Turnaround Times and Freight Wagon Competitiveness: Evidence from Tanzania Railways Corporation

Robert Lenard Mdoe; Salum  Chang’waro; Michael  Soka; Clashon  Onesmo

doi:10.47667/ijppr.v6i4.401

Authors

Robert Lenard Mdoe Faculty of Logistics and Business Studies, National Institute of Transport, P. O Box 705, Dar es Salaam-Tanzania
Salum Chang’waro Faculty of Transport Engineering and Technology, National Institute of Transport, P. O Box 705, Dar es Salaam-Tanzania
Michael Soka Faculty of Transport Engineering and Technology, National Institute of Transport, P. O Box 705, Dar es Salaam-Tanzania
Clashon Onesmo Lecturer- Department of Mathematics humanities and social science, National Institute of Transport, P. O Box 705, Dar es Salaam-Tanzania

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47667/ijppr.v6i4.401

Keywords:

Freight Wagon Turnaround,, Rail Freight Competitiveness, Cargo Handling Efficiency, Railway Operations Management,, Tanzania Railways Corporation

Abstract

Turnaround time remains a major constraint to the competitiveness of freight operations at Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC). This study examined the effect of turnaround time on the competitiveness of TRC’s freight services, focusing on three critical components: cargo handling time, maintenance time, and wagon retention time. Adopting a positivist philosophy and a quantitative, explanatory research design, the study sampled 171 participants, comprising TRC staff and freight clients, of whom 152 responded. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. Results revealed that cargo handling time (ß = - 0.143, Sig. = 0.087) had an insignificant negative effect on competitiveness while wagon retention time (ß = -0.243, Sig. = 0.000) had a significant negative effect. Conversely, maintenance time (ß = 0.333, Sig. = 0.000) demonstrated a significant positive impact. These findings imply that inefficiencies in cargo handling and prolonged wagon retention undermine TRC’s service competitiveness, while effective maintenance contributes positively to. The study recommends that TRC invest in advanced technologies, workforce training, and preventive maintenance. Additionally, improvements in scheduling and logistics coordination are necessary to minimize retention time and enhance overall operational performance and service appeal. This study contributes empirical evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa to the limited literature on rail freight turnaround times, offering managerial insights for improving operational efficiency in state-owned railway corporations.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Adero, N. J., & Aligula, E. M. (2020). Challenges facing transport infrastructure in the East African Community. In Research networking and regional development policy-making in the EAC (pp. 90–113). Nairobi: ARRF.

Arha, H., Arora, K., Sohoni, M., & Gopalakrishnan, R. (2024). A structural analysis of freight delays in the Indian railway network. Indian Railways, Hyderabad, India.

Arlotto, A., Andrew, E., & Frazelle, Y. W. (2020). Strategic open routing in service networks. Management Science, 65(2), 735–750.

Arora, K., Fanyin, Z., & Karan, G. (2023). Private vs. pooled transportation: Customer preference and design of green transport policy. Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, 128(7), 25–69.

Büchel, B., Spanninger, T., & Corman, F. (2020). Empirical dynamics of railway delay propagation identified during the large-scale Rastatt disruption in Switzerland. Scientific Reports, 10, 18584. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-75575-y

Corman, F., Quaglietta, E., & Goverde, M. P. (2020). Automated real-time railway traffic control: An experimental analysis of reliability, resilience and robustness. Transport Planning and Technology, 41(4), 421–447.

Daramola, A. (2022). A comparative analysis of road and rail performance in freight transport: An example from Nigeria. Urban Planning and Transport Research, 10(1), 58–81.

Edwin, L. E., & Macha, L. (2021). The effects of the Tanzanian railway network in the performance of the rail freight operations: A case of Dar es Salaam to Isaka. International Journal of Innovation in Education Research, 9(4), 91–109.

Fincham, J. E. (2008). Response rates and responsiveness for surveys, standards, and the journal. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 72(2), 43. https://doi.org/10.5688/aj720243

Freeman, R. E. (1994). The politics of stakeholder theory. Business Ethics Quarterly, 4(4), 409–421.

Githaiga, N. M. (2020). The successes and challenges of Kenya’s Mombasa Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway transport operations: A special reference to the users. Research in World Economy, 12(2), 27–56.

Katuga, Y. S., Kivugo, R. M., & Chombo, P. V. (2023). Reliability improvement in the traction system of Tanzania Standard Gauge Railway. Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology, 42(4), 47–61.

Krüger, N. A., & Vierth, I. (2021). Precautionary and operational costs of freight train delays: A case study of a Swedish grocery company. European Transport Research Review, 7(6), 36–57.

Mussa, R. K., Chunho, Y., & Sanghoon, L. (2023). Analysis of risk factors associated with railway projects in Tanzania. Open Transportation Journal, 17(5), 34–45.

Mulke, F. J., Havenga, J. H., & Van Eeden, J. (2024). Efficiency and capacity combination in the design of rail freight projects in Southern Africa. Journal of the South African Institution of Civil Engineering, 66(2), 77–95.

Nikiforova, G. I. (2022). A study of wagon turnaround in the current context. BRICS Transport, 1(1), 5–19.

PISA, N. M. (2021). Innovations to improve rail freight efficiency: Considerations for emerging economies. Journal of Contemporary Management, 18(1), 223–242.

Ogunbiyi, S. S., Abalubu, N., & Steve, N. (2024). Railway transportation and the Nigerian economy. International Journal of Innovative Finance and Economic Research, 12(2), 182–198.

Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC). (2019). Board paper on Kilosa-Gulwe-flood prone area. TRC.

World Bank. (2014). IDA project appraisal document to the Republic of Tanzania in support of the intermodal rail development project. Washington, DC: World Bank.