Evaluating the operational efficiency of rail freight operations in South Africa

Abstract: South African roads are congested with trucks on every highway in the country, thereby leading to traffic congestion, damage to the roads, and pollution to the environment. Railway transportation could assist in eliminating or reducing these problems on our roads. Rail traffic is decreasing, because of the operational inefficiencies; and for this reason, many customers are unhappy and have resolved to use road transportation for their businesses. This dissertation reports on how freight volumes are lost from rail to the road transportation system. This was achieved by studying the operational inefficiencies experienced with both rail and road transportation systems in South Africa. Every organization has its own plan or strategy on how to satisfy its customers and achieve its goals; but it is the service that they render to their customers that determines whether the organization reaches its target, while at the same time satisfying its customers. This research was conducted, in order to compare the rail and road-transportation companies, in order to establish how they differ in terms of rendering their services, as well as the challenges that both companies encounter. The results of the investigation show that those respondents who were not frustrated by their organization, but were happy with the system of transportation are those in the road-transportation sector. Furthermore, it was found that there were also some inefficiencies experienced by the road organizations; and also there was a need to identify some of the challenges that arise from using the road-transportation system. These would include traffic congestion, pollution, infrastructural damage – resulting in accidents. On the other hand, the rail transportation system was found to be cheaper, safer and easier to maintain, when compared with road-transportation system. Improving on the rail inefficiencies would eliminate the trucks that are on the road daily, while at the same time satisfying the customers.M.Ing. (Operations Management