United States grain handlers issued some positive remarks, as well as several critical remarks in regard to the nation?s seven largest freight railroads in the Soybean Transportation Coalition?s (STC) 2016 Railroad Report Card.
Soybean Transportation Coalition Executive Director Mike Steenhoek said the report showed mixed reactions.
?The feedback received did talk about the system, itself, is well maintained and well capitalized. A lot was absorbed by our nation?s railroads with the historic 2016 harvest, and so there were some compliments for how the railroads performed under those conditions. But, there was some concern,? Steenhoek said.
Steenhoek said grain handlers expressed concerns about weather and a couple different railroads.
?There were some concerns directed at a couple railroads. Canadian Pacific Railroad was certainly one of them. (Agricultural shippers expressed concerns) about the lack of quality service across many different areas. And one of the concerns expressed is that the leadership at Canadian Pacific Railroad is now the leadership at CSX Transportation, so the question is whether CSX Transportation will diminish as a result,? Steenhoek said.
Moving forward, Steenhoek said STC plans engage in continued dialogue with the nation?s freight railroads.
?We want to be on the same page in which they see a flourishing agriculture benefitting them and a flourishing railroad benefitting us, and making sure we find those win-win opportunities,? Steenhoek said.
The STC Railroad Report Card is an annual report, completed anonymously by grain handlers of various sizes and scale of operation, which gauges the rail service?s performance in allowing farmers to transport product to a destination. Grain handlers rank the railroads based on a series of questions ranging from on time performance to customer service to cost.
For the 2016 survey period grain handlers ranked Union Pacific Railroad as the top-performing railroad and Canadian Pacific Railway as the lowest-performing railroad.
