Technology can attract new trucking talent

Autonomous vehicles and driver shortages topped the agenda of the spring meetings at IRU’s goods transport council today, with Chris Spear, President and CEO of American Trucking Associations, focusing on ‘driver assisted’ rather than ‘driver displaced’ technology.

Passenger transport group urges young people to join the industry

IRU Passenger Transport Council members met in Geneva today to seek sustainable solutions to driver shortages.

FlixTrain plans new routes

FlixMobility has applied for paths to operate open access services from Berlin to Köln and München from the December timetable change, the company confirmed on April 26 when its first FlixTrain-branded service ran on the Berlin – Stuttgart route.

CAF preferred supplier for new Amsterdam metro trains

AMSTERDAM Municipal Transport (GVB) has selected CAF as preferred bidder to supply 30 metro trains with an option for an additional 30 trains.

Cambodia reinstates Sisophon – Battambang railway

Rehabilitation of the Sisophon - Battambang section of the line between the Thai border and Phnom Penh follows the opening of Sisophon - Poipet on April 4.

Nigerian railway modernisation agreement signed

An agreement to proceed with the interim phase of a concession to upgrade the 1 067 mm gauge rail network was signed by federal government and an international consortium on April 27.

ÖBB financial results improve

AUSTRIAN Federal Railways (ÖBB) earnings reached their second-highest level in the company’s history in 2017, according its annual results, which were published on April 26.

China and Gulf states discuss OTIF accession to support international freight

China and the Gulf Co-Operation Council member states are discussing accession to the COTIF convention, which provides a legal framework for the operation of international rail traffic.

British Steel builds new rail mill

BRITISH Steel has started construction of a new rail mill in Scunthorpe, Britain, to produce Zinoco-coated rails up to 108m long and welded rails with a maximum length of 216m. This follows approval by Network Rail (NR) of its Zinoco-coated long rails.

Iranian railway expansion continues

The city of Kermanshah was connected to the railway network when President Hassan Rouhani opened a 110 km line from Firuzan on March 20. This forms part of the Malayer – Khosravi corridor which will eventually run to the border with Iraq. The first section from Malayer to Firuzan opened in May 2017, and the remaining 263 km between Kermanshah and Khosravi is being built by China Civil Engineering Construction Corp at a cost of 3·53bn yuan.