andrewnicol.net

KiwiRail appoints Jim Quinn as CEO

This from the NBR... 

KiwiRail Group's announcement of Jim Quinn as its new group chief executive has surprised industry sources, who expected current acting CEO William Peet to continue in the role.

KiwiRail and Kiwibank chairman Jim Bolger announced Mr Quinn as the new chief executive yesterday. Mr Bolger has worked closely with Mr Quinn before; Mr Quinn is currently CEO of Express Couriers Limited, a joint venture between New Zealand Post and DHL. Mr Bolger is chairman of New Zealand Post and Express Couriers.

"Jim Quinn combines experience in the private sector and with a major state owned enterprise. He brings to the rail industry experience from his work in the postal, electricity and transport sectors as well as a strong customer service dimension from the courier business,” Mr Bolger says.

Awesome stuff! Kiwirail needs vision and leadership. Jim will surely do this. He also has industry knowledge to actually work along side transport companies as customers and to improve the service.

All that said, a political hot potato to have with a new government. I wish Jim all the best.

Transport companies go green.

OK, so I have had my summer catch up of Transport & Logistics News.

Here is an international article from DHL and a local one about NZL.

Carbon Neutral Warehouse Pointer To The Future
DHL has completed its first carbon neutral warehouse which is likely to become a pointer the future of warehouse design world-wide. The transformation of its Yorkshire warehouse to carbon neutral status has been achieved by installing a ground source heat pump for heating and cooling, and motion sensors to electric lighting systems. The warehouse also switched to a green energy tariff, which provides energy from carbon-reduced sources.

Tauranga. Transport company NZL Group is hoping to cut it’s annual fuel bill by 8% by improving driver bahaviour in terms of fuel efficiency. Monitoring fuel efficiency is part of a move by the company as part of the business’s plan to look at a triple bottom line approach to operations including environmental impact. Company owner, Mark Fielder, spent four months setting up a fuel efficiency programme at their Mt Maunganui site keeping close watch on the fuel consumed by each of its fleet of 170 trucks. Fielder has been informing his staff on the effect conduct such as avoiding idling, cutting speed and improving driving techniques can have on cutting fuel consumption and emissions.

Cheap trucks anyone?

I read this in the Transport & Logistics News recently.

US Trucking Firms Downsizing
More than 130,000 large trucks are currently parked up in the US equivalent to 7% of the nation’s entire heavy trucking fleet as demand for freight services dwindles. This figure is expected to keep rising as the recession bites. The downside is expected to continue even when the recovery starts. Freight rates are picked to jump as rebounding demand outstrips the industry’s ability to re-commission capacity.

I wonder how that compares to NZ as a percentage, rather than 130,0000?

Summer Reading.

Took a few books away with me to read while at the beach. As normal, took too many books with me. Will post a summary, maybe, once I have read them.

• The Appeal - John Grisham
• Constructing Artistic Integrity - Kim Barbour
• The End of Charity - Nic Frances
• Jesus wants to save Christians - Rob Bell & Don Golden
• Tipping Point - Malcom Gladwell
• Growing Great Girls - Ian & Mary Grant
• View from the Summit - Sir Edmond Hillary

Varying topics and reasons for reading. Will be interesting,