John D. Boyd | Dec 16, 2009 9:56AM EST
Schneider National, one of the largest U.S. truckload carriers, has wrapped up a three-year program that rapidly shifted its intermodal equipment from a mix of trailers and containers to an all-container fleet.
That meant shifting 12,000 pieces of equipment in just three years, so that Schneider’s orange trailers are now used just for its over-the-road trucking service and will no longer ride on rail flatcars, while its domestic-focused intermodal operation relies heavily on the big 53-foot containers that increasingly dominate North American rail-truck shipments.
Privately held Schneider did not detail how much it spent on the program, but said “the conversion represents one of the company’s largest intermodal equipment investments in Schneider’s nearly 20-year history of operating an intermodal fleet.”
Bill Matheson, its president for intermodal services, said it will give Schneider’s shippers larger operating efficiencies and cost savings.
“Current economic realities require that shippers scrutinize every aspect of their supply chain in search of energy efficiencies and cost savings,” he said. “Our 53-foot container-focused service makes it even easier for customers to leverage Schneider Intermodal’s truck-like service.”
Contact John D. Boyd at jboyd@joc.com.
