Trucking Companies ‘Overbooked’ But Still Worried About Rail Shutdown
HALIFAX – Maritime trucking companies have been busier than ever over the past few weeks. But most will tell you they are far from happy about it.
With protests keeping trains in Eastern Canada parked, many companies that would otherwise move goods by rail are turning to the roads.
That means local trucking companies are swamped with more work than they can handle.
Todd Seward, the general manager at Classic Freight Transport, says he’s completely overbooked right now, with more work than he can possibly accommodate.
The same is true for Pat Berrigan, the operations manager at Guysborough Transfer Ltd., who says rail line blockades are creating all kinds of work for his company.
“This is typically a quiet time of year for us, so to be able to send a few guys to Toronto, it gives them work for a few days, I guess. But it’s certainly not a thing I’m looking at and saying this is a good thing,” Berrigan said.
He points out that the transportation industry in the Maritimes is fairly interconnected, and that problems with rail mean problems for everyone.
Most goods moving through Nova Scotia start out on container ships. The Port of Halifax is served 60 percent by rail, and that means it’s already feeling some serious effects from the rail shutdown.
“The Port of Halifax is a gateway, and those ships that call on the port don’t necessarily have to come here,” he said. “With this [shutdown], we’re just opening up the door for people to consider other options.”
Seward also says it’s hard to feel good about all the short-term business when he knows it’s probably going to mean long-term financial pain.
“I wish I had blinders on because blinders would tell me my trucks are all full and things are going great,” he said.
Like Berrigan, however, he’s worried about the reputation hit the Port of Halifax will likely take from the stoppages.
Seward points out that one truck can only move about 1/3 of the cargo of a single rail car. There is no way trucks can pick up all the slack left by idle trains, and that means trapped cargo, and customers looking elsewhere to move their goods.
“Every port up and down the Eastern seaboard is working to bring more ships in,” he said. “How do we look to international shippers when we’re not moving anything?”
Both Seward and Berrigan says they are nervous about the state of things now but are even more worried about what will happen if there’s no resolution soon.
“It’s scary, it’s messy. We’re all paying for it and we’re going to pay even more even further down the road,” Berrigan says.