Vena at Railway Interchange: Rail Must Compete for What’s Next

Vena made it clear the industry is at an inflection point: Autonomous trucks are advancing. Customer expectations are rising. Supply chains are evolving.

“Rail cannot stand still,” he said.

Rail moves about 27% of U.S. freight ton-miles today, compared to trucking’s 43% – highlighting both the competitive gap and the runway for growth. By eliminating handoffs, the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern combination will deliver faster, end-to-end service designed to help rail reclaim share from trucks.

Running freight longer distances under a single operating plan will reduce both transit time and network costs, creating the pricing flexibility needed to compete more effectively and win truckload freight off the highway.

America’s first transcontinental railroad is projected to take approximately 2.1 million truckloads off the road, delivering cargo more safely, efficiently and sustainably.