Transport News issue two July 2016 by AI Global Media

Transp rt News July 2016

Embracing Self-Service Technology Mobile technology continues to make it easier for travellers to manage their own travel while in-transit and the majority of global business travellers are embracing this trend, according to a new study released on 30th June from the GBTA Foundation in partnership with Sabre Corporation.

Plus: Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s First Electric Road / EU Passenger Rights / Growing Urbanisation to Drive the Global Fuels Market Through 2020 / Britain is Open For Business

Welcome to the 2nd edition of a brand new publication, Transport News INTL, which promises to cover all modes of transport. Featuring the latest deals, appointments, research and news and all you need to know about the latest developments in the transport sector is covered in the second edition of this insightful magazine, Transport News INTL. Industry experts in their field, government and think-tanks from around the world shed light on the issues that matter, with special sections on rail, roads, logistics and aviation to name a few. This illuminating magazine reveals the successes, challenges and opportunities in this sector and will keep you informed of all you need to know in one place, so why would you need to look elsewhere? In the deals section, we learn that Beacon Rail Leasing announced on 17th June that it has closed on the acquisition of Ascendos Rail Leasing S.Ă r.l, a European locomotive and rolling stock leasing company, after having received clearance with the German competition authorities. In news, the American Trucking Associations' advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) for-hire truck tonnage index increased 2.7% in May, following a revised 1.7% drop during April. In May, the index equalled 139 (2000=100), up from 135.3 in April. The all-time high was 144 in February. In a special feature, reforms and modernisation of transportation infrastructure will open up growth opportunities for service providers according to research from Frost & Sullivan, which is among the many absorbing pieces of content in this edition.

TRANSPORT NEWS JULY 2016

Environment Contents

4. News Aviation 8. Air Passenger Rights: Commission Wants Better Enforcement of Rules Ahead of Summer Holidays 10. Gatwick Produces Final Action Plan to Implement Independent Review of Arrivals 12. Heathrow Responds to Government: Expansion “the Strongest Possible Signal that Britain is open for business" 14. Industry Welcomes Clarity on EU Passenger Rights 16. 18. 20. 22.

Freight & Logistics Navis Announces Shipper Compliance Support for Upcoming SOLAS Container Weighing Regulations Growing Emphasis on Automation Processes and Use of New Technologies to Impact the Global Pallet Market Through 2020 Robert Rodgers Joins Unishippers Global Logistics as Chief Financial Officer Strategic Insight on the Indian Logistics Industry

Overview 24. Business Travellers Embracing Self-Service Technology and Personalised Travel Options 26. Growing Urbanisation to Drive the Global Fuels Market Through 2020 28. Truck Fuel Efficiency Report 2016: Trends, Challenges and Emerging Technologies - Research and Markets 30. uShip LTL Marketplace Surges 228%, Adds UPS Freight® Rail 32. CEMEX Contributes to Extension of Los Angeles Metro 34. Getzner Werkstoffe Provides Vibration Protection for Gotthard Base Tunnel 36. Crossrail’s Common Data Environment Advances to Cloud Services through Bentley’s AssetWise Managed Services 38. Network Rail’s Upgrade Plan Brings jobs to the East Midlands Roads 40. €10 Million to Modernise Pristina’s Transport System 42. BT Drives for Sustainable Innovation in Automotive Manufacturing and Urban Mobility 44. Potential Economic Benefits of Upgrading A6 Cannot be Ignored, says FTA 46. World’s First Electric Road Opens in Sweden 48. Deals

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ATA Truck Tonnage Index Increased 2.7% in May The American Trucking Associations' advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index increased 2.7% in May, following a revised 1.7% drop during April. In May, the index equalled 139 (2000=100), up from 135.3 in April. The all-time high was 144 in February.

Index Up 5.7% from May 2015 Compared with May 2015, the SA index jumped 5.7%, which was up from April's 2.4% year-over-year gain. Year-to-date, compared with the same period in 2015, tonnage was up 4%. The not seasonally adjusted index, which represents the change in tonnage actually hauled by the fleets before any seasonal adjustment, equalled 138.9 in May, which was 2.4% above the previous month (135.6). "Following two consecutive decreases totalling 6 percent, may was a nice increase in truck tonnage," said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. "Better consumer spending in April and May certainly helped, but economic growth remains mixed and I'd expect the recent choppy pattern in tonnage to continue for the next quarter or two. "We recently received good news on the inventory cycle, with the total business inventory-to-sales ratio declining for the first time in nearly a year. While one month doesn't make a trend, this was good news for the trucking industry," he said.

TRANSPORT NEWS JULY 2016

Trucking serves as a barometer of the U.S. economy, representing 68.8% of tonnage carried by all modes of domestic freight transportation, including manufactured and retail goods. Trucks hauled just under 10 billion tons of freight in 2014. Motor carriers collected $700.4 billion, or 80.3% of total revenue earned by all transport modes. ATA calculates the tonnage index based on surveys from its membership and has been doing so since the 1970s. This is a preliminary figure and subject to change in the final report issued around the 10th day of the month. The report includes month-to-month and yearover-year results, relevant economic comparisons and key financial indicators. The American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of 50 affiliated state trucking associations and industry-related conferences and councils, ATA is the voice of the industry America depends on most to move our nation's freight.

News

National Transportation Groups Push for Fingerprinting of Drivers In Unified Policy Stance on Passenger Safety, Two Major Transportation Industry Trade Groups Say All For-Hire Drivers Must be Fingerprinted.

The National Limousine Association (NLA) and the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA), North America's two largest professional trade associations in the for-hire passenger transportation business, jointly announced a unified position today calling for all drivers who transport passengers for a fee to be subject to national fingerprint-based background checks. The stance is aimed at ensuring the highest standards in vetting the nation's hundreds of thousands of for-hire drivers, and to ensure that universal practices to maximise passenger safety are instituted and upheld. The vast majority of drivers within fleets operated by NLA and TLPA members in large to mid-sized cities must pass a fingerprint-based background check before they can transport passengers. However, in nearly every market, services such as Uber and Lyft do not use a fingerprint-based method to vet their drivers. "There simply is no substitute for a fingerprint-based background check. You can fake a name or a social security number, but fingerprints don't lie. The numerous news reports of dangerous drivers for Uber and Lyft are reason enough to call for common-sense safety precautions, and that starts with fingerprints," said Dwight Kines, President of the TLPA. "For years, many sectors of business, from day care centers to commercial airlines, have relied on fingerprint-based background checks to verify the accuracy and authenticity of security screenings," said Gary Buffo, President of the NLA. "The TLPA and NLA believe that we must exhaust all feasible avenues to make certain that the people behind the wheels of commercial ground transportation vehicles are indeed who they claim to be. Thanks to recent technological advances, fingerprint background checks are more widely available and accessible than ever before, and it is time that we establish a new nationwide standard."

Leading Greek Shipping Firm Utilise Eniram Energy Technology Leading Greek company Springfield Shipping Co. has announced that Eniram, the leading provider of energy management technology and analytic services to the shipping industry, has been selected for a further roll out of their energy efficiency technology for its VLCC vessels. “We are very pleased to be working with Eniram and look forward to a productive, long-lasting relationship,” comments Springfield Shipping Co. “Our investment in a premium energy efficiency system shows the clear determination of the company to promote greener transportation. Eniram is a reliable provider of energy management with a dedicated team to support tanker customers, and we very much look forward to working together on this project and in the future.” Nick Pinkney, Director of LNG & Tankers, Eniram, continues: “We are delighted that Springfield Shipping Co., Greece’s leading shipping entity, has decided on the further roll out of Eniram Platform and Eniram Fleet on their vessels. With our current installations, we have provided business intelligence to help Springfield Shipping understand how their vessels can save fuel and improve overall energy efficiency.” Mr Pinkney continues: “We see a big opportunity for everybody involved and we are very proud to work with Springfield Shipping, which is a top class company with modern vessels and knowledgeable and experienced personnel.”

A study released last year found that fingerprint-based criminal background checks have a potential error rate of only 1 percent, while name-based background checks can have a potential error rate of 43 percent. www.transportnews-intl.com

Trailblazer Apprenticeships – a big win for the Haulage Industry The Road Haulage Association (RHA) is delighted at the announcement from the Business Department (BiS) that they have agreed funding for three apprenticeships in England for lorry driving, traffic office and warehouse operative.

Commenting, RHA chief executive Richard Burnett said: “We helped many of our members to lobby their MPs and made the issue a central part of last year's first ever National Lorry Week and at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester. We are delighted that our voice was not just heard – it was listened to. “As the leading trade body dedicated to road freight we deployed all our campaigning resources to support the excellent work of Colin Snape, chairman of the logistics Trailblazer group, for his dedication and drive in leading the group in its dealings with the Business Department. Without his invaluable help which I doubt if we would have these Trailblazers. It is an extraordinary achievement, having combined that with his day-job as HR manager of RHA member company Nagel Langdons.” Colin Snape said: “In my experience, taking time to give new employees a proper, structured grounding rewards both the employer and the individual. The Trailblazer LGV driver apprenticeship gives a really solid platform and encouragement to employers of all sizes – not just the big logistics fleets.

TRANSPORT NEWS JULY 2016

"These Trailblazers could be game-changing for the industry. For the first time, employers have funded apprenticeship schemes that have been designed with strong industry involvement and will be of real practical use. The LGV Driver Trailblazer scheme allows a government funding contribution of up to £4,900 per apprentice and includes the acquisition of an LGV licence and full driver CPC qualification.” Hauliers who want to take a progressive approach to the industry and to train their recruits to be professional drivers, doing the job the way it should be done, should examine the LGV driver apprenticeship to see what it can offer. The LGV apprenticeship will also be ideal for candidates entering the Road to Logistics scheme, developed between the RHA, Care After Combat, Microlise and HM Prison Service to provide a career path for ex-servicemen who have served time in prison. Web Address: www.rha.uk.net

News

Segway Opens New European Infrastructure Minister Outlines Office in Amsterdam Priorities to Build Connectivity and Unlock Economic Potential Infrastructure Minister Chris Hazzard has outlined his priorities to build connectivity and unlock economic potential. Addressing the Assembly’s Infrastructure Committee on 8th June, Minister Hazzard emphasised his commitment to the delivery of A5 and A6 transport corridors and to enhancing the public transport and greenway infrastructure of the region.

