• Aviation Security: TSA Has Completed Key Activities Associated with Implementing Secure Flight, but Additional Actions Are Needed to Mitigate Risks. GAO-09-292, May 13, 2009 (62 pages).
  http://www.gao.gov/docdblite/details.php?rptno=GAO-09-292
• Federal Transit Administration: Progress and Challenges in Implementing and Evaluating the Job Access and Reverse Commute Program. GAO-09-496, May 21, 2009 (52 pages).
  http://www.gao.gov/docdblite/details.php?rptno=GAO-09-496
• Freight Rail Security: Actions Have Been Taken to Enhance Security, but the Federal Strategy Can Be Strengthened and Security Efforts Better Monitored. GAO-09-243, April 21, 2009 (123 pages).
  http://www.gao.gov/docdblite/details.php?rptno=GAO-09-243
• Motor Carrier Safety: Commercial Vehicle Registration Program Has Kept Unsafe Carriers from Operating, but Effectiveness Is Difficult to Measure. GAO-09-495, May 12, 2009 (37 pages).
  http://www.gao.gov/docdblite/details.php?rptno=GAO-09-495
• Responses to Questions for the Record: March 18, 2009, Hearing on ATC Modernization: Near-Term Achievable Goals. GAO-09-718R, May 20, 2009 (14 pages).
  http://www.gao.gov/docdblite/details.php?rptno=GAO-09-718R

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Since Veolia Environnement is looking for reducing its debt of around €2 billion, since the 2008 net result divided by two from the previous year at €405 million, since the stocks lost 43% of its market value in the last 12 months, the mothers company needs to bring back confidence among its investors. Traffic flows in freight rail dropped up to 40-50% and Veolia Cargo even stopped its cooperation with French marine shipping company CMA-CGM: both companies shut down their joint venture, Veolia Cargo Link, in march 2009… Selling subsidiaries is a way to get cash flow back flowing!

From the outside, we can wonder who will buy out Veolia Cargo: Deutsche Bahn, who already spent €700 million in the United Kingdom to buy out EWS? Another European key-player in freight operation, from Spain or Italy? This will definitely be a way to compete against the French National Railway Company, SNCF… However, from “information or propaganda” to an official “announcement”, the selling of Veolia Cargo seems real enough to have SNCF, the French National Railway company interested in buying out the private company’s freight rail operations! Pierre Blayau, SNCF Fret (SNCF freight division) President confirmed his company’s interest in its direct opponent on the French market.

References

• Article: Veolia Environnement met en vente Veolia Cargo, Les Echos, May 11, 2009: here
• Article: La SNCF candidat à une reprise de Veolia Cargo, e-Lloyd, May 13, 2009: here

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This report evaluates the applicability, Federal policy implications, and possible public and private sector roles related to peak pricing strategies at ports and intermodal facilities in the U.S. and includes a detailed analysis of the PierPASS OffPeak Program, key port market characteristics, institutional issues pertinent to port peak pricing programs, and policy and program considerations.

The report is available at: http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop09014/index.htm

For additional information please contact: Ed Strocko, FHWA Office of Freight Management and Operations,  ed.strocko@dot.gov or +1 202-366-2997

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• Coast Guard: Observations on Changes to Management and Oversight of the Deepwater Program. GAO-09-462T, March 24, 2009 (8 pages).
  http://www.gao.gov/docdblite/details.php?rptno=GAO-09-462T
• Commuter Rail: Many Factors Influence Liability and Indemnity Provisions, and Options Exist to Facilitate Negotiations. GAO-09-282, February 24, 2009 (66 pages).
  http://www.gao.gov/docdblite/details.php?rptno=GAO-09-282
• High Speed Passenger Rail: Future Development Will Depend on Addressing Financial and Other Challenges and Establishing a Clear Federal Role. GAO-09-317, March 19, 2009 (102 pages).
  http://www.gao.gov/docdblite/details.php?rptno=GAO-09-317
• Highway Infrastructure: Federal Efforts to Strengthen Security Should Be Better Coordinated and Targeted on the Nation’s Most Critical Highway Infrastructure. GAO-09-57, January 30, 2009 (79 pages).
  http://www.gao.gov/docdblite/details.php?rptno=GAO-09-57
• Highway Trust Fund: Improved Solvency Mechanisms and Communication Needed to Help Avoid Shortfalls in the Highway Account. GAO-09-316, February 6, 2009 (23 pages).
  http://www.gao.gov/docdblite/details.php?rptno=GAO-09-316
  
