Re: UP to PR
Author: small shippers
Date: 09-20-2018 - 09:29
The complaints by small shippers at CSX are similar to what was heard at CP. In both cases, the railroads frankly didn't care - the small shippers weren't contributing much to the bottom line. UP, like most other Class 1's, has been cutting off online small shippers for years, and it'll continue; they just have PR to justify it now rather than general cussedness.
Moving the remaining small shippers to transloads is probably the wave of the future at UP, PR or otherwise. That could provide a small business opportunity for shortlines and terminal operators. Especially since UP has a flexible view of what a "small" shipper, not worthy of service, is: in some cases, it's been actual small trainload shippers that happened to want timely service (such as for perishables), and therefore were not worth the hassle (you want it shipped on a schedule, use a truck!).