He said: “During this mandate, I want to ensure there is a focus on our strategic infrastructure needs for the next 20-30 years. I recognise that what we do today impacts the next generation too and getting things right now is vital. Programme for Government commitments to improve transport connections and increase the use of public transport and active travel are areas I will be working to progress with urgency. “In particular, building transport connections to ensure we have an infrastructure which enables economic growth across the region is key and I am committed to the delivery of the A5 and A6 major road schemes. To this end I will be seeking early discussions with my Ministerial counterpart in the south to ensure their monetary commitment to the A5 remains intact. “I will also be working to progress key public transport projects, including delivery of Belfast Rapid Transit and Transport Hubs in Derry and Belfast. Cross-border projects outlined in the Fresh Start Agreement will also be prioritised, alongside other major improvements."

“In particular, building transport connections to ensure we have an infrastructure which enables economic growth across the region is key and I am committed to the delivery of the A5 and A6 major road schemes." In concluding, the Minister said: “My department has a major part to play in building a successful region by driving economic growth and tackling disadvantage, but it is also a vital component in the daily lives of all of our citizens providing vital services so important for quality of life. Investment in our transport and water infrastructure is a key driver for attracting investment and I intend to play my part in building economic growth for future generations.”

Segway, world leader in electric personal transport, opens a new European office in Amsterdam. With this office, Segway aims to better serve the EMEA market with a comprehensive range of iconic business-to-business Segway products as well as new consumer products, under the brand Ninebot by Segway. The Segway Europe office was opened on June 21, 2016, in the presence of CEO Lufeng Gao. Goal is to establish the EMEA short distance electronic transportation market The establishment of Segway Europe ensures availability of the full product line-up of both brands for the business-to-business as well as the consumer market. From the new office, Segway Europe can now serve these markets for the entire EMEA region, enabling professional distribution, central management and increased marketing activities. In the next few months two new mass market models will be launched - the Ninebot One S2 and Ninebot Mini Pro. Dennis Hardholt is responsible for the introduction of Segway and Ninebot by Segway products in the EMEA region as the President of Segway Europe. "From our new European office we are able to serve all the European, Middle Eastern and African markets. We will immediately make a range of exciting new consumer products available that complement our existing line up. With these affordable models we will further open up the market for smart, green personal transportation. They will add a touch of fun and excitement to the daily lives of consumers, while answering to the practical need for short distance transportation and leisure activities."

www.transportnews-intl.com

TRANSPORT NEWS JULY 2016

Aviation

Air Passenger Rights: Commission Wants Better Enforcement of Rules Ahead of Summer Holidays As millions of European citizens will be travelling during the summer period, on 10th June the European Commission took action for the better enforcement of air passenger rights in the European Union.

New guidelines adopted on 10th June will clarify the existing rules and facilitate their application, for the benefit of travellers and businesses. This is yet another deliverable of the Aviation Strategy for Europe adopted by the Commission in December 2015 to strengthen the competitiveness of European aviation and maintain the highest standards. EU Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc said: “Transport is first and foremost about people, and I am proud that the EU protects its passengers across all forms of transport. The guidelines published will bring further clarity and legal certainty to ensure that the rules are applied properly. All EU citizens travelling by plane should receive the level of protection they are entitled to.” The EU’s Air Passenger Rights legislation is among the most advanced in the world, offering a high degree of protection against unforeseen circumstances to people travelling by plane to and from the EU. A number of judgements of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) have, however, affected the content and scope of the legislation since it entered into force in 2005. A clarification was therefore needed for travellers, airlines, and the national authorities, which are in charge of making sure the rules are properly applied at national level. These guidelines summarise the existing case law and consolidate all ongoing practices. Of particular relevance are: • Compensation for a delay: the right to compensation after a delay of three hours at the final destination. • Compensation for a missed connecting flight: the right to compensation in case of a long delay on arrival due to missed connecting flights. • Extraordinary circumstances: various situations such as technical defects linked to the premature malfunction of certain components of an aircraft or aircraft collisions with other aircraft/devices whereby airlines cannot be exempted from the payment of compensation in case of a cancellation and delay.

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Measures to be taken in extraordinary circumstances: the right to assistance and care during exceptional events such as the ash cloud in 2010.

The guidelines will apply pending the adoption and entry into force of the new Air passenger legislation proposed by the Commission in 2013. The objective of this proposal was to clarify certain aspects of the current Regulation and to introduce new passenger rights where necessary. The legislative procedure in the European Parliament and Council is ongoing. Background The guidelines will help facilitate air travel for passengers and thus assist air carriers and their agents to improve the application of the Regulation. They will also assist national authorities with the enforcement of the Regulation and ensure an equal level playing field for all air carriers. They will provide a real added value at a time of increased travel activity at the outset of the holiday period and until a new legal framework enters into force. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights entered into force in February 2005. The Aviation Strategy for Europe is one of the initiatives listed in the Commission Work Programme for 2015. The goal of the Aviation Strategy is to strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of the entire EU air transport value network. For more information: http://europa.eu/

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Gatwick Produces Final Action Plan to Implement Independent Review of Arrivals Gatwick Airport in early June produced a Final Action Plan in response to the recommendations of the Independent Arrivals Review which was commissioned to help address the issue of aircraft noise for local residents.

The Final Action Plan follows a constructive and generally positive period of community engagement to the Proposed Action Plan which ran from 31st March to 16th May 2016 and sought input from a wide range of stakeholders. The Independent Arrivals Review, commissioned by Gatwick Airport Chairman Sir Roy McNulty, was led by Bo Redeborn and Graham Lake and proposed a timeframe for the introduction of its recommendation, many of which could be operational within a twelvemonth period, including: • improved use of continuous descent arrivals generating significantly less noise and increased flexibility for sequencing and spacing of arrivals • accelerated aerodynamic modification for the Airbus A320 family of aircraft to reduce the noise they produce during the approach phase of flight • broadening the approach “arrivals swathe” to extend between 8-14nm • reduced aircraft holding over land • development of a comprehensive online complaint management system, and; • the establishment of a Noise Management Board (NMB) to oversee joint strategies to deal with noise around the airport. Feedback and engagement has confirmed that the community response to the Arrivals Review and the Proposed Action Plan has been largely positive. In response to that feedback, community representation on the Noise Management Board has been increased from two representatives to four, and further analysis has been carried out to quantify more fully the impact of some recommendations such as the widening of the arrivals swathe to between 8-14nm.

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aerodynamic modifications to the Airbus A320 family of aircraft to reduce the noise they produce during the approach phase of flight. Gatwick Airport Chairman Sir Roy McNulty said: “I am grateful for the constructive feedback to Gatwick’s Proposed Action Plan from the local community which has helped to ensure the Final Action Plan is designed to meet the needs of local people affected by aircraft noise. Taken together, the practical steps recommended by Bo and his review team can make a real difference for local people, which is reflected in the positive community response to the review. Gatwick is now committed to working with the local community, the new Independent Noise Management Board and other partners to implement the recommendations of the review.” Bo Redeborn added: “The review team is pleased that the review’s recommendations have been accepted and that work is already underway to implement many of the 23 recommendations. Ultimately, these recommendations are about reducing the impact of noise on local people, and the ongoing input of community groups and representatives has played a significant role in shaping the review’s recommendations and Gatwick’s Final Action Plan.”

An initial planning meeting for the NMB has already taken place. The NMB is intended to include representatives from Gatwick Airport, the CAA, NATS, ANS, DfT, elected council members and community representatives, with Bo Redeborn being proposed as the Independent Chair. The first meeting of the NMB is planned to take place on 21st June.

Bo Redeborn brings extensive experience and understanding of air traffic control having previously served as Principal Director of Air Traffic Management for EUROCONTROL. Amongst other current activities, Bo is currently an independent member of Gatwick’s Environment, Health and Safety, and Operational Resilience Committee. From 2011-2014 he was Principal Director Air Traffic Management in EUROCONTROL and, before joining EUROCONTROL in 2004 as Director ATM Strategies, he was Manager Air Traffic Management and later Manager ATM Support and Development in the Swedish CAA (LFV).

Feedback from the local community also indicted strong support for the acceleration of

For further information on Gatwick Airport see www.gatwickairport.com

Aviation

Giovanni G / Shutterstock.com www.transportnews-intl.com

Heathrow Responds to Government: Expansion “the Strongest Possible Signal that Britain is open for business” Responding this month to the announcement that a decision on Heathrow expansion will be handed to the Prime Minister’s successor, John Holland-Kaye, the airport’s Chief Executive, said that a third runway must be a part of the Government’s Brexit plan.

Mr Holland-Kaye said: “If Britain wants to be confident, outward-looking and at the centre of the world’s economy then expanding Heathrow must be a key building block in the Government’s Brexit plan. “It will allow British exporters to trade with all the growing markets of the world, strengthening Britain’s position as one of the great trading nations. And at a time of uncertainty a £16bn privately funded infrastructure investment will create jobs and growth across the UK. Government can send the strongest possible signal that Britain is open for business and confident in its future by expanding Heathrow.” Heathrow received a “unanimous and unambiguous” recommendation for expansion from the independent Airports Commission in 2015 following a two-and-a-half year, £20m study. It said the airport had by far the greatest economic benefits and that they would be spread across all of the UK. The Commission also set out conditions to expansion including restrictions on night flights, controls on air pollution and noise. Heathrow accepted and, in most cases, exceeded those conditions in June. Expansion of Heathrow is backed by business, trade unions, politicians and airlines as the best solution to Britain’s aviation capacity crunch. Supporters include the CBI, FSB, chambers of commerce across the country, Unite, the GMB, 37 British airports and airlines such as easyJet, which plans to operate from an expanded Heathrow. A large proportion of the local community also backs Heathrow. Recent polling by ComRes shows that two thirds of MPs think greenlighting Heathrow expansion will strengthen Britain’s economy. MPs also ranked Heathrow expansion as the top infrastructure project for spreading growth across Britain – ahead of projects like HS2, HS3 and notably with Gatwick expansion last (Heathrow 41% vs Gatwick 3%). Web Address: www.heathrow.com

TRANSPORT NEWS JULY 2016

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Aviation

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Aviation

Industry Welcomes Clarity on EU Passenger Rights The International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomed the publication of Interpretative Guidelines on Regulation 261/2004 by the European Commission which brings greater clarity to the European Union’s passenger rights regulation. This is an important stop-gap measure until critical reforms to EU 261/2004 are implemented.

