Truck-Only? You Might Be Leaving Money on the Table

If your business moves everything by truck, you're not alone—but you might be overpaying.

Many companies stick with truck freight because it’s familiar. It’s fast, flexible, and easy to book. But when you're shipping heavy, bulky, or high-volume goods over long distances, truck-only strategies can quietly kill your margins.

Here’s the truth: rail isn’t just for coal and chemicals anymore. It’s a powerful tool for manufacturers, distributors, and even ag and construction suppliers—if you know how to use it.

Why Look at Rail?

• Lower Costs: Rail can cut per-ton freight costs by up to 40% on long hauls.

• Fuel Efficiency: One train can move a ton of freight 470+ miles on a single gallon of fuel.

• More Capacity: Struggling to book enough trucks? Rail can absorb high-volume moves.

• Transloading = Flexibility: You don’t need to be rail-served. Transload facilities bridge the gap between rail and truck—letting you tap into rail savings without the infrastructure costs.

What’s the Catch?

• It’s Not Plug-and-Play: Rail networks don’t operate like truck lanes. They have different schedules, service rules, and pricing structures.

• Upfront Planning: Rail moves need more lead time and coordination than just calling a carrier.

• Infrastructure Confusion: Not every transload or warehouse is equal—and choosing wrong can erase savings.

How an Expert Helps

This is where experienced help pays off. A rail and transload advisor can:

• Identify routes where rail actually makes sense.

• Connect you with the right transload partners and railroads.

• Help negotiate rates and service terms that protect your ops.

• Avoid the headaches of bad connections, surprise fees, or slow turnarounds.

Bottom line: If you’re shipping by truck and your margins are tight, rail might be your hidden lever. The trick is knowing when to use it—and how to make it work. With the right partner, shifting part of your freight to rail can free up serious cash, reduce risk, and open new routing options you didn’t even know existed.

Truck’s not going away. But rail deserves a seat at the table.