Rail freight in Europe: Different perspectives on achieving higher service levels

Despite European Commission studies and recommendations to improve the share of freight carried by rail in its member countries, the share of goods traveling by rail has declined since the 1990s. Although absolute volume has risen, market share is dropping. Incumbent operators are reluctant to make assets available to newcomers, and country-specific requirements hamper efforts to operate across borders. Manufacturers are experiencing difficulty responding to orders from clients other than the traditional incumbents, which ordered in large volumes and according to set specifications that varied little. Availability of resources, the influence of government policies, and marketing strategies are also analyzed for their role in the situation. Cooperation to ease the transition of freight from road to rail should be combined with competition to increase efficiencies and lower rates. More burdens on road operators could steer freight toward rail, but cooperation between road and rail will lead to greater success. A table shows the stakeholders consulted and their perspectives.