“A transparent and level playing field is important for passengers and airlines. These interpretative guidelines are an important step to ensure that EU 261 is applied with greater consistency across Europe. The industry’s issues with EU 261, however, remain unsolved. Revisions to the regulation proposed in March 2013 would help to provide a better balance between passenger rights and airline obligations. But they are being held in limbo as a result of a deadlocked dispute between Spain and the UK over Gibraltar,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

“Everybody is frustrated when travel plans are disrupted. Passenger rights should be fair, simple, consistently applied and aligned with global standards. The guidelines will help with the consistent application. That’s an important step, but follow-up is needed.” From the start, EU 261 contained ambiguities which resulted in inconsistencies in how the regulation was applied across Europe. Several decisions of the European Court of Justice expanded the scope of the regulation and created further inconsistencies when applied. The interpretative guidelines make important clarifications in the following areas: • Conditions for compensation for delays at final destination • Conditions under which a diverted flight is considered as a cancellation • Confirmation that delays and cancellation are distinct events • While the interpretative guidelines will bring greater clarity for passengers and airlines, they are not a substitute for revisions proposed by the EC in March 2013 which will address some of the fundamental flaws in EU 261. These proposals include: • Time limitations on the provision of care and assistance in extraordinary circumstances beyond the control of the airline • The introduction of “trigger times” for delay compensation that vary by flight length

regional airline associations, continues to work constructively with the EC, the European Parliament and the Council towards the much-needed revisions of Regulation 261 to serve better the interests of both passengers and airlines in alignment with global standards. Web Address: www.iata.org

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TRANSPORT NEWS JULY 2016

Freight & Logistics

Navis Announces Shipper Compliance Support for Upcoming SOLAS Container Weighing Regulations Navis, a part of Cargotec Corporation, and provider of operational technologies and services that unlock greater performance and efficiency for the world’s leading terminal operators, on June 23 announced the availability of weight verification fields within the company’s terminal operations system (TOS) solutions. The new functions are included in both the EXPRESS and N4 TOS, and provide an easy, user-friendly means for shippers and terminal operators to capture container weights prior to loading in order to assure compliance with the new SOLAS VGM requirements, which take effect on July 1, 2016.

The following new fields may be found in both EXPRESS and N4 TOS: • VGM Weight – This field stores the Verified Gross Mass • VGM Verifier – This text field captures the party/entity authorising the VGM Weight (ex. “Scale weight facility or person”) • Gross Weight Source – This field represents the source that generated the Gross Weight of the unit (ex. “overwritten by VGM”) “As we close in on the SOLAS VGM compliance deadline, our team has worked diligently to ensure that our customers have a seamless transition to the new container weighing practices,” said Scott Holland, GM Terminal Operating Systems for Navis. “Navis is focused on ensuring that our customers do not face non-compliance consequences due to an inability to properly capture container weights.” The shipping industry is scrambling to meet the new SOLAS requirements, and the available assistance from outside their respective organisations has been scarce. According to an NGO specialising in cargo-handling, less than fifteen percent of the 162 nations responsible for enforcing the SOLAS rules have issued guidelines implementation and compliance. As the deadline approaches and shippers and terminals seek assistance, Navis is actively working with customers around the world to equip their operations to meet SOLAS standards. For further details on how Navis is supporting compliance to SOLAS regulations, a full FAQ may be found on the Navis website: http://navis.com/navis-and-solas and also see www.cargotec.com

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Growing Emphasis on Automation Processes and Use of New Technologies to Impact the Global Pallet Market Through 2020 Technavio’s June report on the global pallet market provides an analysis on the most important trends expected to impact the market outlook from 2016-2020. Technavio defines an emerging trend as a factor that has the potential to significantly impact the market and contribute to its growth or decline.

The top four emerging trends driving the global pallet market according to Technavio transportation and logistics research analysts are: • Greater emphasis on automation processes and use of new technologies • Vertical integration by companies • Growing Preference for block pallets • Rise in power of pallet pooling companies Greater emphasis on automation processes and use of new technologies Pallet manufacturers rely on automation to boost productivity and raise the capacity of their manufacturing plants. Loading and unloading pallets manually is time-consuming and expensive, whereas automated processes are economical and efficient. Pallet manufacturers are incorporating sophisticated logistic systems to improve their services. Ongweoweh is one of the first independent pallet companies to develop tracking software to provide customers with information regarding the pallet movement.

to pallet manufacturers has been adversely affected. “Pallet manufacturers such as Arrington Lumber and Pallet and Associated Pallet are vertically integrating and investing in logging and sawmills. This enables them to offer high-quality pallets at an economical price. R&E Pallets added a Baker Products processing line to secure raw material supply and boost its production,” says Sharan. Growing preference for block pallets Large retailers are shifting to block pallets over stringer pallets. Consequently, manufacturers are expected to focus on manufacturing block pallets. Block pallets are expected to account for a large proportion of the market by 2019. Costco and Walmart, two leading retailers in the US, announced their preference for block pallets. This trend is aiding the growth of large pallet poolers such as CHEP and PECO, which only deals in block pallets, and puts small, family-owned, or independ-

“Vendors are incorporating tracking technology in pallets, which is driven by the increased need for food safety as they travel through the product distribution system." According to Sharan Raj, a lead analyst at Technavio for research on warehouse and storage, “Vendors are incorporating tracking technology in pallets, which is driven by the increased need for food safety as they travel through the product distribution system. This has also led to an increase in the use of plastic pallets due to the advantage of shipping on plastic pallets, where new tracking technologies can be easily planted on them as compared to other pallets.” Vertical integration by companies The demand for lumber used for manufacturing pallets is high in the construction and furniture industries. Sawmills are unable to meet the growing demand. As a result of the shortage of lumber in the market, pallet manufacturers find it difficult to complete their orders. Therefore, the supply of raw materials TRANSPORT NEWS JULY 2016

ent producers in pressure who manufacture stringer pallets. Rise in power of pallet pooling companies Pallet rental pools have a significant hold over the pallet market. Walmart and Costco have announced that they will accept pallets only from three large pooling companies. This has had an industry-wide impact and intensified competition in the market. Small firms will have to adapt to the changing business environment and enhance their product specifications to meet the trends in the industry to compete in the market. CHEP alone held 58% of the market share in pallet pooling operations in North America in 2014. Web Address: www.technavio.com

Freight & Logistics

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TRANSPORT NEWS JULY 2016

Freight & Logistics

Robert Rodgers Joins Unishippers Global Logistics as Chief Financial Officer Unishippers Global Logistics, LLC announced on 10th June that Robert Rodgers will join the executive team as the new CFO. Rodgers was brought in to spearhead growth initiatives for the company’s increasing portfolio of subsidiaries and to meet the demands of a complex industry.

Logistics, which reached an annual revenue of more than $20 million last year. “There have been many exciting developments with Unishippers in the past few years, including the acquisition of SGI, LLC and the creation of Launch Logistics, LLC which have put the company in a position to reach new heights in the industry. My first steps as CFO will be familiarising myself with franchise operations to identify where we can accelerate financial progress and continue to make sound strategic investments that bolster the strength of the franchise system,” said Rodgers.

“We admire Robert’s commitment to excellence and work ethic and are excited to welcome him to our team. His previous leadership roles with Fortune 500 companies will be especially helpful as we identify and pursue growth opportunities to reach our $1 billion sales goal,” Rodgers brings an extensive background as a finance leader in acquisitions integration, pricing strategies and as a process improvement facilitator with several Fortune 500 companies. Prior to joining Unishippers, he spent six years at Orbital ATK and most recently, he served as VP and Corporate Controller. Previous to ATK, he spent five years at Lockheed Martin in various business management and financial roles as well as fourteen years in various finance roles at GE Capital. Rodgers graduated with Honours from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, with a Master in Business Administration. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ohio Wesleyan University where he majored in Economics.

To learn more about Unishippers, visit: www.unishippers.com

Rodgers will be stepping into a company that continues to excel. The thriving franchise model consistently receives accolades within in the franchise industry as a Top 200 franchise by Entrepreneur magazine and the distinction of being a top concept in franchisee satisfaction by Franchise Business Review. The company’s momentum has also been bolstered by its subsidiary partner Launch

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Strategic Insight on the Indian Logistics Industry Reforms and modernisation of transportation infrastructure will open up growth opportunities for service providers according to research from Frost & Sullivan. While the Indian logistics industry is fragmented and under developed, logistics costs in the country are relatively high due to poor physical and communication infrastructure; high dwell time at ports; low levels of containerization; and a multi-layered tax system contributing to significant delays at border crossing points the research points out.

The development of transportation and logistics-related infrastructure such as dedicated freight corridors, logistics parks, free trade warehousing zones, and container freight stations are expected to improve efficiency. Government reform initiatives, promotion of manufacturing and trade, improving investment climate are all expected to transform the industry and drive growth between 2016 and 2020. Economic reforms, trade cooperation, improved transportation infrastructure, and industrial growth is ushering in increasing opportunities for the logistics service providers (LSPs) in India. Presently, the Indian logistics industry is witnessing development and expansion of its existing infrastructure, emergence of e-commerce specific logistics solutions, has a strong focus on manufacturing, but also has a large presence of unorganised service providers. The Indian Logistics Industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.6 % between 2015 and 2020, which grew at a CAGR of 9.7 %during 2010-2015. Transportation and Communication accounted for 7.0 % of the nation’s GDP in 2015, accounting for around US $130.44 billion. The key drivers of this growth are infrastructure investment associated with ports, airports, and other logistics development plans, domestic demand growth and increasing trade. The key trends observed in the Indian logistics industry are: • Government initiatives to promote the manufacturing sector and exports are likely to increase the demand for logistics functions. Trade with Asia, Europe, and North America are likely to remain major drivers for freight forwarding and transportation companies in the region. • Major investments by both public and private sectors in the last five years on infrastructure, technology upgrades and expansion of sea and airport facilities, and dedicated logistics corridor in the rail network are expected to strengthen the Indian logistics infrastructure. • The booming e-commerce market in India

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is bringing in new opportunities for LSPs. The evolving business model(s) in this space focuses on containing logistics and delivery costs. The expected implementation of nationwide uniform GST is likely to transform the distribution structure of majority of industries as it eliminates the need for dedicated warehouses for each individual administrative region.

