FOR RELEASE
Contact: Janie Sheng (202) 245-0221
07/20/2006 (Thursday)
No. 06-10


FedRelay 1 (800) 877-8339
www.stb.gov
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD ANNOUNCES PUBLIC RELEASE OF RAILROADS' 2006 "PEAK SEASON" SERVICE PLANS


Surface Transportation Board Chairman W. Douglas Buttrey announced today that he has publicly released the responses of the Class I railroads (the Nation's largest) to his June 28, 2006 letter requesting information on the railroads' "peak season" service plans.


Chairman Buttrey's June 2006 letter to the chief executive officers of the seven largest railroads and to the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) asked the railroads to inform the STB of their plans to ascertain the demand for, and to prepare for, the provision of peak-season service; their performance goals for the remainder of 2006 and their plans for achieving those goals; and their plans to communicate their service goals and plans with customers.


In announcing the public release of these replies, Chairman Buttrey said:


"I am today making available to the industry and the public the railroads' responses to my June 28 letter regarding their respective service plans for addressing the "peak" shipping season. The information in these responses should assist freight rail users in planning for the peak season. I want to thank the railroads for their timely responses with the information requested.


"In the current climate of rapidly increasing demand for rail service, the railroads indicate that they expect to handle this year's peak season with reasonable efficiency. In this regard, the railroads report significant capital investments in facilities and equipment, focused operational planning to enhance their performance metrics, increased hiring and training of employees, and regular communication with customers. I trust that these responses that we are posting in full on the Board's Web site will prove to be informative and helpful."


LINK TO ALL DOCUMENTS LISTED BELOW


● Chairman Buttrey's June 28, 2006 letter


● BNSF Railway Company response


● Canadian National Railway Company response


● Canadian Pacific Railway response (not yet available)


● CSX Transportation Inc. response


● Kansas City Southern Railway response


● Norfolk Southern Railway Company response


● Union Pacific Railroad response


● American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association response


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