MEXICO'S RAIL PRIVATIZATION: IMPLICATIONS FOR MODAL COMPETITION IN NORTH AMERICAN GRAIN TRADE

Mexico's notoriously antiquated, inefficient state-run railroad has been revamped since privatization in 1997. New investment in rolling stock and infrastructure has been crucial to transforming the decaying Ferrocarriles Nacionales de Mexico (Mexican National Railway) into a faster, more reliable, and high quality system. Progress in the Mexican rail sector has caused grain exporters in Canada and the U.S. to reassess their logistics options. Overland routes have advantages in quality and speed, but face stiff competition from ocean shipping in the Mexican grain market. Privatization and capital improvements at ports have countered the growing market share of overland grain shipments observed in the early 1990s. This paper provides a review of Mexico's rail privatization, examines trends in grain trade between Mexico and its 2 NAFTA partners, and assesses modal competition between rail, ocean shipping, and trucking in bulk grain transportation.

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• Corporate Authors:

  Canadian Transportation Research Forum

  209-15 Innovation Boulevard
  Saskatoon, Saskatchewan,   Canada 
• Authors:
  • Ojah, M
  • Prentice, B E
• Conference:
  • 2001: A Transportation Odyssey. Canadian Transportation Research Forum. Proceedings of the 36th Annual Conference
  • Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
  • Date: 2001-5-6 to 2001-5-9
• Publication Date: 2001

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 174-188
• Serial:
  • Publication of: Canadian Transportation Research Forum
  • Publisher: Canadian Transportation Research Forum
  • ISSN: 1183-2770

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bulk cargo; Bulk cargo handling; Competition; Exports; Freight transportation; Grain; Intermodal transportation; Privatization; Railroad transportation
• Identifier Terms: North American Free Trade Agreement
• Geographic Terms: Canada; Mexico; North America; United States
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Freight Transportation; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00924991
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Volume 1
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 15 2002 12:00AM