The industry outlook highlighted India’s trade scenario and its contribution to the logistics industry, with details on port traffic, sea, air and road freight. India’s exports are primarily driven by manufacturing products, fuel, minerals and agriculture products. The Government of India’s Foreign Trade Policy (2015-2020) aims to increase the value of trade to US $900 billion by 2020, by aligning with Government initiatives such as Make in India, Digital India, and Skills India to promote exports growth. Asia leads the share of trade for India, while America and Europe are the other key regions. Exports to Asia, Europe, and America accounted 88 % of the total exports in 2014. Sea freight in India is a major contributor to the freight movement as more than 70.0 % of the international trade is through sea ports. It is expected to grow by 5.7 % driven by the demand from Asia, Europe, and Africa. Major ports contributed 55.0 % of the total sea freight and the capacity will expand as three additional ports are planned in West Bengal, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. Containerised cargo tonnage is likely to cross 123 million tonnes in 2016 and is likely to grow by 4 % driven by port modernisation and expansion plans. Port traffic in major Indian ports has grown by 1.8 % between 2010 and 2015. But there has been uneven growth with ports located in the Western Coast and Gujarat witnessing consistent growth due to port privatisation and industrial growth (Kandla has the highest share of port traffic - more than 15 %). The infrastructure challenges at Indian ports include limited capacity, pre-berthing delays, longer ship turnaround time, inadequate draft etc.

Freight & Logistics

The share of road transport in total freight volume has been increasing in recent years. The road freight volume in India is forecasted to be 2211.24 billion freight tonne kilometre growing at 4.7 %. As per the Government target, additional 50,000 km of national highways is expected to be added by 2020. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways plans to award close to 5,000 km to private companies during the 2016-17 period which is worth approximately $7.69 billion. Frost & Sullivan analysis finds that the logistics industry is expected to increase by over 8 % during the forecast period. The factors that can drive this growth include, high costs of maintaining in-house logistic activities, rising complexity in supply chains due to growth in global sourcing and distribution practices, increasing orientation of manufacturing industries to focus on core competencies, and growth in online retailing.

Along with the growth drivers, improving weak infrastructure connectivity and distribution networks, developing specialty storage facilities, bringing in uniform regulations and removal of administrative hurdles to prevent loss of time to deliver across borders is required to achieve the desired results. Web Address: ww2.frost.com

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Business Travellers Embracing Self-Service Technology and Personalised Travel Options Mobile technology continues to make it easier for travellers to manage their own travel while in-transit and the majority of global business travellers are embracing this trend, according to a new study released on 30th June from the GBTA Foundation in partnership with Sabre Corporation.

More than 7 in 10 business travellers in the United States (78 percent), Italy (77 percent), Canada (74 percent) and Spain (73 percent) prefer using self-service technology to manage their travel, while the rate is slightly lower for the Nordic countries (60 percent) and Germany (56 percent). In North America and Europe, the vast majority of business travellers also want to receive personalised travel options. However, even though business travellers want personalised options, they are hesitant to share too much personal information to obtain them. They are commonly willing to share details such as their frequent flyer or hotel loyalty number, preferred airline and hotel brands and aircraft seat preferences, but fewer than half would share their travel history, preferred leisure activities while traveling, their business calendar with booked appointments and their social media account names. “Technological innovation has given business travellers greater control of their own travel, but that doesn’t need to mean trouble for a managed travel program,” said Michael W. McCormick, GBTA Executive Director and COO. “Travel buyers can recommend apps for their travellers to help drive compliance and can also take advantage of technology to track and more easily assist their travellers in case of an emergency, helping fulfil their duty of care requirements.” “This report demonstrates how corporate travellers look to technology to make travel a more seamless experience. But it also reflects a crowded and fragmented technology landscape where travellers have to use multiple apps and services to manage their trip,” said Clinton Anderson, senior vice president, strategy and traveller experience for Sabre Corporation. “We see an opportunity to integrate critical technologies into a single platform to help business travellers throughout their entire trip. This will dramatically increase traveller satisfaction while improving program compliance and reducing costs for corporations." Road Warriors & Travel Apps

TRANSPORT NEWS JULY 2016

Business travellers use a variety of travel-related mobile apps during their trips, but in all countries surveyed, supplier apps are more commonly used than travel management company (TMC), itinerary management and expense management apps. The most common uses for travel-related mobile apps by North American business travellers include flight check-in/status, generating an online boarding pass and booking hotels and flights. In the European countries surveyed, business travellers use travel-related apps for many of the same reasons as their North American counterparts. However, compared with U.S.-based business travellers, Germany and Nordic-based travellers are less likely to use travel-related apps for booking, while Spain-based travellers are more likely to do so. The European business travellers surveyed were also more likely to use apps to book rail or train than North Americans and were less likely to use them to request a ride-sharing service or taxi. Most companies don’t require or recommend travel apps as only one-fifth or fewer say their organisation has specific apps they require for business travel and about half in each country say their organisation does not recommend any travel apps. Mobile Payment & Millennials Given the opportunity, many business travellers would likely use mobile payment or e-wallet technology. The share likely to do so ranges from 43 percent in the Nordic countries all the way up to 75 percent in Italy. Millennials and Gen-X travellers are much more likely than Baby Boomers to want to use mobile payments. Technology & Duty of Care Mobile apps commonly developed by TMCs or third-party safety or security firms can assist with duty of care by allowing travellers to check-in with their company upon arrival at a destination or by allowing companies to track their employees’ location and send push notifications in an emergency among other features. Only a small share of travellers use these apps, however. Only 22 percent of survey

Overview

respondents have used a mobile app to checkin with their company during a trip over the past year and even fewer (15 percent) have used a mobile app that allows their company to track their location. Still, despite low use, 63 percent said they would allow their company to track their location via their mobile device for duty of care purposes. Methodology and More Information: An online survey of 756 business travellers in nine countries was fielded between March 21 and April 3, 2016. The countries included the United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The four Nordic countries are grouped together and referred to as one region throughout the report. Respondents qualified if they were employed full-time and had travelled for business in the past year. The Digital Business Traveller: A Survey of Business Travellers in North America, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Nordic Countries report is available exclusively to GBTA members by clicking here and non-members may purchase the report through the GBTA Foundation by emailing pyachnes@gbtafoundation.org.

About the GBTA Foundation The GBTA Foundation is the education and research foundation of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the world’s premier business travel and meetings trade organisation headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area with operations on six continents. Collectively, GBTA’s 7,000-plus members manage more than $345 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually. GBTA provides its growing network of more than 28,000 travel professionals and 125,000 active contacts with world-class education, events, research, advocacy and media. The Foundation was established in 1997 to support GBTA’s members and the industry as a whole. As the leading education and research foundation in the business travel industry, the GBTA Foundation seeks to fund initiatives to advance the business travel profession.

The GBTA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organisation. For more information, see gbta. org and gbta.org/foundation. About Sabre Corporation Sabre Corporation is the leading technology provider to the global travel industry. Sabre’s software, data, mobile and distribution solutions are used by hundreds of airlines and thousands of hotel properties to manage critical operations, including passenger and guest reservations, revenue management, flight, network and crew management. Sabre also operates a leading global travel marketplace, which processes more than US$120 billion of global travel spend annually by connecting travel buyers and suppliers. Headquartered in Southlake, Texas, USA, Sabre serves customers in more than 160 countries around the world. Web Address: www.sabre.com

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TRANSPORT NEWS JULY 2016

Overview

Growing Urbanisation to Drive the Global Fuels Market Through 2020 According to the market study released by Technavio, the global fuels market is expected to grow at a sluggish CAGR of approximately 2% during the forecast period. This research report titled ‘Global Fuels Market 2016-2020’ provides an in-depth analysis of the market in terms of revenue and emerging market trends. This market research report also includes an up to date analysis and forecasts for various market segments and all geographical regions.

The report categorizes the global fuels market into four major product segments. They are: • Gasoline • Diesel • Heavy fuel oil • Jet fuel and kerosene • Gasoline Gasoline is the chief product refined from crude oil. In 2015, gasoline accounted for approximately 68% of the energy used for transportation, 45% of all petroleum consumption, and 15% of the total energy consumption in the US. “Gasoline is mostly used in light-duty vehicles especially sports vehicles, small trucks, boats, small aircraft, and farm, construction, and landscaping equipment,” says Chandrakumar Badala Jaganathan, a lead analyst at Technavio for plastics, polymers, and elastomers research. Gasoline is highly flammable, toxic, and contributes significantly to air pollution. These factors can affect the consumption of gasoline globally. The 1973 Clean Air Act of the US intends to reduce pollution from gasoline use by demanding the use of less polluting engines and fuels, among other equipment. Diesel Diesel is used in trains, freight trucks, buses, boats, and construction vehicles and other equipment. It also is used in power generators in large buildings, institutional facilities, industrial facilities, hospitals, and electric utilities. Before 2015, diesel fuel sold in the US had high concentrations of sulphur, an air pollutant. The US Environmental Protection Agency has mandated many requirements for reducing sulphur concentration in diesel. “The construction industry is highly dependent on the power provided by diesel power generators. Diesel engines can be used to perform heavy work such as digging foundations, lifting steel beams, drilling wells, paving roads, trenches, and moving soil securely and efficiently in construction applications,” says Chandrakumar.

The cost of producing and delivering diesel fuel comprises processing, crude oil, marketing and distribution, and retail station operation costs. The retail pump price reveals the costs and the profits of the marketers, refiners, distributors, and retail station owners. Heavy fuel oil Heavy fuel oil is a highly viscous concentrate obtained as a residue from crude oil refining. It is extensively used in marine engines as it is readily available and cheaper than other fuels. The fuel is stored at a high temperature before use and it contains many impurities. The combustion product releases high concentrations of compounds such as NOx, Sox, and CO2. The market for these oils increased significantly due to the robust growth in international shipping, which covers over 90% of intercontinental trade by volume every year. Jet fuel and kerosene Aviation engines require fuels with excellent combustion properties and high energy content. These jet fuel grades are used for both commercial and military aviation applications. The kerosene fuels used currently in commercial aviation applications are JET A-1, JET A, JET B, and TS -1 while military aviation fuels are JP-4, JP-5, and JP-8. Each of these jet fuels follows a different specification standard. In addition to these fuels, fuels specially formulated for small piston powered aircraft also comprise a small consumption share. The top vendors highlighted by Technavio’s research analysts in this report are: • Chevron Oronite • Shell • TOTAL • BP Request sample report: http://goo.gl/PhQ9fS Web Address: www.technavio.com

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Truck Fuel Efficiency Report 2016: Trends, Challenges and Emerging Technologies - Research and Markets Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Truck Fuel Efficiency: Trends, Challenges and Emerging Technologies " report to their offering early this month.

