(BRK.A), (BRK.B)
BNSF Railway continues to rack up strong Intermodal shipment numbers with an increase of 14.3 percent year to date as compared to the same period in 2020.
BNSF’s Group Vice President, Consumer Products, Tom G. Williams in testimony on March 10 before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure’s Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee, noted that December 2020 and January 2021 “were the two largest months in BNSF history for moving volume direct to rail off the ports in Southern California. We have called back furloughed employees and pulled railcars and locomotives out of storage to help handle the increased freight demand and drive improved fluidity through this gateway.”
Rail intermodal, which moves shipping containers and truck trailers by rail, has been reaching record levels, and BNSF is the largest intermodal railroad, transporting over a million more intermodal loads annually than its competitors.
Back in July 2020, BNSF noted that the rise in intermodal volume was primarily driven by e-commerce business.
A single train can take upwards of 400 tractor trailers off of highways, saving energy and reducing traffic congestion. Intermodal shipping includes both containers and trailers, and BNSF’s shipment of trailers is up a dramatic 29.76 percent year to date.
This video shows the scale of BNSF’s intermodal trains.
© 2021 David Mazor
Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.