{"id":112904,"date":"2026-03-06T08:20:38","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T11:20:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shipping.einnews.com\/article\/897604164\/4EeeY9WMiFyEstZP"},"modified":"2026-03-06T08:20:38","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T11:20:38","slug":"tight-truck-capacity-opens-window-for-us-railroads-to-win-back-freight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/2026\/03\/06\/tight-truck-capacity-opens-window-for-us-railroads-to-win-back-freight\/","title":{"rendered":"Tight Truck Capacity Opens Window for US Railroads to Win Back Freight"},"content":{"rendered":"<div><img data-opt-id=758893364  fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==\" fifu-lazy=\"1\" fifu-data-sizes=\"auto\" fifu-data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/www.insurancejournal.com\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/freight-train-Bigstock-scaled.jpg?ssl=1&w=75&resize=75&ssl=1 75w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/www.insurancejournal.com\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/freight-train-Bigstock-scaled.jpg?ssl=1&w=100&resize=100&ssl=1 100w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/www.insurancejournal.com\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/freight-train-Bigstock-scaled.jpg?ssl=1&w=150&resize=150&ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/www.insurancejournal.com\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/freight-train-Bigstock-scaled.jpg?ssl=1&w=240&resize=240&ssl=1 240w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/www.insurancejournal.com\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/freight-train-Bigstock-scaled.jpg?ssl=1&w=320&resize=320&ssl=1 320w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/www.insurancejournal.com\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/freight-train-Bigstock-scaled.jpg?ssl=1&w=500&resize=500&ssl=1 500w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/www.insurancejournal.com\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/freight-train-Bigstock-scaled.jpg?ssl=1&w=640&resize=640&ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/www.insurancejournal.com\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/freight-train-Bigstock-scaled.jpg?ssl=1&w=800&resize=800&ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/www.insurancejournal.com\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/freight-train-Bigstock-scaled.jpg?ssl=1&w=1024&resize=1024&ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/www.insurancejournal.com\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/freight-train-Bigstock-scaled.jpg?ssl=1&w=1280&resize=1280&ssl=1 1280w, https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/www.insurancejournal.com\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/freight-train-Bigstock-scaled.jpg?ssl=1&w=1600&resize=1600&ssl=1 1600w\" fifu-data-src=\"https:\/\/i3.wp.com\/www.insurancejournal.com\/app\/uploads\/2022\/09\/freight-train-Bigstock-scaled.jpg?ssl=1\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\"><\/div>\n<ul class=\"nav nav-tabs tabs tabs-entry\">\n<li class=\"active\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insurancejournal.com\/news\/national\/2026\/03\/06\/860750.htm\">Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insurancejournal.com\/news\/national\/2026\/03\/06\/860750.htm?comments\" rel=\"nofollow\">0 Comments<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"article-content clearfix\">\n<p class=\"reuters\">U.S. railroads including CSX Corp, Union Pacific and BNSF are moving to <span class=\"tr-strong\">recapture freight from truckers as <\/span>tightening trucking capacity and rising road-haul rates bolster rail\u2019s competitive position.<\/p>\n<p>For years, low trucking rates and greater flexibility helped road carriers capture cargo that might otherwise have moved by rail, weighing on rail volumes and limiting pricing power.<\/p>\n<div class=\"bzn bzn-sized bzn-intext\">\n<ins data-revive-zoneid=\"79\" data-revive-topics=\"auto,trucking\" data-revive-companies data-revive-block=\"1\" data-revive-id=\"36eb7c2bd3daa932a43cc2a8ffbed3a9\"><\/ins><\/p>\n<p>var ut = Cookies.get(&#8220;usertopics&#8221;);<br \/>\nvar uc = Cookies.get(&#8220;usercompanies&#8221;);<br \/>\nif (typeof ut !== &#8220;undefined&#8221; || typeof uc !== &#8220;undefined&#8221;) { var adins = document.getElementsByTagName(&#8220;INS&#8221;); if (typeof ut !== &#8220;undefined&#8221;) { adins[adins.length &#8211; 1].setAttribute(&#8220;data-revive-ctopics&#8221;, ut); } if (typeof uc !== &#8220;undefined&#8221;) { adins[adins.length &#8211; 1].setAttribute(&#8220;data-revive-ccompanies&#8221;, uc); }<br \/>\n}<\/p><\/div>\n<p>That dynamic is now shifting, at least temporarily.<\/p>\n<p>Freight broker C.H. Robinson said trucking capacity is shrinking as small carriers exit the market and federal scrutiny of driver licensing, safety and insurance requirements intensifies.<\/p>\n<p>The added pressure is reducing driver supply and raising operating costs.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"tr-strong\">National van spot rates rose to $2.43 per mile in February from $2.03 a year earlier, according to DAT Freight &amp; Analytics, a benchmark for spot-market pricing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"tr-strong\">Railroads do not publish standardized spot rates, making direct comparisons difficult.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u201cA tightening truckload market has the potential to support domestic intermodal volumes and pricing, particularly on shorter average length-of-haul routes where competition with over-the-road trucking is typically most intense,\u201d BMO Capital Markets analyst Fadi Chamoun said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"bzn bzn-sized bzn-intext-2\">\n<ins data-revive-zoneid=\"162\" data-revive-topics=\"auto,trucking\" data-revive-companies data-revive-block=\"1\" data-revive-id=\"36eb7c2bd3daa932a43cc2a8ffbed3a9\"><\/ins><\/p>\n<p>var ut = Cookies.get(&#8220;usertopics&#8221;);<br \/>\nvar uc = Cookies.get(&#8220;usercompanies&#8221;);<br \/>\nif (typeof ut !