Truck fuel efficiency is a key issue for truck manufacturers and suppliers, impacting all parts of heavy commercial vehicles and their operation. Growing oil demand has led to considerable volatility in fuel prices since the beginning of the 21st century. Although crude oil and automotive fuel prices are low at the time of writing, they are still around twice what they were during the 1990s. Consequently, while fuel costs accounted for around 10% of freight costs a decade or two ago, they have been as high as 35% during recent years, and operators now regard 30% as a benchmark. We have proven [that] if we want to significantly further reduce both fuel consumption and CO2 emissions in road transport, we need to look beyond just the engine. We must widen our focus to include tires, semi-trailer and other key components. Wolfgang Bernhard, Daimler The Truck Fuel Efficiency Report outlines the commercial, political and legislative environment, tracks the key technologies, and reports on the status of their development. The report pulls together a number of different perspectives and looks at developments around the entire vehicle to provide an overview of the overall trends in this very important area. With 96 pages and 60 tables and figures, it is an essential guide to this critical area. Key areas covered include: - Market drivers and challenges - regulations fuel prices, incentives - Current and developing engine technologies - from stop-start and after treatment to new combustion technologies and alternative engine designs - Drivetrain technologies - transmission types, axles, hybrid drivetrains, manufacturer strategies - Aerodynamics - airtabs, trailer shapes, grilles - Tyres - pressure monitoring systems, tyre technology - Efficient ancillaries - New and future technologies - connectivity and electronic control, autonomous driving, waste heat recovery, freewheeling, power lubrication For more information, visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/czzd2w/truck_fuel

TRANSPORT NEWS JULY 2016

Overview

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TRANSPORT NEWS JULY 2016

Overview

uShip LTL Marketplace Surges 228%, Adds UPS Freight® uShip has announced that its online less-than-truckload (LTL) instant-rate marketplace grew 228 percent in Q1 2016 compared to the same period last year as shippers circumvented their freight contracts in today’s soft market by going online to find more favourable, non-contract rates.

Shippers save 15-30% by circumventing freight contracts and going direct uShip also announced that UPS Freight® has been added to its roster of 30+ national and regional LTL carriers, including the nation’s top five — FedEx Freight®, XPO Logistics, YRC Freight, Old Dominion Freight Line and UPS Freight — offering direct, instantly-bookable quotes. uShip’s LTL marketplace now features rates from a vast majority of capacity in the $35.1 billion LTL market, according to SJ Consulting Group, Inc.

uShip has a total of 3.5 million registered shipping customers, including over 350,000 self-identified business shippers. One example is a maker of high-performance 3D printers that saved 20 percent on its LTL shipping costs after discovering uShip. Other shippers — from auto parts dealers to LED light producers to pet food distributors — are saving anywhere from 15 to 30% by switching to uShip, and commonly report substantial time savings by shifting shipping operations from phone calls to online.

“The uShip LTL marketplace gives shippers, especially smallto-medium-sized businesses, direct access to market rates and shipping technology they may not otherwise have, especially as LTL carriers claim contract rates are actually increasing by 3 to 5 percent. Shippers can now simply go online to directly book with top carriers like UPS Freight and many others.” “While the truckload industry is struggling to hold rates due to overcapacity, the LTL carriers are getting rate increases resulting from better capacity management and shift in pricing from honor system to actual shipment characteristics. In addition, the LTL carriers have gotten better at managing broker relationships and tapping into electronic marketplaces like uShip that directly connect carriers and shippers at a lower cost generating higher profit margins and expanding the LTL industry by attracting a new customer base,” says Satish Jindel, President, SJ Consulting Group, Inc.

uShip’s online transport marketplace connects consumers and businesses with thousands of customer-reviewed carriers that often have empty truck space offered at a discount, whether through uShip’s offer-based marketplace or instant-rate LTL marketplace. Based in Austin, Texas, and Amsterdam, the company operates globally with localised sites in 19 countries and regions on six continents. It is backed by Benchmark Capital, DAG Ventures and Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, and is featured on “Shipping Wars,” A&E’s real-life series syndicated worldwide.

“Right now shippers hold the pricing power — and they shouldn’t be afraid to flex it,” says Jim Bramlett, senior vice president, SMB at uShip. “The uShip LTL marketplace gives shippers, especially small-to-medium-sized businesses, direct access to market rates and shipping technology they may not otherwise have, especially as LTL carriers claim contract rates are actually increasing by 3 to 5 percent. Shippers can now simply go online to directly book with top carriers like UPS Freight and many others.”

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CEMEX Contributes to Extension of Los Angeles Metro CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V. (“CEMEX”) (NYSE: CX) announced that CEMEX USA is participating in Phase 1 of the Metro Purple Line Extension in Los Angeles, California. This long-awaited extension will improve the Los Angeles public transportation system by linking the west part of the city to the region’s growing rail network. For this project, CEMEX is expected to supply at least 330,000 cubic yards of ready-mix concrete.

Phase 1 will provide high-speed, reliable transportation between popular areas of the city. Expected to be completed in 2023, the extension will comprise a 3.9-mile section of twin-rail subway, plus three underground stations in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills. Project planning began in 2007 to ensure the completed development of this comprehensive project with the least possible impact on area residents. CEMEX was chosen for this project thanks to the expertise it demonstrated 10 years ago on the LA Metro Gold Line expansion. "This project will improve transportation and mobility for generations of Los Angeles residents, and CEMEX enjoys the resources and experience to help make it a reality. We are proud to play an important role in building a better future for one of the USA’s greatest cities through the extension of the Metro Purple Line,” said Ignacio Madridejos, President CEMEX USA.

"This project will improve transportation and mobility for generations of Los Angeles residents, and CEMEX enjoys the resources and experience to help make it a reality. We are proud to play an important role in building a better future for one of the USA’s greatest cities through the extension of the Metro Purple Line,” CEMEX is a global building materials company that provides high quality products and reliable service to customers and communities in more than 50 countries. Celebrating its 110th anniversary, CEMEX has a rich history of improving the well-being of those it serves through innovative building solutions, efficiency advancements, and efforts to promote a sustainable future. For more information on CEMEX, please visit: www.cemex.com

TRANSPORT NEWS JULY 2016

Rail

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TRANSPORT NEWS JULY 2016

Rail

Getzner Werkstoffe Provides Vibration Protection for Gotthard Base Tunnel Elastic railway track components guarantee availability and reduce life cycle costs

Getzner has developed an innovative vibration protection measure to ensure passenger comfort and durability of the track in the world’s longest railway tunnel. Around 250 trains will soon travel along the 35 miles tunnel every day at speeds of up to 155 mph. The solution Getzner has designed for these types of loads will be showcased at InnoTrans, the leading rail transport trade fair, in Berlin this September.

routes. “The vibration protection measure reduces vibrations, and therefore wear of the superstructure components, minimising the maintenance required on the track. Passenger comfort is also significantly improved, as the highly elastic inserts ensure even deflection as the train passes over,” explains Juergen Rainalter, Chief Executive Officer of Getzner. Until the Gotthard Base Tunnel finally opens for goods and passenger transport around Christ-

“The vibration protection measure reduces vibrations, and therefore wear of the superstructure components, minimising the maintenance required on the track. Passenger comfort is also significantly improved, as the highly elastic inserts ensure even deflection as the train passes over,” At 57 kilometres in length, the Gotthard Base Tunnel is the longest rail tunnel in the world. It links the Swiss communities of Erstfeld and Bodio. The tunnel forms part of the New Railway Link through the Alps (NRLA), which is at present the largest construction project in Switzerland. Once it opens in June, 250 trains travelling at speeds of up to 155 mph (approximately ten trains per hour) will use the Gotthard Base Tunnel, which connects Swiss municipalities Erstfeld and Bodio. To guarantee high availability and a long service life for the railway superstructure despite the significant loads, Getzner Werkstoffe has been developing a special vibration protection measure over the last few years. After all, the demands for this project are particularly high: when the tunnel is in frequent use, ambient temperatures can reach up to 40°C and humidity can be as high as 70%. The high speeds of the trains also exert strong pressure and suction forces, which put the material under above-average stress. Elastic Sylodyn® bearings for the single block sleepers and high-speed turnouts have been installed in both tunnel tubes for the slab track and on sections of the approach

mas 2016, all the components will be subjected to real test loads in up to 5,000 planned trials. All the materials in the Gotthard Base Tunnel and on the lines leading to the tunnel entrances must provide outstanding performance over their entire service life. For these special requirements, Sonneville AG's LVT (Low Vibration Track) system was selected – one of the world's first slab track systems. In addition, all the slab track turnouts (manufactured by voestalpine-Weichensysteme GmbH) in the tunnel have been supported elastically with the Sylodyn® material. Numerous turnouts and individual track sections on the main lines feeding into the tunnel with ballast superstructure have also been fitted with Getzner sleeper pads. At this year’s InnoTrans, the international trade fair for transport technology, which is being held from 20th to 23rd September in Berlin, Getzner will address the specific requirements of the high-speed turnouts and the vibration protection used for the Gotthard Base Tunnel project in its technical presentations.

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Crossrail’s Common Data Environment Advances to Cloud Services through Bentley’s AssetWise Managed Services U.K. Rail Conference — Bentley Systems, Incorporated, a leading global provider of comprehensive software solutions for advancing infrastructure, on 22nd June announced that it has successfully upgraded Crossrail’s Common Data Environment (CDE) for asset information through Bentley’s AssetWise managed services to a hybrid cloud-computing platform powered by Microsoft Azure. This provides a single location for storing, sharing, and managing information for approximately 1 million assets.

