(Reuters circulated the following in October 19.)
WINNIPEG, Manitoba —The Canadian Transportation Agency dismissed a request on Friday from the Canadian Wheat Board and small grain shippers for an interim order to suspend Canadian National Railway’s advance car booking programs.
Five small grain shippers and the CWB wanted the programs halted during the regulator’s investigation into their complaints about CN’s rail car allocation, which they said unfairly favors large grain companies with multiple elevators.
“On balance, the agency finds that it would be unreasonable to order CN to suspend its programs at this time,” the regulator said in its decision.
The CTA said CN has ended one of the programs, which guaranteed rail car supply to elevators that could handle 100-car trains through the shipping year.
That leaves more rail cars able to accommodate the needs of some of the smaller shippers, the CTA said, noting there was no urgent need to suspend CN’s remaining programs.
Both the shippers and CN will now file arguments on the formal complaint. The CTA has until Jan. 19 to issue its ruling.