Joint intermodal operations designed to compete with the long-haul trucking industry are now coming from north of America’s border. Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) and Norfolk Southern Corp. (NS) are launching joint intermodal service Oct. 1 between the Port of New York/New Jersey and Eastern Canada that they say will slice one-third off the standard rail transit time.
“Import-export shippers will have an expedited rail service option that is competitive with truck transit times,” said Lawre Allen, vp-intermodal and automotive for Toronto-based CP.
“This new service will provide shippers with consistent second-morning destination arrival,” said Mike McClellan, vp-intermodal marketing for Norfolk, VA-based NS. “This service provides an improved link between three of the largest markets in North America.”
Allen added that truckers have already been asking to use this new intermodal service, putting their container loads on trains to save the cost of fuel and drivers, and avoiding the risk of highway congestion and border delays that can delay deliveries and drive up costs.