Europe’s largest construction project, Crossrail has been designed in a virtual environment for 3D, 4D, and 5D BIM, powered by Bentley’s comprehensive modelling software. Bentley’s asset information management solution, AssetWise, based on Bentley’s eB technology, manages the engineering and asset information in the Crossrail project and provides a complete, federated view of “digital railway” information. “Crossrail is leading the world in demonstrating the value of BIM to realize greater efficiency and cost effectiveness in project delivery and asset lifecycle information management,” said Alan Kiraly, SVP, Bentley Systems. “We’re proud of our work together with Bentley Systems, one of our most important global collaborators,” said David Epp, Alliances Director, Microsoft Corp. “We’re particularly impressed by Crossrail’s ground breaking ambition in building both a digital and physical railway, and are delighted to have had the opportunity to come together with Bentley to address the challenges and requirements of this world-class endeavour.” About Crossrail Crossrail is Europe’s largest construction project with a total funding envelope of £14.8bn. The route will run over 100km from Reading and Heathrow in the west, through new tunnels under London to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. It will bring an additional 1.5 million people within 45 minutes commuting distance of London's key business districts. The Transport for London (TfL) run railway will be named the Elizabeth line when services through central London open in December 2018. The Crossrail project is being delivered by Crossrail Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of TfL, and is jointly sponsored by the Department for Transport and TfL. For additional information about Crossrail, visit http://www.crossrail.co.uk

TRANSPORT NEWS JULY 2016

Rail

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Network Rail’s Upgrade Plan Brings jobs to the East Midlands Network Rail’s Upgrade Plan brings jobs to the East Midlands: New Maintenance Train (NMT) at King's Cross platform

As many as 88 jobs are set to be created by Network Rail in Derby as part of the organisation’s Railway Upgrade Plan in the East Midlands. Two different teams within Network Rail are looking to expand their workforce, including the team behind the Midland Main Line route upgrade which will see the line between Sheffield and London St Pancras electrified and journey times improved by 2023. The other team will support the new technology for plain line pattern recognition based, in part, on the New Measurement Train (NMT) – dubbed ‘the flying banana’ because of its distinctive yellow colour – a piece of highly sophisticated monitoring equipment which takes high definition photographs of the track while traveling at over 100mph to provide track engineers with information about possible faults. While a small number of jobs are based on the train itself, the majority are office based data analysis roles, with the jobs to be advertised in stages over the coming months. The vacancies, which are split around 50/50 between the two teams, vary in terms of expertise and experience required, and range between technical clerks and document controllers to commercial and construction managers. Gary Walsh, area director for Network Rail in the East Midlands, said: “This is fantastic news for Derby. The work we’re doing in terms of maintenance to the existing railway to keep its reliability high and the infrastructure projects to bring electrification and quicker journeys to the Midland Main Line means that we need people with a range of skills, backgrounds and experience. This is a genuinely exciting time to be working on the railway, particularly on big projects which will improve rail travel in the East Midlands for generations to come.” Case study Jessica Rehan joined Network Rail as an industrial placement student while studying at university. She later went on to join Network Rail and is now a Scheme Project Manager

TRANSPORT NEWS JULY 2016

based in Derby – a role which currently has ten vacancies. Jessica, who studied at the University of Derby, said: “Joining as an industrial placement student allowed me to gain skills and secure a position in the company after I finished my degree. I re-joined the company as a project management assistant and through the encouraging support of the team, I was promoted to a scheme project manager within a year.” “The team are not only focused on delivering projects safely, but improving personal development too. I have found that everyone is always encouraged to develop their skills and say yes to development opportunities. It is not always easy to see where you need to develop, but our team have created development plans to find out where you can progress.” Alongside her day job, Jessica is also now helping to recruit new people to the business, especially those at the beginning of their careers. “As I was lucky enough to receive a fantastic start to my career, I wanted to give something back to students and new starters and so I got involved with recruitment and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) network. I have been leading the recruitment for industrial placement students and I have focused on students with the right skills and behaviours for the right team.” Background – Plain line pattern recognition (and the NMT) Plain line pattern recognition (PLPR) has been hailed as the biggest step forward in track inspection in a generation. Based on the NMT and other vehicles in the infrastructure monitoring fleet, this exciting new technology uses high speed cameras to take photographs of the continuous welded track, known as plain line, at 70,000 frames per second (or every 0.8mm of track). These are streamed together and compared against the established pattern and anything that doesn’t match is marked as a potential fault.

Rail

Urgent faults are flagged by an expert on the train to the local track manager for immediate attention. The inspectors then process the full stream from the shift and check each candidate for anomalies â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for example lineside litter could have been mistakenly tagged as an obstruction. There are as many as 26 examination inspector roles available.

have track and signals modernised, platforms will be lengthened and new trains with more carriages will be introduced. The work will involve remodelling bridges, tunnels and stations and installing overhead electrical lines helping to reduce running costs, energy usage and carbon emissions and improve journey times for passengers.

One of the key benefits is that this means our trackside maintenance teams are targeting the real areas of concerns when it is needed and we are, over time, able to remove the visual track inspections improving safety for our lineside colleagues.

About Network Rail Network Rail owns, manages and develops Britain's railway - the 20,000 miles of track, 40,000 bridges and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations (the largest of which we also run). In partnership with train operators we help people take more than 1.65bn journeys by rail every year and move hundreds of millions of tonnes of freight, saving almost 8m lorry journeys. We employ 36,000 people across Britain and work round-the-clock, each and every day, to provide a safe, reliable railway.

Background â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Midland Main Line Route Upgrade Over the next seven years Network Rail will transform the Midland Main Line between Sheffield and London St Pancras which runs through Chesterfield, Derby, Leicester, Bedford and Luton. The route will be electrified, will

About the Railway Upgrade Plan The Railway Upgrade Plan is Network Rail's investment plan for Britain's railways. It makes up two-thirds of Network Rail's ÂŁ40bn spending priorities for the five years to 2019 and represents the biggest sustained programme of rail modernisation since the Victoria era. It is designed to provide more capacity, relieve crowding and respond to the tremendous growth Britain's railways continue to experience; passenger numbers have doubled in the past 20 years and are set to double again over the next 25 years - so we need to continue to invest in building a bigger, better railway. For passengers, that means: Web Address: www.networkrail.co.uk

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TRANSPORT NEWS JULY 2016

Roads

€10 Million to Modernise Pristina’s Transport System The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is improving transport systems in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, through a landmark €10 million investment to support the modernisation and purchase of a new bus fleet. This is the Bank’s first investment in the municipal sector in Kosovo.

With population of currently more than 200,000 inhabitants, Pristina is the largest city in the country and the development of public transport is vital due the rapid growth in population. At present, the city is relying on an outdated and often ineffective bus fleet, which causes high levels of pollution and affects the overall air quality in the capital.

to residents in terms of better service, air quality and noise reduction,” said Avdullah Hoti, Kosovo’s Minister of Finance. “This is an important project for the EBRD, the Government and Trafiku Urban. We are proud to be part of the transformation of Pristina. With this transaction the EBRD is helping the city to introduce performance-based public

“This is a landmark transaction -- our first joint project with the EBRD and the city of Pristina - and an important step towards a wider sustainable urban mobility plan for the city. The project will bring significant benefits to residents in terms of better service, air quality and noise reduction,” The EBRD’s investment will improve environmental standards, service quality and operational efficiency. The project is supported by the Government of Kosovo as the ultimate guarantor of the loan. The EBRD finance will be extended to Trafiku Urban, an urban transport company owned by the municipality of Pristina, for the purchase of 51 new diesel buses compliant with EURO-VI emissions standards. These buses will significantly reduce the levels of air and noise pollution and improve the service in the city. It will allow the transport company to align its operational standards to EU requirements and contribute to the commercialisation of the urban transport sector in Pristina. The project benefits from a generous donation by the Czech Republic to assist with project preparation and implementation as well as with the development of a sustainable urban mobility plan for Pristina. The urban mobility plan aims at boosting private sector participation in transport planning. “This is a landmark transaction -- our first joint project with the EBRD and the city of Pristina - and an important step towards a wider sustainable urban mobility plan for the city. The project will bring significant benefits

service contracts, which will boost private sector participation”, added Elena Petrovska, EBRD Head of Kosovo. “We’re proud to be working with the EBRD to pioneer the modernisation of our company. We believe that as a result of this project we will be able to improve our operational standards and help Pristina, a city committed to innovation and cutting-edge municipal infrastructure, become ’greener’”, concluded Halil Mustafa, CEO of Trafiku Urban. The modernisation of Pristina’s bus fleet is the EBRD’s first municipal project in Kosovo and the first project financed under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the EBRD and the City in March 2015. The MoU identified urban transport, water and wastewater services, solid waste management, street lights and energy efficiency improvements as areas of cooperation. The EBRD began investing in Kosovo in 1999. To date, the Bank has signed 46 projects in the country with a net cumulative business volume of more than €180 million. Kosovo became an EBRD member and country of operations in December 2012.

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BT Drives for Sustainable Innovation in Automotive Manufacturing and Urban Mobility New concepts in personal transport built on digital technologies could reduce the amount of cars needed on urban roads globally by up to 20 million vehicles per year in 2025, offering huge sustainability benefits and an improved experience for travellers. These are some of the key findings of new research published by BT and Frost & Sullivan.

The research, “Environmentally Sustainable Innovation in Automotive Manufacturing and Urban Mobility”, suggests that consumer trends towards ‘on demand’ access rather than product ownership is prompting car manufacturers to consider ride-on-demand business models. When combined with the integration of smart vehicles and smart roads and cities, all connected, these business models will lead to fewer and more efficient journeys, reducing journeys in private cars overall by 360 billion kilometres per year within the next decade. These developments stand to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 56 mega tonnes per year in 2025. That is an amount equivalent to more than half the yearly emissions from transport in the UK. A further reduction of 121 mega tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions could be achieved by automotive companies due to the reduction of the global car output by 20 million vehicles per year. By introducing sustainable production methods, including lightweight materials, expanding the use remanufactured parts and better integrated supply chains, the embodied carbon impact could be reduced by another 89 mega tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2025. The research suggests that this new era of mobility business models has a user-centric, service-led approach to delivery and is leading to a potential shift away from car ownership to the use of mobility services in several cases. Through smartphone-based on-demand solutions, connected parking solutions, and integrated mobility services, technology is playing a critical role in carving out new urban mobility solutions that are rapidly moving from niche to mainstream transportation options. These new personal mobility services all require highly connected IT solutions with access to real-time data. According to the study, smart parking solutions, using a connected infrastructure of sensors that draws on numerous data sources in real time to allow the most efficient routes to vacant parking spaces to be calculated, could deliver £49 billion in productivity and fuel savings and reduce yearly carbon emissions by 23 mega tonnes in 2025.

