Goods transportation can be one of the largest supply chain costs for businesses. Rail freight offers numerous advantages over road freight – it can be significantly cheaper, safer and less damaging to the environment.
Supporting our commitment to improve Australia’s productivity by making rail the mode of choice in the national logistics chain, here are seven reasons to choose rail to move large volumes of freight:
1. Rail freight is more cost-effective.
It is three times more fuel efficient – converting road freight to rail freight can save businesses 10-40%. Longer and more powerful modern trains make it the best-performing land transport mode for large quantities – a typical freight train carries 300 shipping containers (trucks can only carry 3-10).
2. Rail freight is more efficient.
Powerful new AC traction engines have increased haulage capacity by 35% and increased the payload by 400 tonnes per train.
3. Rail freight is safer.
There are notably fewer fatalities and injuries from rail accidents compared to road accidents. Accident costs associated with road freight are 20 times higher than rail.
4. Rail freight is better for the environment.
Rail freight produces 16 times less carbon pollution than road freight for every tonne kilometre travelled. Plus, each freight train removes 65 trucks from congesting our streets, which reduces traffic and saves wear and tear on our roads. It’s benefits like these that underpin our increasingly proactive position on environmental, social and governance (ESG) activities as the world moves towards a more sustainable future.
5. Rail freight is reliable.
Trucks share roads with the public, so deliveries can be delayed by traffic. ARTC has invested more than $9 billion over the past 15 years to improve rail infrastructure and reliability, and we continue to invest in network resilience to strengthen our response to extreme weather events to help keep trains running.
6. Rail freight contributes to the Australian economy.
The rail industry generates almost $30 billion in economic activity each year and supports 165,000 direct and indirect Australian jobs. If the rail industry was a single organisation, it would be the third biggest employer in Australia.
7. Rail freight connects Australia.
Rail connects our regions, cities and ports across the country for the good of the economy and the Australian public.
To find out more about moving your freight by rail, contact:
INTERSTATE: Nick Minervini – Customer Relationship Manager – 0418 984 760 or nminervini@artc.com.au
GENERAL: enquiries@artc.com.au