Michael Beard became CEO of Tranz Rail in 2000. His policy was to focus on the rail freight operation, and sell any assets which were not core to this business, such as long distance passenger trains (Tranz Scenic) and commuter services in Wellington and Auckland (Tranz Metro). Beard also moved Tranz Rail's headquarters from the Wellington railway station to a new purpose-built office on the North Shore of Auckland, at a cost of $16 million. In 2000 a ministerial inquiry was formed to look into Tranz Rail's safety record, due to an unusually high number of work-related fatalities over the previous 12 months.