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OmniTRAX celebrates individual, team performances

Written by Andrew Corselli
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Transportation service company OmniTRAX held its annual National Leadership Meeting (NLM) in Denver on Feb. 19-21 to review last year’s performance and plan for 2019 growth. The conference, which had a “Catch The Wave” theme, featured the presentation of several awards to individual and team members and to OmniTRAX-operated rail lines.

The Jake Award is a short line industry-wide award from the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA), and is presented to any Short Line Railroad that completes the full previous calendar year with no FRA-reportable injuries. The OmniTRAX rail lines which received the Jake Award for 2018 include Alabama & Tennessee River Railway, Carlton Trail Railway Company, Central Texas & Colorado River Railway, Decatur Central Railroad, Great Western Railway of Colorado, Georgia Woodlands Railroad, Kettle Falls International Railway, Illinois Railway, Newburgh & South Shore Railroad, Nebraska, Kansas & Colorado Railway, Sand Springs Railway Company, Northern Ohio & Western Railway, and Panhandle Northern Railroad.

OmniSAFE Awards, which go to all operations that had zero injuries in the previous calendar year, including FRA-reportable and non-reportable first aid injuries, were presented to Carlton Trail Railway Company, Decatur Central Railroad, Great Western Railway of Colorado, Georgia Woodlands Railroad, Kettle Falls International Railway, Newburgh & South Shore Railroad, Nebraska, Kansas & Colorado Railway, Sand Springs Railway Company, Northern Ohio & Western Railway, and Panhandle Northern Railroad.

The OmniTRAX Culture of Safety Award was given to Bryce Anderson, General Manager of the Nebraska, Kansas & Colorado Railway, for operating the railroad without a reportable derailment for over seven and a half years, while handling 60% more carloads than forecast in 2018.

The OmniTRAX Railroad of the Year, which is awarded annually to the railroad with the most outstanding performance based on marked improvement in the culture of safety while demonstrating significant pride in ownership through efficiencies in capital expenditures resource utilization and achieving significant growth, went to Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railway. The BRG had a 25% year-over-year increase in carloads, almost 20% year-over-year increase in revenue and the last FRA-reportable derailment was more than 16 years ago.

The OmniTRAX Energy Solutions Terminal of the Year, which is awarded to the depot with the best performance and other operating and safety metrics, was given to the Cotulla terminal. Using Precision Transload Techniques, Cotulla handled more than 1.3 million tons and finished 2018 with a best-in-class operating ratio of 21%.

The Arrows Up Basin of the Year, which is awarded to the highest performing and safest basin in North America, was given to the Permian. Despite dramatic headwinds like some of the highest labor, lodging and professional services costs, the Permian had the lowest operating ratio of all basins beating the next closest basin by more than 5%, plus had no reportable incidents in 2018.

The OmniTRAX Best Metrics awards, which are presented to the top operations based on 24-hour report switch and on-time performance, went to Newburgh & South Shore Railway, Stockton Terminal and Eastern Railroad, and Kettle Falls International Railway.

“2018 was a record year for OmniTRAX and the NLM is an occasion to celebrate that success. At the same time, we know there may be some difficulties ahead in the economic landscape and the event also helps us shape our strategy to take advantage of hidden opportunities within those challenges,” said Kevin Shuba, CEO, OmniTRAX.

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