FOR RELEASE	Contact: Dennis Watson
06/10/2004 (Thursday)	(202) 565-1596
No. 04-23	FIRS 1 (800) 877-8339
	www.stb.gov

Surface Transportation Board Corresponds with Nation’s Largest Railroads Concerning Current Service Performance, Fall "Peak Season" Service Demands

Surface Transportation Board Chairman Roger Nober today announced that he has sent a letter to each of the Class I railroads asking each to report to the Board on its plans to meet the expected increase in demand during the fall shipping season, which is known as the "Peak Season" because demand for rail service is usually at its highest levels.

The Chairman noted in each letter that:

"[O]ur shared objective must continue to be to work toward achieving the highest possible level of operational efficiency for the railroad industry and service performance for the shipping public."

Chairman Nober's letters acknowledged that the industry is carrying an unprecedented amount of freight and has worked to improve customer service, inter-railroad coordination and cooperation, and the development of new service offerings. At the same time, the Chairman expressed concern over increasing service demands on all Class I railroads, and especially over the handling of the anticipated Peak Season volumes.

The Chairman thus requested that each railroad provide the Board with its plan for handling the Peak Season traffic. The Chairman requested to be apprised of the steps each railroad is taking to prepare for the fall shipping season and of how each railroad will share its plans with its customers.

[Link to letter: http://www.stb.dot.gov/stb/docs/fallpeakletter.pdf]

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