== &#8220;undefined&#8221; || typeof uc !== &#8220;undefined&#8221;) { var adins = document.getElementsByTagName(&#8220;INS&#8221;); if (typeof ut !== &#8220;undefined&#8221;) { adins[adins.length &#8211; 1].setAttribute(&#8220;data-revive-ctopics&#8221;, ut); } if (typeof uc !== &#8220;undefined&#8221;) { adins[adins.length &#8211; 1].setAttribute(&#8220;data-revive-ccompanies&#8221;, uc); }<br \/>\n}<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Intermodal freight, cargo moved in containers that can be transferred between ships, trucks and trains, is a key battleground between the two sectors.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Key Beneficiaries<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Chamoun said eastern railroad<span class=\"tr-strong\">s<\/span> CSX Corp and Norfolk Southern could benefit disproportionately because of their heavier exposure to intermodal traffic in densely populated corridors.<\/p>\n<p>CSX told Reuters that converting freight from trucks remains a priority for its intermodal business. After years of excess highway capacity, it now sees opportunities to capture profitable volumes.<\/p>\n<p>The company said it was expanding terminals and working with port authorities to develop inland hubs closer to end markets.<\/p>\n<p>Union Pacific Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Hamann told investors at a Barclays conference that the industry leader expects about 75% of new business growth to be \u201ccoming off the highway.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The company added that its pending acquisition of Norfolk Southern, creating the first coast-to-coast rail network, could eventually remove about 2 million trucks from U.S. roads.<\/p>\n<p>Berkshire Hathaway-owned BNSF said it has invested in terminal expansions in Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth and Phoenix to prepare for a potential rebound.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBoth new shippers and our large traditional customers are leaning more on rail for capacity, cost advantages and sustainability benefits,\u201d Jon Gabriel, group vice president of consumer products, told Reuters.<\/p>\n<p>He estimated that a significant share of the railroad\u2019s expected growth will come from freight shifting off highways, citing the Los Angeles-Chicago corridor as a key driver.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Structural Shift \u2013 or Cyclical<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Drew Roy, director of intermodal at freight broker Traffix, said what first appeared to be a seasonal tightening in trucking capacity may reflect a deeper shift.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA few weeks ago I would have said this was seasonal. But with the loss of CDL (Commercial Driver\u2019s License) drivers across the U.S., I think we\u2019re seeing a structural shift,\u201d he said, noting capacity began tightening in mid-January as winter storms hit and spot rates climbed.<\/p>\n<p>Intermodal rail typically needs about a 15% cost advantage to win freight, Roy said, but as truck rates rise, rail becomes competitive on more routes, including on hauls as short as 750 miles.<\/p>\n<p>Still, he cautioned the advantage may not last.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a cyclical business,\u201d Roy said, noting that as truck capacity loosens, pricing power usually swings back towards highways.<\/p>\n<p class=\"tagtag\"> <span class=\"tagtag\">Topics<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insurancejournal.com\/location\/usa\/\" class=\"btn btn-sm btn-primary tagtag\">USA<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insurancejournal.com\/auto\/\" class=\"btn btn-sm btn-primary tagtag\">Auto<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insurancejournal.com\/trucking\/\" class=\"btn btn-sm btn-primary tagtag\">Trucking<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-poll\" data-post=\"860750\">\n<div class=\"article-poll-vote\">\n<p>Was this article valuable?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-poll-feedback voted-no\">\n<p>Thank you! 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Please tell us what you liked about it.<\/p>\n<p> <textarea><\/textarea> <button type=\"submit\" class=\"submit\" disabled>Submit<\/button> <button class=\"cancel\">No Thanks<\/button>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"article-poll-more-articles\">\n<p class=\"thank-you-text\">Here are more articles you may enjoy.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/blockads.fivefilters.org\"> <\/a><\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/blockads.fivefilters.org\/acceptable.html\"> <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8230; earlier, according to DAT <span class=\"match\">Freight<\/span> &amp; Analytics, a benchmark for &#8230; Fadi Chamoun said. Intermodal <span class=\"match\">freight, cargo<\/span> moved in containers that &#8230; told Reuters that converting <span class=\"match\">freight<\/span> from trucks remains a priority &#8230; growth will come from <span class=\"match\">freight<\/span> shifting off highways, &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-112904","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","wpcat-1-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112904","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=112904"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112904\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=112904"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=112904"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new7.shop\/zerocostfreehost\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=112904"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}