On June 7th, Forum Train Europe members came together for FTE’s Plenary Assembly in Krakow, Poland. The Assembly elected four new members of the FTE Executive Board (ExBo). The mandate and the mission of the new ExBo will be crucial since it will lead the FTE organisation during the revision of the EU law for capacity management (Greening Transport Package) and the first year of TTR hybrid implementation. Also in attendance were the three remaining ExBo members: Laurent Beaucaire, Maurizio Capotorto, and Wolfgang Fritz. We sat down with each of them for a brief talk about their experience and priorities.
Laurent Beaucaire - SNCF
What has your experience been like on the FTE ExBo. Additionally, what are the important skills or abilities for an ExBo member and the Board as a whole?
First, I would like to underline that I have been very warmly welcomed in the FTE community since I have joined the Board a year ago. FTE and its Board are a very enthusiastic place with a strong team spirit. As an FTE Board member, I focus on keeping as much as possible the big picture for our sector and our companies to well-function. In addition, working in an international environment implies obviously to manage the cultural differences and sometimes the language barrier. This environment and the commitment of FTE office and members makes it very special.
What are the topics in the area of capacity management that the FTE community should focus on in the upcoming years?
Capacity is a key resource for railway undertakings, and it should fit in broader transport plans. Capacity management cannot be disconnected from the management of other resources. We must remain careful and avoid that future capacity allocation processes brings too much rigidity for us operators. However, there are also opportunities to make the new rules more efficient and more supportive, especially for international traffics.
Are there any messages you would like to give to the staff of FTE members?
With the European legal framework being adjusted, we are entering a period which is both thrilling and crucial for our companies. We need the energy and commitment from all FTE members to make our voice heard. I therefore encourage all of FTE members to step in the different working groups!
Maurizio Capotorto - Hellenic Train
What has your experience been like on the FTE ExBo. Additionally, what are the important skills or abilities for an ExBo member and the Board as a whole?
An FTE executive board member should be a manager who has in the past been part of an association like FTE and has always been concentrated on the business activities of freight or passenger railways. They should have especially focused on the core activity of timetabling. The main focus of FTE and the ExBo should be supporting members in the best possible timetable production, focusing especially on punctuality and reliability. To facilitate this support, it is important that we at FTE connect railway companies together and that we also facilitate connections between railways and rail connected facilities.
What are the topics in the area of capacity management that the FTE community should focus on in the upcoming years?
Capacity management itself is a very crucial part of the railway business, especially as demand is foreseen to increase significantly across Europe in the coming decades. The specific topics that should be focused on can differ between freight and passenger, for example the connection to rail connected facilities is especially important for freight. However, looking at both together I see TCRs as a big point of discussion, and the role of FTE is fundamental in this area, as we need to be strong in the discissions with IMs on these issues.
Are there any messages you would like to give to the staff of FTE members?
At FTE we have achieved very much, and this is demonstrated by the remarkable unity seen today in the voting and discussions at the Plenary Assembly. It is clear that members feel well supported by the organization, and it is crucial that we continue to facilitate this unity. With the inherent differences between freight and passenger this is a challenge, thus we should listen to all of our members needs and make sure all aspects of our membership are supported.
Wolfgang Fritz - Rail Cargo Group
What has your experience been like on the FTE ExBo. Additionally, what are the important skills or abilities for an ExBo member and the Board as a whole?
For me, it is simply important to discuss the many topics openly and together with my colleagues. For us as a Board, it is important to work together with the FTE-team to agree on the direction of work for the coming months and also to set the right priorities for the many fields of action. Years of experience in the logistics sector and especially in rail transport are certainly helpful in this respect, although we are of course also very happy to take on any input from our members.
What are the topics in the area of capacity management that the FTE community should focus on in the upcoming years?
The important project of rolling planning in particular requires proactive capacity management in advance because this is the only way to meet the market requirements of customers and rail transport companies in both passenger and freight transport. Rolling planning and stable construction site planning and management require active capacity management in advance - and FTE can and will and must represent the voice of the European rail transport companies here.
Are there any messages you would like to give to the staff of FTE members?
We as FTE need active input from our members in order to be able to represent their interests in a targeted manner. Therefore, we need your active participation in the working groups and also your feedback and input in order to be able to further develop the rail transport system in the interest of the rail transport companies.