It’s the Premiere of Transit ROLA
ÖKOMBI establishes a “Rolling Road” with start and destination abroad for the first time. This new intermodal traffic connects Regensburg (D) and Trento (I) and further eases the burden on the road freight traffic on the Brenner Pass.
(Vienna, 7 May 2007) - The upward trend of intermodal traffic will continue in 2007 as well. One good reason for this will be a new intermodal connection, neither its point of departure nor its destination being in Austria for the first time. As the route leads over the Brenner Pass, the new ROLA is quite important. The new connection is intended to help with a further reduction of the transit load caused by road freight traffic. A lot of interest is shown in it even in the run-up because there is clearly demand on the part of internationally operating forwarding companies regarding a “long“ connection over the Brenner Pass axis on account of the driving hours and rest period regulations.
1,000 trucks on rails ever day on the ROLA Brenner Pass route
In the medium term, ÖKOMBI intends to put one fifth of the truck transit on the Brenner route on rails – this is 1,000 trucks per day. The new relation is a step in the right direction. Gustav Poschalko, managing director of ÖKOMBI: “Even today, 38 ROLA trains run over the Brenner Pass, and it will be two more from now. When working at full capacity, we can take about 700 trucks off the roads every day – up to 2008, we will extend our range and aim at a mark of 1,000.“
Besides advantages, more advantages
Transporting trucks piggyback on railways offers a whole
string of advantages. The new ROLA Regensburg - Trento runs almost only during
the night, the customers can thus sidestep the ban on night-time driving for the
Brenner Pass. Another essential advantage is the utilisation of the rest periods.
The trip on the 460 km route is realised by ROLA in 9 hours – in this way, the
statutory rest period for truck drivers is complied with, and the trucks are on
the move nevertheless. In addition, they save variable expenses, such as loss in
value, oil, wear of tyres, etc. Furthermore, Austrian and German ROLA users can
claim reimbursement of the motor vehicle tax. The advantages for people and for
the environment are so obvious. Gustav Poschalko: “With one ROLA train on the
comparably short route Wörgl-Brenner alone, the transport of trucks on the ROLA
saves about 2.5 tons of CO2. Last year, we were able to save the environment a
total of 20,000 tons of CO2 in that way."
ROLA hub Regensburg
As a result of it becoming a new ROLA destination, the Regensburg area is clearly given an upgrade and gets a real ROLA hub of ÖKOMBI. In addition to the connection Graz-Regensburg with two trains every day, a transport link to Italy is now offered as well. Regensburg is characterised by its very good connection to the high-ranking road system and is an ideal hub for traffic into the Rhine-Ruhr area and Northern Germany as well as in the Berlin area, to the Czech Republic and Poland.
RCA subsidiary ÖKOMBI is a reliable partner
With the integration of ÖKOMBI in the affiliated group of Rail Cargo Austria AG in the autumn of 2005, the upswing of intermodal traffic began. As early as last year, the successful development of the new structure became clear – it was possible to increase the number of trucks transported by 40 %. In absolute figures, 276,000 trucks were transported piggyback by rail last year, 75,000 more than in 2005.