Schneider National and Norfolk Southern Sign Eastern Intermodal Agreement

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 29, U.S. intermodal operator Schneider National and Norfolk Southern announced the signing of a strategic agreement under which Schneider will switch its primary eastern rail provider from CSX to Norfolk Southern. The agreement officially takes effect on January 1, 2027, but the cargo transition began in November 2026—a joint transition team formed by both parties has already started moving Schneider's eastern intermodal freight onto the Norfolk Southern network.

The asset base Schneider is committing to this partnership was disclosed alongside the announcement: approximately 23,900 chassis, 26,800 company-owned containers, more than 60 North American intermodal rail hubs, and a company driver team that handles over 90% of its domestic drayage. Beyond the rail segment, Schneider provides priority rail access, proactive execution on long-haul routes, real-time satellite tracking, and enhanced security measures.

To accommodate Schneider's eastern business, Norfolk Southern has made upfront investments across its 22-state intermodal network. Recent and ongoing projects include: a new service route from Cincinnati to Atlanta; double-stack container clearance upgrades connecting the Midwest to New England via the East Edge corridor, which opened in January 2026 at an investment of USD 64 million, can handle 9,000-foot double-stack container trains per departure, and cuts transit times by up to 10 hours; terminal expansions in Ohio, Michigan, North Carolina, and Illinois; and upgrades to pavement, lighting, storage areas, maintenance facilities, and truck access lanes at facilities in Atlanta, Louisville, Harrisburg, Chicago, and St. Louis. Ed Elkins, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Norfolk Southern, said the partnership combines the railroad's network reach and terminal capacity with Schneider's logistics expertise, owned equipment, and customer relationships.

This switch does not affect Schneider's cross-border rail partnership with CPKC.