We have made an activity report from the answer received from Transportation Working Group members.

Congestion on truck routes from / to ports / airports
Delays in customs procedures

Where rail facilitates are present, infrastructure is insufficient to handle required freight ( ex. track weight, terminal capacity )

Lack of cooperation / coordination in planning between tiers of government and relevant planning authorities.

(2) The cause of each intermodal problem indicated in (1) above

The capacity of road systems connecting ports is limited, but the modal share of roads is absolutely high.

The customs procedure is complicated, and there is a lack of coordination between customs and other agencies involved in cargo clearance.

The capacity of the rail system is mainly occupied by passenger trains.

There are few incentives for coordinated planning and decision making, and also poor understanding at local and state levels.

(3) Actions / steps to address each problem indicated in (2) above

Expansion of the road systems, and improvements in truck tracking technology and telecommunications for better scheduling and management of peak flows.

Extending customs working hours, simplifying the customs procedures and promoting the EDI system.

To promote the building and operation of cargo terminals to private investors.

Intermodal Freight Working groups comprising personnel from different tiers and sections to coordinate the various intermodal freight activities.

Major obstacles in implementing the standards such as ISO, IATA, EDI

Industry standards have evolved where there is a commercial benefit.

Cost and efficiency issues for individual operators within industries.

Ignoring the importance of the private sector.

Some companies consider the staff training for implementation of these standards as an obstacle.

Obstacles that impede the smooth or seamless connections where passenger and cargo operations overlap

The passenger and cargo transportation systems operate separately in many countries.

Long distance container trains use the same tracks as urban passenger trains.

During peak hours, passenger trains are given priority, causing delays to freight services.

The measures implemented in each economy to address efficiency / facilitation of intermodal transport

Legislation in its focus on freight and intermodal transportation and port access issues.

Deregulation of road mass limits.

Training programs and courses for the personnel engaged in the industries organized by the relevant organizations.

Financial support for facilitates and machines useful for intermodal transportation.

This page was last updated on 1 Feb, 2008