Re: RUMOUR: Hillside Trains (Vic)

["Michael McDonald" <michael.and.colleen.mcdonald@xtra.co.nz>]

I have Tranz Rail Holdings annual report if anyone wants the relevant
figures.  Basically, the tonnage moved is the highest it has been (12.9
million tonnes).  Average haul was a little down, as was revenue.  Passenger
revenue is also down slightly.

Cheers
Michael

Dave McL wrote in message <37cb12eb@news.iprolink.co.nz>...
>John Wayman wrote:
>
>> A friend of mine was in NZ last year and told me that you have taxed the
>> trucks off your roads, and that long distance freight now travels by
rail.
>> Is this true???
>
>No. Trucks pay a weight-distance tax called "road user charges" which is
>supposed to cover the cost of the damage they cause to the roads, but it
>doesn't come anywhere near it.
>
>By comparison, rail has to pay the full commercial cost of maintaining
>the railway tracks and other infrastructure. So only trucks are
>subsidised.
>
>Nonetheless, the railways here are very efficient and cost-effective, so
>a great deal of freight does go by rail. I don't have the figures right
>here, but I know that railways in New Zealand carry more freight now
>than in 1984 (when trucks were first allowed open-slather competition
>with rail), at lower freight rates than in 1984, and with 20,000 fewer
>staff. The railways here make an unsubsidised commercial profit though
>it was lower this year due to the Peters Recession.
>
>David McLoughlin
>Auckland New Zealand