Transport 2000 Canada

Policy Suggestions for VIA Rail Franchising

March 1999

1. Premium Freight:

* Encourage carriage of premium freight on VIA trains, including mail,
  express, containers, etc.

* Follow up the interest of CP Rail for Toronto-Winnipeg-Calgary-Vancouver
  passenger service

* Use Amtrak's current successful and expanding system of Material
  Handling Cars and Roadrailers.

2. Encourage Flexibility for VIA Rail:

* Promote experiments, change and expansion, especially at the 2 year review
  period; for example, services to Calgary, AB, Kitchener, ON, Sydney, NS,
  Saint John, NB, Thunder Bay, ON.

* Insist that the June 1999 network not be "cast in stone" but that
  minimum standards be maintained on existing routes.

3. Incremental Track Upgrading:

* Use Amtrak's example of improving existing track speeds and connections
  to gradually improve service and timing on existing routes. (See Amtrak's
  N.E. Corridor and the proposed nine state Chicago-base network).

* Prime candidates in Canada would be: laying extra track between Montreal
  and Ottawa as well as Brockville-Toronto as a general preparation for
  an eventual high speed line.

4. Separate Funding for Remote Services:

* This was a proposal of the House of Commons Standing Committee on
  Transportation.

* The extra $20-30 million this would provide would move VIA into a much
  more comfortable financial position and allow for some modest track or
  equipment capital investment and/or experimentation with new services.

5. Provide a Unified, Coast to Coast Rail System:

* Marketing, Reservations, Ticketing, Timetables, Connections and initiatives
  such as the Preference Plan and Rail Passes should be seamless throughout
  Canada.

* Equipment should be compatible across the country as far as practical in
  both maintenance, general operation and response to seasonal demand.

* Track leasing agreements with freight railways and insurance should be
  governed by a master agreement, not split among smaller carriers with
  weaker bargaining power.

* VIA should own all equipment and lease it to private operators and at the
  same time maintain control of maintenance standards.

* There must be unified long-range planning for marketing, equipment
  purchases, etc.

* Retain berth and roomette service to both eastern and western Canada on
  a year-round basis while at the same time actively seeking new designs
  allowing increased capacity "economy" sleeping cars.

* Ensure no reduction in food service levels be permitted.

6. Affordable Transportation:

* Service should exist and be promoted as basic affordable year-round
  transportation.

* Tourist opportunities should be sought, but at levels closer to full
  cost recovery.

* Focus more on maximising passenger use by taxpayers and less on cost
  cutting and "bottom line" economics.

7. Encourage Reliable and Responsible Candidates for Franchising:

* Encourage experienced North American companies (Bombardier, Amtrak
  and perhaps CP and CN) to become involved.

* Support other public-private partnerships such as with bus lines to
  provide feeder/dispersal routes, the Post Office for mail contracts
  and tourist organisations.

8. Capital Funding:

* The federal government must find a method, similar to the work of the
  Canadian Export Development Corporation that guaranteed financing of
  Amtrak equipment in order to encourage and finance capital investment
  of passenger rail equipment in Canada.