When Schneider first launched its Bulk Intermodal trailer service, capacity-crunched chemical shippers took the announcement as an “All aboard!” invitation. The marketplace response to the new service has been overwhelming: in the first six months of 2014, Schneider’s Bulk Intermodal trailer load volumes increased 75 percent. Now the premier truckload, intermodal and logistics provider is responding to continued demand by expanding its Bulk Intermodal trailer service coverage throughout all of North America, including new reaches into Canada and Mexico. BenchMark Energy Corp., a refiner and supplier of glycerin for commercial processes, is pleased to have been one of the first to use Schneider’s new Bulk Intermodal service into Mexico. Mark Bateman, CEO of BenchMark, stated, “Recently, BenchMark and Schneider completed their first Intermodal shipment to Mexico. Not only was there a cost savings on the transportation, but by eliminating any transload and by streamlining the border crossing process, we were able to move the shipment in days instead of weeks. The combination of trucking and rail service has proved to be a very effective solution for our transportation needs.” Schneider, the fastest-growing liquid bulk carrier in the industry, plans to double the number of its Bulk Intermodal trailers in the next year to meet demand. The sharp rise in demand for the service can be attributed to the abundance of benefits and value it provides chemical shippers across the continent when addressing the growing concern of acquiring reliable capacity. “As the driver market continues to tighten, chemical companies of all sizes are struggling to get long-haul bulk capacity,” explains George Grossardt, senior vice president and general manager of Schneider’s Bulk division. “When customers move loads on the rail with Schneider Bulk, it frees up drivers for their other over-the-road loads.” Grossardt also noted that some shippers’ initial concerns that conversion from truckload to intermodal would result in service delays are proving to be unfounded. Schneider’s expansive network and consistent rail schedules allow for most shipments to reliably arrive within 24 hours of the time it would take for the load to move over the road. “Truckload plus one day is very doable for most chemical shippers today,” Grossardt states. “If they can build the extra day of transit into their supply chains, they can count on our Bulk Intermodal drivers to deliver. Many of the customers who have experienced our Bulk Intermodal service have become regular or heavy users because it gives them a largely unconstrained, long-haul liquid bulk capacity option. We have a 100 percent retention rate among customers who ship Intermodal loads.” Schneider’s Bulk Intermodal service safely and reliably hauls liquid bulk chemicals using a 40-foot tank trailer that can be used both on the rail and over the road. When loaded onto a chassis (which is then pulled by a light-weight day cab to the final destination), the unit stands 11 feet, 5 inches high and can haul close to 48,000 pounds. This allows customers to load 5 to 6 percent more product than in a traditional over-the-road truckload move. Schneider has successful alliances with five of the major rail companies serving the continent (including HAZMAT certification with four primary railways). The company’s 14 intermodal ramps are strategically placed to cover North America. Schneider plans to add more ramps over the course of the next year to accommodate shippers’ needs to serve even more markets. “Schneider has always excelled at meeting shippers’ needs for their hard-to-do long-haul bulk chemical shipments,” says Grossardt. “Shippers have come to count on Schneider for maximum capacity and value as well as creative solutions. Complementing our Bulk Intermodal trailer service with over-the-road is a smart play of chemical shippers.”