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

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RailRunner’s patented bimodal technology to be used on national rail network

WALTHAM, Mass., Sept. 20, 2016 – RailRunner NA, Inc., a global innovator in cargo rail technology, today announced that its RailRunner South Africa unit has signed a 20-year agreement with Transnet Ltd, South Africa’s state-owned transport company, to put RailRunner’s high-density bi-modal trailers into service on the Cape Corridor and other parts of Transnet’s 20,000-km rail system. RailRunner values the contract at US$400 million in service revenues, and equipment sales by licensed third parties.

The first use of RailRunner technology will be on the 1,400-km Cape Town to Gauteng line, targeted for launch in 2018.

Transnet and RailRunner (through its South African subsidiary RailRunner SA) are forming a joint venture to implement the new technology, providing a door-to-door transportation system spanning road and rail. Transnet has authorized another local company, a subsidiary of RailRunner South Africa trading as RNS, to provide local network services through Transnet.

RailRunner’s unique trailer can carry standard shipping containers on rail lines or the highway, shifting quickly and easily from one to the other without the need for expensive cranes and the other equipment in a traditional intermodal hub. As importantly, the design of the RailRunner trailer packs the containers closer together, allowing for 20 to 40 percent more cargo on a given length of railcars. Yet the weight of the RailRunner trailer is less than a traditional flatcar, making for lower energy costs and carbon emissions.

The move by Transnet is part of the South African Government long-term Market Development Strategy (or MDS) to shift traffic from South Africa’s congested highways to more efficient rails.

“RailRunner technology is a perfect match for the challenges – and opportunities – Transnet faces in South Africa,” said Charles Foskett, CEO of RailRunner. “This will enable Transnet to offer a complete end-to-end transport solution for its customers, while reducing costs, harmful emissions, and highway traffic. RailRunner is excited to be a partner with Transnet, a world leader in rail freight transport.”

RailRunner has developed bimodal technology that allows a patented RailRunner trailer to run over the road as well as rail. The RailRunner trailers and bogies (the specialized sets of wheel that allow the trailers to operate on rails) are used to form a bimodal block train which can be connected to a standard locomotive for the terminal-to-terminal transport leg. RailRunner specialises in design, manufacture and supply of bimodal bogies and trailers. RailRunner trains can transport domestic trailer systems or international sea containers. Standardized containers handled by the RailRunner system can be interchanged between all modes of traditional intermodal transport: road, rail, and ship. The company is privately held and based in Waltham, MA.

Transnet is the largest freight logistics company in South Africa, spanning rails, pipelines, and port operations. The company reported revenues of R62.2 billion (US$4.34 billion) for the year ending March 31, 2016.

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For further RailRunner press information contact:

Mark Metzger
Metzger Communications
+1-781-254-4186
mmetzger@metzgerco.com

For further Transnet press information contact:

Sandile Similane
(27) 11-544-9584
(27) 83-703-4179
sandile.similane@transnet.net

Download a PDF of this Press Release.

15 September 2016

Transnet is excited to announce collaboration with RailRunner South Africa (RRSA). Transnet and RRSA have signed an agreement on a bimodal rail service that will create an end-to-end supply chain solution.

This revolutionary technology will be implemented in Africa for the first time on the Transnet rail network operated by Transnet Freight Rail. A bimodal service will offer customers a complete logistics solution on road and rail. This collaboration puts Transnet at the forefront of ground-breaking technology in the South African and African Rail industries.

Transnet and RRSA intend to form a joint venture whose sole objective is to explore, develop, and execute an integrated rail/road door-to-door solution for the African market. This joint venture will be in the form of a registered entity, in which each of the parties will hold a 50% shareholding. The venture will be constituted in a manner that enables both parties to participate in the making of strategic and day-to-day decisions with regard to all of the joint venture’s business.

The Cape (Cape to Gauteng) Corridor has been identified as a pilot route due to the flexibility and need for end-to-end solutions that this domestic market requires. This corridor integrates the long distance rail with the shorter first and last mile road legs that deliver cargo directly to a customer’s doorstep.

In addition, a privately owned operating company trading as “RNS” will also explore, develop, and execute an integrated road to rail door to door solution for the African market. The shareholding of this entity will be advised once negotiations relating to this shareholding have been completed. RNS and Transnet’s joint venture will compete in the market on an equal footing.

A number of local manufacturing companies, including Transnet Engineering, have been pre-qualified to manufacture the RailRunner bimodal units, and requests for quotations will be issued later this month.

In line with Transnet’s Market Demand Strategy (MDS) this bimodal solution will realise Transnet’s strategy to get rail friendly traffic off the road and onto rail.

The RailRunner® technology provides a unique logistics solution to South Africa’s freight transportation infrastructure and gives the benefits of lower shipping costs for container, trailer, and food transporters. This revolutionary system also has reduced energy consumption which will ultimately reduce the carbon footprint of freight transportation.

This is not only a breakthrough for Transnet and the rail industry, but also for South Africa’s domestic freight industry. This bimodal logistics solution will ultimately enhance the economic competiveness and growth of freight rail transport in South Africa, potentially increase Transnet’s market share within the domestic freight environment and further create job opportunities.

RailRunner uses bimodal technology that allows a RailRunner bespoke designed trailer to run over the road as well as rail. The RailRunner trailers and bogies are used to form a bimodal block train which can be connected to a standard locomotive for the terminal to terminal transport leg. RailRunner specialises in design, manufacture and supply of both bogies and bespoke trailers. The standardised containers handled by the RailRunner system can be interchanged between all modes of traditional intermodal transport, i.e. road, rail, and RoRo on ship.

-End-

Issued by Transnet Freight Rail

For further information contact:

Sandile Simelane
Spokesperson: Transnet Freight Rail
Tel: 011- 544 9584
Cell: 083 703 4179

For further information from RailRunner contact:

Mike Daniel
CEO RailRunner South Africa (Pty) Ltd.
Tel: 011-462 0577
Cell: 082 888 4422

Download a PDF of this Press Release.