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1/6/2026
Editor's note: This article was updated to correct the spelling of Kenny Rocker's name.
Union Pacific Railroad has embedded GPS tracking technology in its two fleets of 53-feet domestic intermodal containers to provide shippers better insight into shipment location and delivery status.
The EMP and UMAX fleets, which UP co-owns with Norfolk Southern Railway and CSX, respectively, consist of more than 80,000 53-foot domestic containers. Combined, the fleets are the largest group of GPS-enabled, railroad-owned containers in North America, UP officials said in a press release.
Supply chain solutions provider Blume Global hosts tracked container data on its GPS intermodal platform. Blume can send shippers notifications about critical deliveries and load and empty status, reducing dwell time. The real-time location information and shipment planning tools provided by Blume streamlines communication between shippers and the carrier, UP officials said.
"By combining GPS-enabled containers with real-time data and smarter visibility tools, we’re providing the transparency and reliability our customers depend on," said Kenny Rocker, UP's executive vice president of marketing and sales.