• Next Generation Air Transportation System: Issues Associated with Midterm Implementation of Capabilities and Full System Transformation. GAO-09-481T, March 25, 2009 (20 pages). 
  http://www.gao.gov/docdblite/details.php?rptno=GAO-09-481T
• Next Generation Air Transportation System: Status of Transformation and Issues Associated with Midterm Implementation of Capabilities. GAO-09-479T, March 18, 2009 (21 pages).
  http://www.gao.gov/docdblite/details.php?rptno=GAO-09-479T
• Responses to Questions for the Record: February 11, 2009, Hearing on the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2009. GAO-09-467R, March 10, 2009 (8 pages).
  http://www.gao.gov/docdblite/details.php?rptno=GAO-09-467R
• Transportation Programs: Challenges Facing the Department of Transportation and Congress. GAO-09-435T, March 10, 2009 (22 pages).
  http://www.gao.gov/docdblite/details.php?rptno=GAO-09-435T
• Urban Partnership Agreements: Congestion Relief Initiative Holds Promise; Some Improvements Needed in Selection Process. GAO-09-154, March 25, 2009 (93 pages).
  http://www.gao.gov/docdblite/details.php?rptno=GAO-09-154

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Dominique Bussereau, French State Secretary in charge of transport, and Magdalena Alvarez Arza, Spanish Ministry for transport infrastructure signed up a roadmap aiming at developing motorways of the sea services between both countries. They agreed on investing €30 million over a 5-years period. Nevertheless, if the maritime services to be put in place will benefit from State aids (€30 million), no financial supports will be allocated to transport providers who will use the ad hoc services. In order to be granted with European aids, operators will have to participate to the 2009 Marco Polo call for proposals which ends ont the May 8, 2009.

The services are expected to be in operation by late 2009. Following feedbacks from invitations to tender launched by the French-Spanish intergovernmental commission , two proposals were accepted: the Acciona Trasmediterránea and Grimaldi- Louis Dreyfus Armateurs services.

The Acciona Trasmediterránea service will operate two maritime lines: Nantes-Saint-Nazaire-Vigo (28 hours) and Le Havre-Vigo (36 hours). From 2010, another service will connect Le Havre, Vigo and Algeciras. On a weekly basis, the operator proposes 4 departures from French ports and will make them 7 in the mid-term. It is to note that these services are designed for trailers only.

The Grimaldi- Louis Dreyfus Armateurs service will provide a service between Nantes-Saint-Nazaire-Gijón available to accompanied transport. Four departures per week are planned (7 in the mid-term) are planned and the distance will be covered in 14 hours.

The creation of these services is expected to induce a modal shift of 100,000 trucks per annum. This objective, if so achieved, will not only address environmental issues but also significantly reduce road congestion on a corridor where international traffics are substantial. According to Magdalena Alvarez Arza, the economic impact of road congestion was 0.5% of GDP in 2001 and even reach 1% nowadays. Traffics going through the Pyrenees are however much higher than the expected modal shift. About 20,000 trucks per day cross over the Pyrenees via the two main alternatives, Perthus and Biriatou – although it decreased by roughly 5% in 2008 compared to 2007.

Even a couple of haulers deem this service pertinent, since the 14 hours long journey between Nantes-Saint-Nazaire and Gijón allow drivers to have their legal break on board. What’s more, 14 hours is also quite competitive with road’s travel times.

