Pacer Stacktrain Expands its ``NonStop`` Mexico Service to Include Points in the U.S. Northeastern Region
-- Previously available only to or from the Midwest, Pacer
Stacktrain's service makes trans-border transport faster and
more secure, efficient, and environmentally friendly --
Pacer Stacktrain, a division of Pacer International, Inc., the North American freight transportation and logistics provider (Nasdaq:PACR), said it has just expanded its "PacerMex NonStop" intermodal freight service to serve the U.S. Northeastern region.
Initially introduced in March to provide consistent long-haul intermodal service for general merchandise moving between U.S. Midwestern points and points in Mexico, the service has been broadened to include the following origin and destination points in the Northeast: Kearny, New Jersey, serving the New York area; Baltimore, Maryland; and Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Service points in Mexico include Monterrey, San Luis Potosi, Queretaro, and Mexico City.
The service is named "PacerMex NonStop" because containerized freight travels in-bond by double-stack rail, eliminating the need to stop for customs clearance at the border, which often results in congestion and delays.
"PacerMex NonStop is designed to make trans-border trade faster, more secure and more efficient for customers -- and more friendly to the environment," said Tom Shurstad, president of Pacer Stacktrain. "Instead of inspection at the border, customs clearance takes place at final destination," he said. Pacer processes the in-bond permit at Laredo, Texas, as part of the service.
Also, by using double-stack technology that locks the lower-level container against the walls of the railcar, the service provides excellent cargo security, eliminating the need for long-haul security escorts that have become increasingly common with highway transport. The service also reduces highway and border congestion, operates more cleanly than trucks, and provides faster transits and a smoother ride, diminishing the incidence of damage, Pacer said.
This service enables intermodal marketing companies (IMCs) to offer truck-rail-truck, door-to-door delivery of general merchandise freight to Mexico for beneficial owners of the freight, Shurstad noted. He said CSX will be the underlying rail carrier between Northeastern points and the US Midwest, just as TFM is the underlying Mexican rail carrier.
Fast Transit from the Northeast
Transit times to Mexico from the Northeast are among the fastest in the industry, added Derrel Chappell, Vice President Automotive/Mexico, Pacer Stacktrain. For example, freight shipped ramp-to-ramp from the New York area to Mexico City is available on the ninth day (from rail departure).
"The availability of improved service options, including expedited border crossings, is one of the factors that will help stimulate the growth of trans-border trade in the future," said Chappell.
Pacer Stacktrain provides its customers with access to its fleet of efficient 53-foot and 48-foot containers and chassis. The company maintains staff at its rail terminals specifically to monitor and facilitate schedule integrity. The company also noted that TFM provides up to US$100,000 of liability coverage on shipments while in TFM's possession in Mexico.
Pacer Stacktrain is the largest provider of double-stack rail transportation in Mexico. Its principal customers are the intermodal marketing companies (IMCs) that package door-to-door freight transportation for manufacturers and retailers.
ABOUT PACER STACKTRAIN - Pacer Stacktrain is part of Pacer International, Inc., a leading North American freight transportation and logistics services provider based in Concord, California. Pacer Stacktrain offers a highly efficient rail network for the distribution of containerized freight by maintaining long-term contracts with major North American railroads and operating an extensive fleet of special railcars that accommodate containers stacked two-high. The coast-to-coast network spans some 50,000 miles of track, including both Canada and Mexico, making it the most extensive network in the marketplace. Transportation services are marketed on a wholesale basis through intermodal marketing companies and other third parties.
Web site: www.pacerstack.com
Note to editors: Issued by Steve Potash and Company, 510/865-0800, steve@potashco.com
KEY WORDS: Mexico, United States, Northeast, New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, Maryland, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Chicago, Midwest, border, Laredo, Texas, Nuevo Laredo, Queretaro, San Luis Potosi, Mexico City, intermodal freight, truck, rail, double-stack, stacktrain, CSX, TFM, cargo security, Concord, San Francisco Bay Area, California
“The availability of improved service options, including expedited border crossings, is one of the factors that will help stimulate the growth of trans-border trade in the future”
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