the advent of b doubles as potential competitors. An is one of two government owned rail systems (the other is westrail) which now expect to earn a financial surplus from their commercial freight businesses in the near future. An expects to begin achieving this result no later than 1988/89, and it is not expected that this date will be delayed by competition from b doubles (a).
Publication Year: 1988
Publication Date: 1988-07-01
Language: en
Type: article
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