ASTOC - Articles and news items

Growth in member numbers helps strengthen the work of ASTOC

Issue 5 2011 / 22 September 2011 /

The Association of Swedish Train Operating Companies (ASTOC) acts on behalf of Sweden’s train operators. It seeks to represent the interests of commercial rail traffic in its dealing with the Government and Parliament, authorities, business principals, the media and other bodies. ASTOC also assists in increasing the rail industry’s know-how and competitiveness by providing information, advice and services to members. During 2010–2011, several topics have attracted the interest and work of ASTOC, not least related to the latest developments of Swedish transport policy.

ASTOC has continued to grow in terms of the number of members. The association now has 26 members (up from 21 from the previous year) of train operating companies carrying either passengers or freight (see Figure 1). In addition to this, the number of associated members has increased from two to five. A major new member is Malmtrafik AB (MTAB), the train operating subsidiary to the mining and ore company giant LKAB, based in Kiruna in the very north of Sweden. It is a company with unique competence in heavy-load freight traffic, also used to face rather extreme weather conditions. In recent years, the booming demand for raw materials such as iron has implied a surge in volumes from the mining industry – to be transported by rail as well as by other modes. LKAB is currently struggling to keep up with demand. (more…)

ASTOC continues to help shape Sweden’s future transport policy

Issue 5 2010 / 17 September 2010 /

The Association of Swedish Train Operating Companies (ASTOC) acts on behalf of Sweden’s train operators. It seeks to represent the interests of commercial rail traffic in its dealing with the Government and Parliament, authorities, business principals, the media and other bodies. ASTOC also assists in increasing the rail industry’s know-how and competitiveness by providing information, advice and services to members. During 2009-2010, a number of topics have attracted the interest and work of ASTOC, not least related to the latest developments of Swedish transport policy. (more…)

The future for rail in Sweden should – and could – be bright

Issue 5 2009, Past issues / 26 September 2009 /

The Association of Swedish Train Operating Companies (ASTOC) acts on behalf of Sweden’s train operators. It seeks to represent the interests of commercial rail traffic in its dealing with the Government and Parliament, authorities, business principals, the media and other bodies. ASTOC also assists in increasing the rail industry’s know-how and competitiveness by providing information, advice and services to members. The CEO, Mr. Peder Wadman, runs the daily operations together with a handful of employees working at the association’s office in central Stockholm, including the regular input of staff resources from several member companies.

The Association can trace its roots all the way back to 1876 and the early days of rail services in Sweden, when privately owned railways had an important role. After nationalisation, the Association was mainly dormant for several decades. However, following the many reforms in the sector since the 1980s, with the vertical separation of track infrastructure from operations and the step-wise market opening process leading to a number of new entrants, the Association was reborn by the end of the 1990s. Today, ASTOC has 23 train operating member companies (see Figure 2), covering both the passenger and freight side of the industry and a wide spectrum of ownership structures: private, public (state or regional authorities), semi-private, and companies of both Swedish and foreign origin. In addition, the vehicle maintenance firm EuroMaint recently became an associated member of ASTOC. (more…)