Alrode, Gauteng.
The Trucking Association of South Africa (TASA) has taken a shareholding position in Technorail, the level 1 BBBEE shareholder of RailRunner South Africa (RailRunner).
In so doing, TASA joins other Technorail BBBEE shareholders, Smartvest and Menston Industries. TASA was formed to transform the logistics industry, initially through being the voice of the emerging trucking industry; including distressed truckers and woman owners from previously disadvantaged backgrounds.
RailRunner’s innovative technology, products and services provide sustainable integrated end-to-end road and rail intermodal freight transport solutions, thereby lowering logistics costs by up to 20% and reducing transport emissions of CO2 by 40%.
“Contrary to perceptions, the movement of freight from road to rail is not an insurmountable challenge for the road freight industry.” said TASA President Mary Phadi, “The collaboration between TASA and RailRunner demonstrates that the road freight industry is well positioned to take advantage of this shift to expand services at lower costs and increase trucking revenues and profitability”.
“The cooperation between TASA and RailRunner provides a route to ensure that beneficial cargo owners will enjoy the same strong relationships with their logistics providers who will continue to provide their door-to-door service quality through first and last mile transport”, commented Mike Daniel, CEO of RailRunner South Africa. “Truckers know how to provide safe and reliable service across all industrial sectors, and this service level will be enhanced with lower cost and decarbonization via integration with intermodal transport”.
Both TASA and RailRunner have embraced the synergy to make best use of available rail resources whilst relieving the pressure on the crumbling long distance road infrastructure, traffic congestion and air pollution.
Even prior to the announcement of the Transnet strategy of open access, RailRunner and Transnet had entered into a twenty (20) year collaborative agreement for hook and haul on the main logistics corridors.
Inland dry ports/terminals to accommodate the RailRunner road trailer and train assembly operations are simple terminals which do not require expensive handling systems, and therefore can be established at strategic locations to service existing and new, previously unserved, markets.
These terminals (Terminal AnywhereTM) may be privately owned by developers and other interested investors. RailRunner Service Companies (RSC’s) together with TASA drivers/owners, will form the nucleus of a reformed intermodal road and rail transport system, ideally suited to immediately address South Africa’s infrastructure challenges.
For more information, visit www.truckers-association.co.za