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Re: OT : Pasco, WA, Amazon warehouses
Author: SP5103
Date: 12-27-2021 - 16:19
FUD Wrote:
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> I've never seen a "rule of thumb" about the
> rail/truck break being 100 miles. Add a zero and
> you're closer. Even 500 miles isn't really enough
> for transport from a seaport to an inland port -
> that's a pretty close to a standard day's drive
> for a trucker.
IIRC, I heard the 100 mile rule around 40 years ago. The 500 mile intermodal figure in the last few years. There was a big change when railroads we're deregulated with the ICC regulations going away. Under the ICC, often times a carrier was expected to handle some traffic at or below cost for the public good, as long as the more profitable traffic subsidized it and it wasn't a substantial burden on the company.
Nowadays, railroads and even some trucking companies are running off traffic they don't consider profitable enough or worth the trouble. Far fewer restrictions or public considerations for common carriers now.
The upcoming reciprocal switch battle will be interesting. Personally I think the mega mergers from BN in 1970 on eliminated too much competition and too many Class 1s don't cooperate with shortlines.
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> I've never seen a "rule of thumb" about the
> rail/truck break being 100 miles. Add a zero and
> you're closer. Even 500 miles isn't really enough
> for transport from a seaport to an inland port -
> that's a pretty close to a standard day's drive
> for a trucker.
IIRC, I heard the 100 mile rule around 40 years ago. The 500 mile intermodal figure in the last few years. There was a big change when railroads we're deregulated with the ICC regulations going away. Under the ICC, often times a carrier was expected to handle some traffic at or below cost for the public good, as long as the more profitable traffic subsidized it and it wasn't a substantial burden on the company.
Nowadays, railroads and even some trucking companies are running off traffic they don't consider profitable enough or worth the trouble. Far fewer restrictions or public considerations for common carriers now.
The upcoming reciprocal switch battle will be interesting. Personally I think the mega mergers from BN in 1970 on eliminated too much competition and too many Class 1s don't cooperate with shortlines.