TRANSPORT NEWS JULY 2016

Ridesharing platforms that facilitate spontaneous use of spare capacities in private cars could bring a reduction of 40 billion kilometres travelled, which would generate savings of £15 billion for users and reduce carbon emissions by five mega tonnes. Ride-on-demand models, where users hire cars on a pay-per-minute basis, could remove 10 million vehicles from the road in 2025, eliminating 15 mega tonnes of emissions. “These findings show that IoT solutions will transform the entire industry. Traditional car manufacturers are rethinking their business models and will become personal mobility service providers,” says Hubertus von Roenne, vice president global industry practices, BT. “BT is ready to help the industry turn digital disruption to its own advantage and enjoy the benefits of a more sustainable future. BT is committed to helping all its customers to live and work more sustainably and more efficiently.” The challenge to car manufacturers isn’t limited to reducing pollution. Changing needs and habits of a young, always-on generation increasingly open to using Mobility as a Service (MaaS), and less likely to own a car, pose a challenge to traditional automotive companies. BT, bolstered by the acquisition of the UK’s biggest and fastest mobile communications network, EE, recognises the exciting potential and approaches the ongoing digital disruption with great confidence. The company already boasts several case studies supporting both established and new mobility providers, including solutions for smart parking and connected vehicles. “ICT solutions are enabling service providers to overcome some of the challenges inherent in urban mobility, whilst improving the user experience and encouraging more sustainable travel. New mobility business models can achieve exactly this,” says Martyn Briggs, industry principal, Frost & Sullivan. With technology enabling a new way to approach urban mobility, a paradigm shift from the current ‘predict and provide’ of

Roads

transportation to a ‘sense and respond’ will be introduced, using historical analytics and real-time information to deliver mobility services on-demand.

To access the white paper, please visit: http://tinyurl.com/z72fyw8

“The logic of our analysis was to reveal both the potential impacts and benefits of new mobility business models. We quantified the potential reduction in embodied carbon from vehicle manufacturing with the future reduced volume of vehicles required,” Briggs continues.

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TRANSPORT NEWS JULY 2016

Roads

Potential Economic Benefits of Upgrading A6 Cannot be Ignored, says FTA The upgrading of the A6 between L’Derry and Belfast could save goods vehicle operators around £70 for each return journey by a 44 tonne articulated vehicle, clearly demonstrating the potential economic benefits of such improvements. The long overdue upgrade is considered one of the biggest problems faced by goods vehicle operators due to congestion and delays on what is regarded as a key strategic trade route.

These comments were made by Seamus Leheny, Policy Manager for the Freight Transport Association in Northern Ireland, in a letter to six recently elected Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) who represent the Foyle constituency and now sit in the Northern Ireland Assembly. Whilst acknowledging that the new Infrastructure Minister, Chris Hazzard, has emphasised his commitment to the delivery of improvements to the A6, FTA is anxious to ensure that politicians in the Foyle constituency are united and determined to ensure the upgrade is delivered during this term of government.

leads to HGVs creating long queues of traffic, leading some car drivers to make dangerous overtaking manoeuvres. Additional dual carriageway on the A6 would create safer overtaking opportunities for cars and help make traffic speed more consistent.” The average operating cost of a 44 tonne articulated vehicle is £127,967 per annum, £2,460 per week, or £492 per day. Based on a standard eight hour working day the cost can be calculated at £1 per minute. Based on a distance between Belfast and L’Derry of 70 miles, an HGV would make this journey at an average speed of 40mph (the maximum speed for HGVs on a single carriageway) therefore

“An improved A6 will not only assist businesses in the north west to send and receive goods faster and cheaper, but it will also help attract inward investment as the ability to transport goods to market efficiently is a key criterion for any company considering investing in a new location.” Seamus Leheny said: “The majority of goods going to and from L’Derry and the wider north west transit via the A6. This is either because they originate from the numerous distribution centres in the Greater Belfast area or are exports and imports being shipped via Belfast and Larne ports. “An improved A6 will not only assist businesses in the north west to send and receive goods faster and cheaper, but it will also help attract inward investment as the ability to transport goods to market efficiently is a key criterion for any company considering investing in a new location.” Seamus Leheny added: “Another significant benefit of upgrading the A6 would be road safety. The speed limit for HGVs on a single carriageway in Northern Ireland is 40mph, compared with that for a car which is 60mph. Because a significant proportion of the A6 is currently single carriageway, this often

the journey time is approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes, costing £135. In comparison, on a journey on an upgraded A6 with significantly more dual carriageway, the average speed can then increase to 50mph (the maximum speed for HGVs on dual carriageways) thus reducing the journey time to 1 hour 40 minutes, resulting in a saving of £35 each way, £70 for a return journey. The average speed allows for a maximum 56mph for HGVs on the motorway. This is a conservative estimate of the cost savings as lengthy delays are common on the A6. The Freight Transport Association is one of the largest trade associations spanning Ireland and the UK with over 15,000 members, including over 330 members in Northern Ireland ranging from hauliers to food and drink distributors, retailers, construction and the recycling industries. Web Address: www.fta.co.uk

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World’s First Electric Road Opens in Sweden The world´s first electric road has been inaugurated near the city of Gävle in central Sweden, the result of a unique partnership demonstrating the path towards fossil-free transportation.

The two-kilometre strip on the E16 motorway sees electrified trucks from Scania driven in open traffic, using conductive technology developed by Siemens. Scania is supplying the electrically-powered trucks which will travel the road, and will operate under real traffic conditions. The beauty of the new technology, which is the result of several years of cooperation between the Swedish Government and the private sector, is that it permits the trucks to operate as electric vehicles when on the electrified road and as regular hybrid vehicles at other times. All the Scania trucks on the road are hybrid and Euro 6-certified, running on biofuel. Scania’s head of Research and Development Claes Erixon, says, “The electric road is one important milestone on the journey towards fossil-free transport. Scania is committed to the success of this project and is committed to sustainable transport solutions.” The truck receives electrical power from a pantograph power collector that is mounted on the frame behind its cab. The pantographs are in turn connected to overhead power lines that are above the right-hand lane of the road, and the trucks can freely connect to and disconnect from the overhead wires while in motion. When the truck goes outside the electrically-powered lane, the pantograph is disconnected and the truck is then powered by the combustion engine or the battery- operated electric motor. The same principle applies when the driver wants to overtake another vehicle while on the electrified strip of the road. Scania´s sees the electric road as being a key component in achieving Sweden’s ambition of an energy-efficient and fossil-free vehicle fleet by 2030. It can also help to strengthen Sweden’s competitiveness in the rapidly-developing area of sustainable transport. Nils-Gunnar Vågstedt, who is responsible for Scania’s research into electrification, adds, “The potential fuel savings through electrification are considerable and the technology

TRANSPORT NEWS JULY 2016

can become a cornerstone for fossil-free road transport services.” The investment in the Electric Road E16 programme in Gävle is a result of a programme for the public procurement of innovative solutions that was launched by Swedish authorities. The programme consists of about SEK 77 million in public money, with about SEK 48 million in co-financing from the business community and the Gävleborg regional authority, which administers the area of Sweden where the electric road is situated. The Swedish transport authority Trafikverket, the Swedish Energy Agency Energimyndigheten, innovation agency Vinnova, Scania and Siemens are the main funders of the technology, while Region Gävleborg is the project coordinator. The electric road is only one of several pioneering technologies that Scania is working on to help the spread of sustainable solutions within both urban and long-haul transport. The company is also developing technologies for alternative fuels, hybridised and fully-electric vehicles, and autonomously and wirelessly-connected transport in parallel with its work to further enhance and refine the products of the future. Scania is a part of Volkswagen Truck & Bus GmbH and one of the world’s leading manufacturers of trucks and buses for heavy transport applications. Scania is also leading provider of industrial and marine engines. Service-related products account for a growing proportion of the company’s operations, assuring Scania customers of cost-effective transport solutions and maximum uptime. Scania also offers financial services. Employing some 44,000 people, the company operates in about 100 countries. Research and development activities are concentrated in Sweden, while production takes place in Europe and South America, with facilities for global interchange of both components and complete vehicles. In 2015, net sales totalled SEK 95 billion and net income amounted to SEK 6.8 billion.

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Panasonic Acquires UK Technology Systems Integrator Alan Dick Communications Panasonic Europe on 20th June announced the acquisition of Alan Dick Communications, a leading UK technology integration specialist providing end-to-end telecoms-based services to the transportation and mobile telecoms sectors.

The acquisition of Alan Dick Communications (which will trade under ADComms), which includes ADComms’ companies IPS, AIB, and Rail Order, provides Panasonic with an opportunity to expand into the rapidly-growing rail market, incorporating mainline rail, London underground and other light metro infrastructure in the UK. The acquisition is part of Panasonic’s wider approach to provide turnkey solutions to its customers that include connectivity, hardware and software alongside engineering services. It also reflects Panasonic’s continued commitment to the ‘Digitisation of Transport’. As part of the acquisition, ADComms will join the System Solutions division within Panasonic Business, to develop world class solutions for larger customers, providing a single point of contact and improved accountability.

to help Panasonic drive their strategy to deliver a fully integrated product and solutions business across the transportation market. Together we can build upon the unique position ADComms has established as a technology integrator for infrastructure owners, operators, and users. “ADComms has always adopted a technology-agnostic approach whereby we recommend and implement the best solution for our customers and, as a standalone business within the Panasonic Group, we will continue to support products that are right for our customers on the basis of safety, performance, quality and price. But, now we have the added benefit of being able to access the world-class Panasonic R&D facilities, as well as significant financial strength, in order to help us grow the business. As the transport sector drives for

“We are committed to being a strategic partner for companies seeking end to end business solutions in key vertical markets. We already provide a range of technologies and services specific to the aviation and automotive industries, rail is our next strategic key vertical." Managing Director of the System Solutions division within Panasonic Business Tony O’Brien said, “We are committed to being a strategic partner for companies seeking end to end business solutions in key vertical markets. We already provide a range of technologies and services specific to the aviation and automotive industries, rail is our next strategic key vertical. “Following our review of the UK market it became clear that the ADComms business and its management team have developed a fantastic reputation within the sector, with quality delivery and solid engineering innovation. Our position will be significantly strengthened with the transport infrastructure experience brought to the table by ADComms.” Jason Pearce, Managing Director at ADComms, said, “ADComms are delighted to be joining the Panasonic group, and we’re excited TRANSPORT NEWS JULY 2016

digitisation and the smarter connected infrastructure of the future, we will now be able to help our customers address their operational challenges, and achieve their aspirations, far faster than would have been otherwise possible.” In July 2015, Panasonic teamed up with ADComms to provide a trackside trespass warning system for the UK railway network, using a combination of Panasonic security cameras and analytics software to alert the operator to people leaving the platform. For more information on Alan Dick Communications, please visit: www.alandickcomms.com For more information on Panasonic Solutions, please visit: business.panasonic.co.uk/solutions

Deals

PSA Group Acquires an Interest in TravelerCar, a Start -up Offering New Parking and Car Rental Solutions The investment in TravelerCar opens up a new chapter for PSA Group (Paris:UG), which is continuing to roll out its “Push to Pass” strategic plan for the 2016-2021 period with the aim of becoming a successful supplier of mobility services on a global scale. To this end, last April PSA Group announced that it would be committing €100 million in venture capital to investment in the field of mobility.