Why the Toulon-Civitavechia line closed down…

This announcement was made few weeks after the only Mediterranean motorways of the sea service was stopped. Reason put forward by the operator (GLD Lines, a combination of Grimaldi and Louis Dreyfus Armateurs groups) was the economic downturn that particularly affected the automotive industry. The drop in demand of vehicles to be carried led the operator to put an end to the service in February, 2009. For the first year of the maritime line (2005), 5,000 trucks were boarded. In 2006, they were 10,000 becoming 16,000 in 2007. However, with a decreasing demand and a price set to €330 per truck, GLD Lines did not manage to make profits in 4 years of operation. Overall, the service experienced a loss of €16 million. Yet, €4 million distinct financial supports from Europe and France : €2 million coming from the French State and €2 million from the Marco Polo programme (contrary to previously-made commitments, Italy apparently never paid the €100 per truck grant under the Eco-Bonus scheme intended to car-carriers).

Rolling road as a complement to motorways of the sea on western France

Besides, French Ministry recently announced the creation of a rolling road on western France. This new service is to be in operation by late 2011 and will connect Lille and Paris to Bayonne (South-West of France). Likewise the motorways of the sea schemes, this intermodal solution is expected to take trucks off the road on a corridor where international traffics are considerable. Invitation to tender will be soon released. Parameters of the service still remain to be set, but by 2020 the service is expected to propose about 10 departures per day from each end of the line.

Today’s freight transport policies definitely tend to encourage modal shift by promoting alternatives to road transport. These alternatives are all the more efficient and relevant that the transport infrastructures’ and services’ design matches the users’ needs. As a reminder two rolling roads already exist in France:

• one in the Alps, from Aiton to Orbassano; and
• one which connects Luxembourg to Perpignan

From haulers viewpoint, the existing Alps crossing-over rolling roads (not only in France, but also in Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia and Italy) have for instance proved themselves appropriate options when it is to go through the Alps where truck traffics are often both physically and legally constrained.

Contrary to most of the Alps schemes, the Luxembourg-Perpignan rolling road launched in October, 2007 which covers a 1,050 km long distance only carries trailers. In that sense, the concept is similar to combined transport, but instead of being shipped with swap bodies, the train is filled with trailers. However, one year and half after it was launched, the service is having trouble to make it profitable. The creation of a second daily departure mid-2009 is expected to draw additional traffic.

References

• Autoroute de la mer : Saint Nazaire Gijon bientot au large, l’Officiel des transporteurs n°2492, February 27, 2009
• Ligne maritime Toulon-Civitavecchia : un arrêt brutal qui fait jaser, l’Officiel des Transporteurs, N° 2493, March 6, 2009: here
• En bref : L’autoroute ferroviaire Luxembourg-Perpginan : bilan mitigé de la première année d’exploitation, February 27, 2009: here
• Press release: Lancement de 2 autoroutes de la mer entre la France et l’Espagne, February 27, 2009 : here

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SITL Real Time 2009

For the international and national communities of transporters of freight and logistics service providers, SITL offers a unique access to innovative products and services dedicated to procurement, distribution and the supply chain of tomorrow.

SITL is THE place to get the most relevant information about the composition and evolution of markets and the development of their networks. It enables access to all the tools required to win in competitiveness and performance in both strategic and operational matters.

SITL: linking the world of logistics

Key data for SITL Real Time

• 500 exhibitors
• 27,000 sqm of exhibition space
• 25,800 professionals
• 56 countries
• 70 media
• 250 journalists
• More than 30 conferences

Source : SITL Temps Réel 2009

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This acquisition will allow Deutsche Bahn to extend its network toward Eastern Europe, and also be able to compete with Poland’s National Railway PKP Cargo.

PCC Logistics employs some 5,800 people and is the biggest private rail company in Poland and has revenues of €350 million (2008). PCC Logistics has an 8-percent share of the rail freight market in Poland thus being the major private carrier in the country.

References

• Article: La Deutsche Bahn reprend PCC Logistics, Le Lloyd, Jan. 30; 2009: here
• Press release: Deutsche Bahn buys Largest Private Rail Company in Poland, Jan. 30, 2009: here
• Website: Deutsche Bahn: here
• Website: PCC Logistics: here

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