The modal shift rate in FY2004 increased to 40.4 percent (preliminary figure), up by 9.5 percentage points from the previous year, according to a report released by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation on December 22, 2006. The rate is the percentage of all miscellaneous transport other than industrial infrastructure cargo transported 500 km or more by railway or marine vessels (including ferries).

The report says that the cargo volumes transported by railroad, sea and automobiles in FY2004 were 17.3 million tons (down 0.2 million tons from the previous year), 59 million tons (up 9.8 million tons) and 112.4 million tons (down 36.5 million tons), respectively, which is a modal shift of 40.4 percent, as compared to 30.9 percent in FY2003.

The modal shift rate decreased after reaching 42.9 percent in FY1998 due to increases in truck freight, which exceeded railroad and marine freight. The Ministry aims to analyze the causes of the sharp drop in truck transport in FY2004 at its modal shift promotion committee.


- Japan Readies 2004 Action Program for Transportation Modal Shift (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/db/719-e

Posted: 2007/04/04 11:59:19 AM
Japanese version

TAG Government , Transportation