Service Update – All Modes
Information from all modes indicates that the Canadian transportation system is currently functioning normally. Traffic has declined in most modes resulting in adequate service in terms of equipment supply and transit consistency for most existing traffic.
The U.S. authorities have given the U.S. railroads a temporary exemption from enforcing safety rules leading to strong complaints from railroad labour. The link at the first red bar below provides more detail.
PFL Railcar has issued a report today on the number of North American railcars in storage as of April 1. On that date, there were 394,200 cars in storage, representing 23.6% of the North American fleet. This is a 25.8% increase over the same period last year. The full report, showing details by car type can be found at
https://pflpetroleum.com/reports/pfl-railcar-storage-report-4-6-2020/04/06/2020/
The major ports are not reporting any delays and the trucking industry is reporting that the support and outreach by shippers and governments to provide drivers with access to washrooms and other facilities is improving. In some cases, shippers are providing free meals.
Air Cargo continues to be faced with disruptions and reduced capacity due to the wide-spread reduction in passenger flights. As noted in a previous update, this is leading to increased rates. The media item at the second red bar below provides more details.
Air Canada Cargo now has a link on its website related to available service while the COVID-19 pandemic is in place. It can be found at https://www.aircanada.com/cargo/en/covid-19/
Updates Now on the Website
All the COVID-19 updates that FMA has issued are now uploaded to the website and there is a link to them on the home page at www.fma-agf.ca .
Our focus in the FMA updates continues be on supply-chain impacts of COVID-19. If members have questions where FMA may be able to help, please send an email with your request, and we are pleased that a number of members have reached out to us.
Information from members will be useful in our continuing outreach to members and in our communications with the government and with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. As always, all individual company information will be kept confidential.
