BNSF to increase velocity, improve efficiency for fertilizer moves

During the next few weeks, fertilizer demand is expected to peak. Due to shortness of the planting season and the necessity of timely deliveries to ensure producers can plant this year’s crops with the proper nutrients, BNSF Railway Co. plans to undertake several actions to expedite fertilizer shipments.


To increase velocity and improve efficiency, the Class I aims to:
• handle unit fertilizer similar to the logistics of grain shuttles, where customers have the capacity for rapid loading and unloading;
• commit locomotives to such fertilizer trains to reduce any potential delays and ensure expedited turn-around service at origins and destinations;
• add an additional shuttle set into fertilizer service to increase resources;
• manage crew availability so workers are in position when a train is ready to depart; and
• ensure accurate estimated times of arrival so facilities can be prepositioned to load and unload as fast as possible.

"BNSF understands the importance of ensuring the fluidity of the supply chain during this critical period. All of our operating teams are focused on and dedicated to providing the level of service our customers expect and we are committing the resources required to accomplish this effort," BNSF officials said in a customer advisory.