BNSF launches new Web tools

   BNSF Railway has released two new online tools to help existing and new customers compare carload shipping options.
   The tools, Carload Shipping Advisor and Serving Carrier Reciprocal Switch Inquiry, allow customers to view shipping options and sort them by price, equipment, and route for multiple origins and destinations.
   “All of the features in the Carload Shipping Advisor tool are based on direct customer feedback and designed to meet customer needs,” said John Lanigan, BNSF executive vice president and chief marketing officer. “We are confident that providing this upfront visibility to all routing options will save our carload customers time and allow them to more easily plan their shipments.”
   The Carload Shipping Advisor tool lets companies filter results by traditional guidelines like routes and equipment, while also offering pictures and schematics of equipment being used in order to facilitate load requirement determinations. The tool provides fuel surcharge estimates, contacts for sales representatives, links to pricing documents, and ability to review recent searches.
   The Reciprocal Switch Inquiry allows customers to validate origins or destinations when not pricing a move. Using a railroad industry-wide file through Railinc, the tool contains all rail-served customer locations in North America.
   Both of the tools can be found on BSNF’s Website as well as a demonstration of their capabilities.