BNSF's "We Love Truckers" campaign

[Anonymous]

This is an interesting article from ProgressiveRailroading.com:

http://www.progressiverailroading.com/freightnews/article.asp?id=5320

<8/26/2004
BNSF thanks truckers for prosperous intermodal relationship

Love thy enemy? You do if they helped you increase intermodal volume 20 percent in the year’s first half compared with last year.

That’s why Burlington Northern Santa Fe posted “We Love Truckers” banners at its 11 intermodal facilities and honored truckers at an event held yesterday at the railroad’s intermodal terminal in Alliance, Texas, to help trucking firms celebrate National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.

More than 1,000 truck drivers were given free pizza, drinks, mugs, T-shirts, key chains and heart-shaped cookies as tokens of appreciation. The items were handed out by BNSF truckload salespeople and a few trucking firm executives.

“The ‘We Love Truckers’ event is our way of saying thanks to our trucking company partners and their drivers who, along with railroad people, are the backbone of ensuring the products we use daily are delivered safely and efficiently,” said John Hickerson, BNSF assistant vice president of truckload sales, in a prepared statement.

Railroaders and truckers have a much more integrated relationship today, said Texas Motor Transportation Association President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Webb.

“We have become connected at the hip, from a strategic perspective,” he said. “The ability for truckers and BNSF to meet customer requirements rests solely on our ability to maintain a cost-effective and efficient supply chain.”

The question I have is: If BNSF loves truckers so much, why not support efforts to increase GVW so that the intermodal supply chain becomes even more efficient?

[Overmod]

What BNSF actually means is “We Love Truckers Who MIght Handle Our Intermodal Moves.”

I do think it’s long overdue for railroads to establish networking with trucking people. There’s been way too much Us vs. Them.

[Junctionfan]

Good for BNSF! This is exactly the kind of P.R advertising that CN and others should do. BNSF is obviously serious about increasing the company’s profit margin by working with the undefeatable “enemy” the trucking industry; instead of trying to compete with them. My only concern is that there campaign maybe a little over-zealous if the company is close to capacity unless they plan to increase capacity.

[gabe]

I think there are at least three (positive) ways to view railroading:

(1) as a rail fan who just loves trains;

(2) as a business person who sees trains as a way of making the economy more efficient and as a way to make money; and,

(3) as someone who doesn’t care about railfanning and doesn’t know about railroad’s contribution to the economy, but hates to be squezed in on the highway by a semi, hates the way truckers back up interstate highways, knows that our highways are becoming too crowdded, etc. and can be sold on the idea that trains can reduce (or more accurately, slow the growth of) this problem.

I think the 3rd reason is going to play an increasingly larger role in the future of railroading. I know many people on here have espoused their belief that we can build more highways. I am not sure that is the case. Although there is room for more highways in suburbia and rural areas, there isn’t a lot of room left in cities.

My point: I am not sure that it is in BNSF’s long-term interest to made a lot of noise about its relationship with truckers and putting more trucks on the road. I realize the response to this is that BNSF is really decongesting our highways because it saves the freight from traveling the whole distance on the highway. However, I think it best that railroads continue to sell their image as an established and efficient alternative to highway congestion.

Gabe

[Mookie]

I have had a hankering for a couple of them, too!

I agree - you really can’t beat them, why not at least include them in the game. But get your ducks in order first. Make sure you hold hands before the kiss!

La Mook

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by gabe

I think there are at least three (positive) ways to view railroading:

(1) as a rail fan who just loves trains;

(2) as a business person who sees trains as a way of making the economy more efficient and as a way to make money; and,

(3) as someone who doesn’t care about railfanning and doesn’t know about railroad’s contribution to the economy, but hates to be squezed in on the highway by a semi, hates the way truckers back up interstate highways, knows that our highways are becoming too crowdded, etc. and can be sold on the idea that trains can reduce (or more accurately, slow the growth of) this problem.

I think the 3rd reason is going to play an increasingly larger role in the future of railroading. I know many people on here have espoused their belief that we can build more highways. I am not sure that is the case. Although there is room for more highways in suburbia and rural areas, there isn’t a lot of room left in cities.

My point: I am not sure that it is in BNSF’s long-term interest to made a lot of noise about its relationship with truckers and putting more trucks on the road. I realize the response to this is that BNSF is really decongesting our highways because it saves the freight from traveling the whole distance on the highway. However, I think it best that railroads continue to sell their image as an established and efficient alternative to highway congestion.

Gabe

Ladies and Gentlemen of the forum, Let us welcome a prophet to our aquaintance. Kindest regards sir: Piouslion - AKA Roy

[Junctionfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by gabe

I think there are at least three (positive) ways to view railroading:

(1) as a rail fan who just loves trains;

(2) as a business person who sees trains as a way of making the economy more efficient and as a way to make money; and,

(3) as someone who doesn’t care about railfanning and doesn’t know about railroad’s contribution to the economy, but hates to be squezed in on the highway by a semi, hates the way truckers back up interstate highways, knows that our highways are becoming too crowdded, etc. and can be sold on the idea that trains can reduce (or more accurately, slow the growth of) this problem.

I think the 3rd reason is going to play an increasingly larger role in the future of railroading. I know many people on here have espoused their belief that we can build more highways. I am not sure that is the case. Although there is room for more highways in suburbia and rural areas, there isn’t a lot of room left in cities.

My point: I am not sure that it is in BNSF’s long-term interest to made a lot of noise about its relationship with truckers and putting more trucks on the road. I realize the response to this is that BNSF is really decongesting our highways because it saves the freight from traveling the whole distance on the highway. However, I think it best that railroads continue to sell their image as an established and efficient alternative to highway congestion.

Gabe

Excellent points![8D]