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Rail continues to break records on the strategic land freight corridor linking the Eastern States and Western Australia. During the last six months, rail’s market share of the land freight transport task has exceeded an average of 78.5%. This market share peaked at a record 79.4% during August.
Managing Director of Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), David Marchant said, “The market share of land transport for rail, from the East Coast to the West Coast of Australia, is at its highest level since data was first gathered in 1990.”
“Not only has the market share reached record levels on the strategic East West transcontinental route, but during October, ARTC recorded the highest ever freight volumes over its whole network.”
“For October 2001, a total of 2.56 billion gross tonne kilometres (GTK) was hauled by freight trains over the ARTC network. This represents growth of 16% since 1998 and is the highest volume of freight moved over ARTC territory in at least a decade.”
“This is a significant achievement for above rail competition and the quality of the track infrastructure. It is also a great credit to the rail freight operators, National Rail, SCT, Toll, Patrick, ASR, Freight Australia, ATN Access and FreightCorp who operate freight services over the ARTC network. In addition, passenger rail operator Great Southern Railway continues to enjoy success with the Ghan, Indian Pacific and the Overland”.