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The car is a means of transport, limiting the extent to which cars sit idle is important, as is using the cars that are already in circulation. TravelerCar offers three types of service that are available in airports, train stations and city centres to make daily life easier for car owners and renters: • A free parking solution for car owners who make their vehicle available for rent. In addition, car owners are remunerated if their vehicle is rented out. TravelerCar provides comprehensive insurance coverage for the vehicle and manages the rental process from start to finish

"One of the answers to new car consumer trends is delivering the kind of solutions that TravelerCar has developed," commented Brigitte Courtehoux, head of PSA Group's Connected Services and New Mobility Solutions Business Unit. "The move to give customers a new mobility experience is one we fully embrace at PSA Group. Thanks to the partnership with TravelerCar, PSA Group is continuing to implement its planned strategy to be a strong player in this new ecosystem."

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An advantageous-price parking solution for car owners who prefer not to share their vehicle A reduced-rate car rental option for individuals. This service is provided through TravelerCar rental agencies, which serve as a link between renters and owners

TravelerCar delivers a win-win service, taking care of everything for both parties. The TravelerCar offering is a hybrid model combining elements of both traditional car rental services and peer-to-peer rental systems. It enables users to enjoy high-quality service while also participating in an environmentally-responsible process. Founded in 2012, the start-up now has a network of 80 agencies and over 100,000 users in six countries: France (including the overseas departments and territories), Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium.

"We are attentive to our users," said TravelerCar's founder Ahmed Mhiri, "and can therefore offer solutions that are suited to their specific needs. The car is a resource that can generate income for its owner when he or she isn't using it. It's not just about car-sharing, because we also have a solution for people who would rather not rent out their vehicle. Thanks to the partnership with PSA Group, TravelerCar will be able to reach the next stage in its development much faster and extend its offering to other European countries." For more information, please visit groupe-psa.com/en

Beacon Rail Acquires Ascendos Leasing Beacon Rail Leasing (“Beacon”), a leading Pan-European rolling stock lessor, announced on 17th June that it has closed on the acquisition of Ascendos Rail Leasing S.à r.l. (“Ascendos”), a European locomotive and rolling stock leasing company, after having received clearance with the German competition authorities. The combined Beacon and Ascendos portfolio includes 225 locomotives and over 1,000 freight wagons on lease in the UK, Scandinavia, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland and Germany, 55 passenger train units on lease in the UK and Germany, 67 double decker coaches on lease in Denmark, and 13 sets of Mark 5 coaches which will be operated by TransPennine Express in the UK. Commenting on the closing, Ted Gaffney, Chief Executive Officer of Beacon, said: “The closing on the acquisition of Ascendos marks the beginning of a new chapter for Beacon Rail. We are committed to providing quality, state of the art rolling stock to the UK and European freight and passenger markets and welcome the Ascendos employees to the Beacon family.” Pamplona Capital Management (“Pamplona”) acquired Beacon in May 2014 through Pamplona Capital Partners III, LP, a 2011 vehicle with $2.7 billion of committed capital. Since closing, Beacon has been an active acquirer of assets through portfolio acquisitions, the placement of new build orders and the closing of sale / leaseback transactions with various freight and passenger operators, significantly increasing the scale of the portfolio and diversifying both the lessee and asset base. Committed debt financing for the transaction has been provided by ING Bank and Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch. Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP and Lowenstein Sandler LLP acted as legal counsel for Beacon and Pamplona. Clifford Chance LLP acted as legal counsel for the lenders. Please visit www.beaconrail.com and www.pamplonafunds.com for more information. www.transportnews-intl.com

Volvo Buses: Volvo Sells Electric Bus System to Luxembourg Volvo has received an order for 5 electric hybrid buses from bus operator AVL (Autobus de la ville de Luxembourg). Electric bus chargers will be supplied by ABB. The order is a result of Luxembourg’s investment in sustainable mobility.

Luxembourg was one of the first cities in Europe to implement buses with hybrid technology. In 2011, the first Volvo hybrids were delivered, today 14 Volvo 7900 Hybrids operate in the city. Luxembourg City and AVL now takes the next step in electrification of the public transport system with the purchase of five Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrids and ABB bus chargers to be delivered towards the end of 2016. One of the bus chargers will be placed at the central station in Luxembourg. AVL buys the bus system as a turn-key solution. Volvo will be responsible for vehicle servicing including battery maintenance for a fixed monthly cost. “The decision to operate the first electric hybrid plug-in buses by the end of 2016 in the City of Luxembourg perfectly aligns with our continuous efforts to create a sustainable city. The society will immediately benefit from this project through a cleaner environment, reduced noise levels and increased comfort during bus journeys. This ambitious pioneering project represents the starting point in our endeavour to a zero emission urban bus system for the City of Luxembourg in the near future”, says Sam Tanson, First Deputy Mayor of the City of Luxembourg, in charge of Finance and Mobility. “We are very pleased to see that the City of Luxembourg is now taking the next step in electrification with our electric hybrids. Electric bus systems are a cost-efficient solution for cities to reduce the problems of poor air quality and noise. Emission-free, silent buses also open up entirely new possibilities for urban planning”, says Håkan Agnevall, President Volvo Buses. Luxembourg is investing to become leading in sustainable mobility. The sector has been identified as one of the most promising sectors in Luxembourg’s strategy for the diversification and greening of the economy. Around 160,000 people commute to and from Luxembourg City every day. The government wants to reduce the environmental impact and the volume of traffic. The goal is to cut overall carbon dioxide emissions by at least 20 per cent by 2020.

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The Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid · Can be powered by electricity for up to 70 % of operating time. · Is quiet and exhaust-free when running on electricity. · Had 60 % lower energy consumption1 than a corresponding diesel bus. · 75–90 % lower emissions of carbon dioxide compared with a conventional diesel bus, depending on the fuel used. · Is equipped with an electric motor, batteries and a small diesel engine · The batteries are recharged at the end terminals in a few minutes. ABB bus chargers · Have easy to integrate into existing bus lines (inverted pantograph enables use of a low-cost and low weight interface on roof of the bus) · Have modular design offering charging power of 150 kW, 300 kW or 450 kW · ABB’s proven suite of connectivity features enables maximum availability, high uptime and fast service response. · Are based on IEC 61851-23, the international standard for fast charging of electric vehicles ensuring the appropriate safety systems are in place, the electrical design is in accordance with regulations, and the systems architecture and working principle are supported by wider automotive community in future. Volvo Buses is one of the world’s leading bus manufacturers, with a strong focus on vehicles and systems for long-term sustainable public transport. The product range includes complete transport solutions, city buses, intercity buses and tourist coaches, as well as services in financing, vehicle servicing, vehicle diagnostics and traffic information. Volvo Buses is part of Volvo Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of trucks, buses and construction machines as well as drive systems for marine and industrial applications. Volvo Group also provides complete financing solutions. For more information, visit http://www.volvobuses.com

Deals

Ross Aviation Acquires Six FBOs from BBA Aviation KSL Capital Partners, LLC (KSL) announced on July 01 that affiliates of KSL have completed the acquisition of six FBOs from BBA Aviation through a newly formed company to be known as Ross Aviation. Jeff Ross, who is a seasoned industry executive with whom KSL has worked in the past, will serve as President and CEO of Ross Aviation.

The six FBOs are located at the following airports: • Westchester County Airport, New York • Washington Dulles International Airport, Virginia • Scottsdale Airport, Arizona • Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Alaska • Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport, California • Fresno Yosemite International Airport, California “In 2014, the predecessor to Ross Aviation sold 20 FBOs to Landmark Aviation. This acquisition marks our return to the FBO business, a business we have been involved in for nearly 30 years. We look forward to being able to serve many former customers as well as many new customers, bringing to bear the service standards and customer contact that is symbolised by the name Ross Aviation,” said Jeff Ross. Ross Aviation and its predecessor vehicles have been based in Denver, Colorado for 23 years. The company solely focuses on serving private aircraft at fixed based operations locations at major national and regional airports. KSL is a private equity firm specialising in travel and leisure enterprises in five primary sectors: hospitality, recreation, clubs, real estate and travel services. KSL has offices in Denver, CO; Stamford, CT; and London. For more information, please visit www.kslcapital.com

Conner Announces the Expansion of its Operations to Nebraska Conner Industries, Inc. (“Conner”), a leading national lumber processor and integrated provider of packaging solutions, announced recently that it has completed the acquisition of Golden Triangle, Inc.’s packaging division and this has expanded its operations to Hastings, Nebraska. Conner strives to continuously improve all aspects of operations, while reinventing its value proposition. The company develops solutions to align with the changing needs of its customers. The expansion to Hastings, NE was driven by the new business growth in the region. “We are excited about the new growth opportunities that this acquisition will offer our customers,” said Joseph McCormick, CEO. “Conner’s objective is to grow organically, through expansion, and with strategic acquisitions. The addition of our Nebraska facility will help us better serve our existing Nebraska customers and our customers in the adjacent regions.” Conner Industries is a leading provider of industrial wood products, packaging, and services to the industrial and materials handling industries for the last 30 years. Please visit www.connerindustries.com for more details. Argentum is a New York-based private equity firm that provides growth capital to rapidly growing service companies. Please visit: www.argentumgroup.com for further details.

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