You also have to make sure that there's enough traffic to ensure a shift for the employees running it. If there's only 2-3 hours worth of lift, it's not efficient to run it.
Is there any available vacant land in the Sioux City area that is in close proximity to all three railroads and in reasonable proximity to shippers? The NIMBY factor may come into play and ignore it at your own peril.
The Council Bluffs' ramp is on the Iowa Interstate. They had two intermediate ramps, one at Newton IA and the other at West Liberty IA. West Liberty is just east of Iowa City. Both have been closed for a few years, probably longer than I think.
I believe they couldn't generate enough volume to remain viable. Newton especially after Whirlpool acquired The Maytag Company and closed the Newton plant.
Jeff
greyhounds We hauled Sue Bee Honey east out of Sioux City. I never handled a complaint from them. Other business out of Sioux City/Sioux Falls (truck to Sioux City) was red meat in UPS reefers and hides. This was all TOFC over a circus ramp in SC.
We hauled Sue Bee Honey east out of Sioux City. I never handled a complaint from them.
Other business out of Sioux City/Sioux Falls (truck to Sioux City) was red meat in UPS reefers and hides.
This was all TOFC over a circus ramp in SC.
Sure. Yet service was more reliable back then. In 2022 things have changed. Since there's no longer a ramp in Sioux City. A 95 Mile dray down I-29 to Council Bluffs is about the best you can get..
My dad worked for the MOPAC until 1947 when he became a traffic manager. TM's are essential to companies and I can relate to your story. I wish you all the luck you are going to need. In the current "overload" of UP, I doubt that they are going to be receptive to additional loads. Too much "NOT INVENTED HERE" thinking. While I own the stock, I am not a happy shareholder. CEO is too highly comped.
After a many years hiatus from the freight industry. I decided to hire on at a 3PL(3rd Party Logistics Company)this month. Alot has changed in logistics over the past 5 years alone, and there's items I need a refresher on. This pertains mostly to the software side of things. The amount of software now available is great compared to the when I had to go door to door. With a rate book, and what not trying to get a Yes! Instead of a No ...
A little backstory.. Years ago. I started my own Expediting/Freight Forwarding business. My main customers were; automotive, and pharma. I was a one man operation, and did fairly good for myself. I even handled a few IM shipments. However.. Long story short.. It came a time when I got a little over my head, and things started to turn for the worse. It was difficult trying too hire reliable help, and I just got to a point where I did not know where I wanted to go, and how to proceed.. So I eased my customers over to other carriers. Revoked my authority, and went on my way, and "semi-retired" myself. In the mean time I was traveling quite a bit during these last 6 years catching up with family and old freinds that are scattered to the four corners of the US. Doing consulting, and gig jobs to stay busy. I had enough invested over time where I can live comfortably. Yet I'm a busy body and I always like to keep pushing.
Back to that 3PL that hired me. We are non asset based which means we don't have our own equipment. We do everything from Intermodal to Ocean. Intermodal is our largest division by far accounting for probably 80% of our revenue. We are a fast growing midsize company. We use both of UP's domestic container pools. UMAX which is UP-CSX. EMP(Equipment Management Pool) which consist of; UP, NS, KCS, CN, and CP. We as well can ship IM on BNSF and both Canadian roads. Containers we use when shipping on BNSF belong to; JBH(JB Hunt), COFC Logistics, and newcomer Unit 53.
My position at the company is Truckload Account Executive. While I may deal with TL. I can market and sell other services as well. I've been at the company for almost 3 weeks now, and one of my daily task is doing research on markets and generating leads..
So now to Iowa. If you all remember Greyhounds made mention awhile back about how Iowa lacks any good intermodal access. This is true and It would be nice if there were many more in the State instead of Council Bluffs, and Butler which is served by the Iowa Northern. So I just happened to be doing some lane research in the Sioux City area and came across the Sioux Honey Association Co-op.. Which prepares and bottles Sue Bee Honey. So I got on the horn and called them up! As I was talking to traffic(traffic is another term for transportation coordinator)over there. He mentioned some of the lanes they ship honey on travel 1800 Miles. So I offered him to try out our intermodal product and save some money. Well when I mentioned that he said NO!! He said Intermodal was too slow and will not ship Intermodal!! Lead time was his main issue, and I can understand to a degree.. In that regard I may try to entice him again in the future..
Iowa is a treasure trove of business to say the least, and the rails(Union Pacific especially hint hint)are missing out on capturing traffic. This is where shortlines come in. As I see them as the only viable way to snag traffic from the highways.
Now Iowa only has two IM ramps.. Council Bluffs and the Butler Logistics Park which is located on the Iowa Northern just outside of Shell Rock, IA. I'm curious to see where the Butler IM terminal heads. Right now it only handles matchback Agri loads for export via UP. There's no domestic service yet, and hopefully in the future there will be. It would be a godsend to develop a hub and spoke IM network utilizing shortlines to gather IM loads building density for the C1's..
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