YRC Freight, the North American long-haul unit of less-than-truckload carrier YRC Worldwide (NYSE: YRCW) is proceeding with its strategy to use branded intermodal containers.
YRC Freight said on September 30 that it has partnered with BNSF Railway (NYSE: BRK) to onboard more than 600 branded intermodal containers as of September. This action is part of YRC’s wider plan to acquire 1,000 branded intermodal containers by the end of 2020.
“Operationally, all intermodal companies are looking at how to improve efficiency,” said Maynard Skarka, YRC Freight senior vice president for operations. “Currently, we use smaller trailers called ‘pups’ to transport freight for our customers. This new shift to our branded containerized units will allow us to stay aligned with intermodal companies as we both look for operational efficiencies.”
The majority of the containers will travel on BNSF’s network between Chicago and Southern California, YRC Freight said.
“At BNSF we are always looking at how we can create more efficiencies and greater capacity on our network, particularly in markets like the Inland Empire, where containerization will help us leverage capacity to grow with increasing demand over time,” said Todd Carter, BNSF vice president of domestic intermodal.
The announcement follows a separate and unrelated one from September 9 in which YRC Freight said it opened a new service center in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The new service center has 16 dock doors and will provide enhanced coverage for the St. Paul and St. Cloud markets. It will also help ease congestion, as nearly half of the St. Cloud freight will bypass the St. Paul distribution center and load direct to and from Chicago, YRC Freight said earlier this month.
Meanwhile, YRC Freight’s parent company YRCW said earlier this month that it completed a refinancing of its term loan debt.