Refrigerated intermodal company C.R. England Trucking and transloading and logistics firm The Transload Group on Monday announced their support for the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger, citing the benefits of a transcontinental rail operator.
The Salt Lake City-based C.R. England said it offered “strong support” for the merger, saying it believes the “coast-to-cost integration marks a transformative step toward faster, greener, and more cost-effective freight transportation.”
“By uniting the western and eastern rail networks, the merger will create a single transcontinental railroad offering uninterrupted, single-line haul service,” the company said in a press release. “For intermodal providers like C.R. England Inc., this means freight can move from the Southeast to the West without switching carriers — eliminating delays and improving reliability.”
The company also cited benefits including the fuel efficiency and environmental benefits of rail compared to trucks, and the savings of one to two days of shipping time by remaining on a single railroad.
“A seamless coast-to-coast rail carrier is something we’ve dreamed about for years,” said C.R. England Chief Operating Officer Zach England. “This merger lets us combine the best of rail and trucking — moving freight farther with less fuel and fewer emissions, then delivering the last mile by truck. It means faster transit, greater capacity, and lower costs. For our customers, that translates to improved supply chain efficiency and savings we can pass on to consumers. It’s better for our business, our customers, and the country.”
The Transload Group cited similar benefits, saying single-line service can eliminate costly interchange delays and reduce transit time by days.
“This merger is a game-changer for the industry, creating a coast-to-coast railroad that will make shipping more efficient than ever,” Chuck Marias, president of The Transload Group, said in a press release. “… . We’ve witnessed first-hand the power of combining truck and rail through our partnership with Norfolk Southern — our Chicago transload facility saw a 62% surge in volume after NS invested in it.”
The company said the shipments at its Chicago transload hub since it began its collaboration with NS demonstrates “the demand for integrated rail solutions,” and that the merger would extend those solutions nationwide.
C.R. England employs more than 4,000 drivers and operates more than 3,900 tractors in a nationwide operation dating to 1920. The Transload Group offers transloading, warehousing, and other services at a network including one short line — the Great Lakes Terminal in Chicago — and facilities in Chicago; Denver; Colton, Calif.; Hammond, Ind.; Fostoria, Ohio; and Laredo, Texas.
