Title

Intermodal Pricing Model Creates a Network Pricing Perspective at BNSF

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-2001

Publication Source

Interfaces

Abstract

Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) is exploring methods of pricing its network of intermodal services effectively. The problem is challenging because cost interactions between the markets arise from equipment imbalances at end-points in the network. The intermodal pricing model takes a global perspective when establishing market prices to improve network profitability. Accounting for the vagaries of market-place demand proved to be critical to gaining management's confidence in the plausibility of model results.

BNSF has applied the model to many pricing scenarios. In the application I describe, I identified a potential for 3.5 percent improvement in net profitability through a 61 percent reduction in empty repositioning. Since 1998, BNSF has increased loaded miles by five percent and simultaneously reduced repositioning by three percent per year.

Inclusive pages

37-49

ISBN/ISSN

0092-2102

Comments

Permission documentation is on file.

Publisher

INFORMS

Volume

31

Issue

4

Peer Reviewed

yes

Link to Full Text

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