ARI, a global fleet services provider specializing in complex car and truck fleets, hosted its fourth annual Railroad Fleet Symposium this week at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Representatives from Class One railroads in the U.S., Canada and Mexico joined ARI fleet experts to discuss the latest trends in the industry, best practices and benchmarking, and the newest technology offerings that are helping railroads run their car and truck fleets more efficiently and cost effectively, according to the fleet management company.

“We are pleased to be able to host this event for the fourth year in a row,” said Bob White, senior vice president of Client and Fleet Services. “This unique event, which brings together the very best in the industry, offers attendees the opportunity to discuss the wide range of vehicle fleet challenges and opportunities currently facing railroads and consider possible best practices that, if implemented, could have a very real impact on a fleet’s bottom line. We’ve found that this multi-day event provides our invited guests with genuine value that they can then use when they return home, and I’m confident this year’s sessions will give attendees both high-level, strategic insight and practical, day-to-day operational tactics that will ultimately help them run better fleets.”

Even though more than 40 percent of all U.S. freight currently moves by rail, the industry faces a variety of financial threats. Among the challenges facing railroad fleets today in range from a soft economy, to regulation, rising fuel costs and other concerns, and how those factors drive mandates to do more with less, according to the fleet management company.