BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) announced that BNSF Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) have released weekly updates on the status of grain arrears, as required by United States Surface Transportation Board (STB). A summary of North Dakota-specific reporting data from the past 10 weeks is below.
Following the STB’s April 2022 hearing on “Urgent Freight Rail Service Issues,” BNSF Railway, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway and Union Pacific submitted service resumption plans, which identified actions to improve the service and measures to monitor progress towards such improvements.
On June 3, 2022, the STB began requiring BNSF Railway, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway and Union Pacific to file service progress reports further explaining efforts to correct service deficiencies. On June 15, 2022, the STB began requiring all Class I railroads to report employment data. The STB extended the initial six-month reporting period for weekly performance and employment data through December 31, 2023. It has since modified CSX’s reporting requirements to exempt the railroad from reporting weekly step, because it systematically achieves the STB service improvement objectives.
Grain Car Backlog Status Report:
Click on here to access the data.
Background:
In May 2022, Senator Cramer authored a letter leading 20 colleagues urging the STB to ensure reliable and consistent rail service for American industries and shippers.
“We are very concerned about the significant disruptions to rail service occurring across the U.S. freight rail network. Reports from rail customers, including our manufacturers, farmers, ranchers and energy producers, indicate that reliable rail service is not provided in many situations. »wrote the senators.
The letter also outlines concerns and issues raised by customers and labor organizations during the STB’s April hearing on “urgent freight rail service issues” from agricultural producers and grain shippers unable to obtain empty railcars, leading to significant delays in delivering products to energy producers forced to reduce emissions. production due to constantly delayed arrival of railcars. Learn more here.
In March 2022, Senator Cramer led his colleagues in a letter calling on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his cabinet to take action to prevent a Canadian Pacific Railway strike. A strike would have significant implications for markets from agriculture to energy and would exacerbate the Biden administration’s supply chain crisis. Up to 15% of Canadian Pacific’s business involves transporting fertilizer, and the United States relies on the railway to move crude oil from Alberta to U.S. refineries. Learn more here.
