AAR

Commentary

Is the AAR serious about a weight-distance fee?

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) submitted testimony to the Senate Commerce Committee in mid-February supporting the American Trucking Association’s (ATA) proposal to increase the fuel tax by $0.20 per gallon, noting that “an increase in the fuel tax could be helpful as a short-term bridge to a longer-term future that, we think, should include a vehicle miles traveled fee or a weight-distance fee.”

Carloads up, intermodal down: AAR

U.S. carload traffic rose slightly during the week ended Feb. 23, 2019, but a decline in intermodal more than offset the gain, according to figures released by the Association of American Railroads on Feb. 27.

U.S. carloads, intermodal experience weekly decline

U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Feb. 9, 2019, was relatively flat, with carload declines cancelling out intermodal gains. For the week ending Feb. 16, carloads and intermodal both took hits, according to figures released by Association of American Railroads (AAR). Total carloads were 250,236, down 3.9% compared with the same week in 2018, while intermodal volume was 273,679 containers and trailers, down 2.1% compared to 2018. Combined U.S. weekly rail traffic was 523,915 carloads and intermodal units, down 3% compared with the same week last year.

Intermodal-only gains kick off February

U.S. rail freight traffic rose a negligible one-tenth of 1% in the first week of February 2019, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported on Feb. 13. An intermodal gain was almost completely negated by a drop in carload traffic.

January freight rail traffic a “mixed picture”: AAR

The Association of American Railroads (AAR), in reporting U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Feb. 2, 2019, as well as volumes for January 2019, noted that gains in intermodal, chemicals and petroleum-related shipments offset losses in coal, grain and motor vehicles—fluctuations that “don’t reflect weakness in the economy.”

Rail traffic momentum continues

So far, 2019 is off to a strong start for Class I traffic volume. Association of American Railroads-compiled numbers for the week ended Jan. 19 show total U.S. rail traffic of 543,111 carloads and intermodal units, up 6.9% compared with the same 2018 week; 258,833 carloads, up 7.4%; and intermodal volume 284,278 containers and trailers, up 6.5%. North American (U.S.-Canada-Mexico) numbers rose, even though Mexican traffic, measured alone, declined.

Freight rail traffic: Everything is up

The Association of American Railroads (AAR), in reporting U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Jan. 12, 2019, noted that carloads and intermodal volume both experienced healthy increases. As well, there were gains in all carload commodity groups.

Traffic up slightly in week 45: AAR

U.S. weekly rail traffic was 547,236 carloads and intermodal units, up a modest 1.4% compared with the same week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported for the week ending Nov. 10, 2018.

Rail traffic registers small weekly gain

U.S. rail traffic for the week ending Oct. 6, 2018, at 554,238 carloads and intermodal units, rose slightly—1.2 %—compared with the same week in 2017, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported Oct. 10.

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