Schneider rolls out intermodal cross border pilot

By Jeff Berman, Group News Editor
September 21, 2015

Schneider Intermodal, a subsidiary of truckload carrier Schneider National, recently rolled out a new program that provides cross-border Customs clearance and inspection for select commodities originated in the U.S. or Canada destined for Mexico via rail, including peat moss, pet food, soybean flour, and cream substitutes to be inspected in Mexico.

Schneider officials said this new program offers Schneider intermodal shippers streamlined cross-border clearance and inspection service for select commodities that previously required additional handling at the U.S. border. And through a collaboration with Mexico’s Servicio Nacional de Sanidad, Inocuidad, y Calidad Agroalimentaria, (SENASICA, the Mexican equivalent of the FDA in the U.S.), Schneider Intermodal can now move these commodities across the border with inspections in Mexico instead of at the border, which it said saves cross-border shippers time and money.

The four commodities currently are part of a six-month pilot program for streamlined border crossings, with more commodities to be added at the conclusion of the pilot, according to Schneider. Schneider said this service is now available and is based out of the Puerta Mexico (Toluca) intermodal terminal.

“Schneider is always working to find advantages for their customers,” a company spokesperson told LM. “Whether it’s working with railroad providers, governmental agencies or our engineering group, whatever can be done to drive waste from supply chains is what our customers expect from us. We have been working closely with the Mexican Authorities as well as the AMTI (Mexican Association for Intermodal Transportation) to implement this change for well over a year now.”

When asked to identify the biggest benefit of this new offering, the spokesperson explained that by streamlining the cross-border clearance and inspection service, there are fewer hand-offs in the process while saving intermodal shippers transit time and money.

In terms of the most significant changes and improvements for customers with this program, the spokesperson said that in the past Mexico’s Servicio Nacional de Sanidad, Inocuidad, y Calidad Agroalimentaria required additional handling and inspections at the U.S. border. Now, the cross-border clearance and inspection is done in Mexico within the intermodal terminals instead of at the border.

Looking ahead, the spokesperson said that Schneider will continue working with railroad providers, governmental agencies and industry advocates to identify opportunities for pilot programs to ship additional commodities.