AAR honours Gary van Tassel II with annual John H. Chafee Environmental Stewardship Award

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has named Gary Van Tassel II of CSX Transportation as the 2019 John H. Chafee Environmental Excellence Award recipient.

This award is named in honour of the late Rhode Island senator, a strong advocate for green causes and the eco-friendly benefits of rail transportation, the annual award recognises a railroad employee who has demonstrated the highest level of environmental stewardship in the previous year.

“As the industry continues to modernise, it’s important to recognise our colleagues in the industry for their outstanding dedication to developing sustainable initiatives. Railroads continue to lead the way when it comes to sustainability in the transportation sector and we have these men and women to thank for their efforts,” said AAR President and CEO Ian Jefferies. “The conversation around sustainability is so important and I am proud that this industry is making it a top priority for generations to come.”

Gary has led his team to focus on making the traditional intermodal facility more efficient by implementing new technology and modernising site layouts allowing the railroad to operate with a smaller footprint, fewer diesel utility trucks, a transition to electrified cranes, and significantly reduce truck dwell times.

In the last year, Gary and his team have focused on how to adapt these concepts to modernise smaller terminals that do not use large rail-mounted gantry cranes. By optimising for minimal movement, Gary has changed the operating concept of the terminal to reduce container handling and truck congestion. It is easy to apply modern technology to brand new facilities, but the nuanced and customised approach to smaller facilities is more difficult and takes the expertise that Gary has developed.

A modern terminal that maximises efficiency and automation provides measurable benefits to the environment when compared to traditional terminal design. It reduces potential air emissions by ninety percent and the paperless system has cut $300,000 per year in paper costs. These are realised efficiencies and allow for far fewer handlings within the terminal, reducing the consumption of diesel, need for truck maintenance, and the overall energy required to perform lift activities.

For more information visit www.aar.org

6th May 2019