Collective benefits of Combined Transport
Reduction of infrastructure costs
- Reduction of road traffic volume (less congestion on roads)
- Better use of existing rail capacity permitting, to a certain extent, limitation of investment in the road infrastructure
- Better sharing of volumes between the different transport modes
- Combination of the advantages of road (flexibility) and rail (more economical transport of large volumes over long distances)
Reduction of the external costs
- Improved road safety (less congestion on the road network)
- Reduction of air pollution
- Reduction of climatic changes (CO2 emissions)
- Noise reduction
- Reduction of pollution in environmentally sensitive areas
- Reduction of consumption of non-renewable energy sources
Benefits for CT customers
Direct
- Lower manpower costs: savings on variable costs, reduced personnel (drivers, driving time, night work)
- Gain in competitiveness
- Savings on fuel thanks to the section completed by rail
- Less wear on equipment (tyres, maintenance), longer life for trucks and reduced fleet of vehicles due to investment in transferable equipment
- Exemption from, reduction or reimbursement of road vehicle taxes
- Increased flexibility in the management of transport flows
Indirect
- No need for permits to cross borders
- Increased flexibility in organisation
- Extension of concession
- Reduced transit time: journey by train recognised as rest time for the driver (accompanied CT)
- Better enforcement and control of labour laws for drivers
- Facilitation of transalpine transit (larger loads shipped)
- Exemption from traffic bans on Sundays and public holidays for vehicles carrying out terminal delivery and collection in road positioning legs
- Simplification of customs procedures at the CT terminals
- Reduced risk of damage to goods during shipment
