Trucking News · Wisconsin · October 31, 2026

Schneider Moves Its Eastern Rail Business From CSX to Norfolk Southern, and Its Company Dray Truckers Handle More Than 90% of Local Moves

By Big Rig Daily Staff

One of the biggest names in trucking is changing railroads in the East. Schneider National and Norfolk Southern announced an agreement, reported Oct. 29 and 30, that makes Norfolk Southern Schneider's primary eastern rail provider, shifting its business away from CSX, according to The Trucker and FreightWaves.

What was announced

"As we transition our primary eastern rail provider to Norfolk Southern, we'll expand access to key markets, increase network flexibility and create new opportunities to better serve our customers," said Michael Baumgardt, Schneider's executive vice president of intermodal and logistics. Schneider said the agreement combines its 35 years of intermodal experience, company drivers and company owned assets with Norfolk Southern's eastern network.

FreightWaves described the agreement as effective in November, but also noted that the announcement did not disclose financial terms, quantify the added capacity or specify a transition date. It said the move shifts Schneider's company owned equipment, drivers and logistics operations from CSX to Norfolk Southern.

Schneider's intermodal operation

According to Schneider, its intermodal service is backed by:

• Company owned tractors.
• About 23,900 chassis.
• About 26,800 containers.
• More than 60 intermodal rail hubs across North America.
• Professional company dray drivers who complete more than 90% of Schneider's domestic dray moves.

Dray moves are the short truck runs between a customer and the rail ramp, which makes the local truckers an important part of any rail switch. Neither source said how the change will affect the ramps or routes those truckers use.

Norfolk Southern's side

Norfolk Southern said the agreement builds on its strategy of investing ahead of customer growth across its 22 state intermodal network. Its recent and ongoing projects include a new service between Cincinnati and Atlanta, double stack clearance improvements linking the Midwest and New England, and terminal expansions in Ohio, Michigan, North Carolina and Illinois.

The railroad is also improving pavement, lighting, storage areas, maintenance facilities, truck access routes and security at terminals in Atlanta, Louisville, Harrisburg, Croxton, Chesapeake, Charlotte, Chicago and St. Louis. The company said the work is meant to strengthen reliability and driver turn times, which is the time truckers spend moving through terminals. Norfolk Southern said its intermodal volumes grew 3% in the third quarter of 2026.

"Customers are taking a broader view of intermodal than ever before, and we are investing ahead of that demand," said Ed Elkins, Norfolk Southern's executive vice president and chief commercial officer.

The bigger picture

FreightWaves noted that the move comes as Norfolk Southern pursues a transcontinental merger with Union Pacific. Both companies said the partnership would help attract freight now moving by truck and convert truckload shipments to intermodal. For related coverage, see Big Rig Daily's stories on railroads winning truck freight as diesel climbs and diesel up 69% in a year.

Quick facts

• Announced: Oct. 29, 2026, by Schneider and Norfolk Southern.
• Change: Norfolk Southern becomes Schneider's primary eastern rail provider, replacing CSX.
• Not disclosed: financial terms and a transition date.

A question for readers

Dray truckers, does a switch like this change your day, or is the wait at the ramp the same no matter whose rail it is?

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