Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) has announced the addition of 1,000 new, 53-foot, refrigerated intermodal containers to its network, more than doubling CPKC’s existing fleet and bringing more shipping options to customers using the expanding Mexico Midwest Express Series premium intermodal service (MMX service).
MMX is North America’s first single-line rail service offering for refrigerated shippers from the Midwest to Mexico, a market currently served by trucks. Single-line haul efficiencies, combined with seamless crossborder service, make CPKC intermodal transit times competitive with over the road trucks. Converting trucks to rail reduces emissions and makes highways safer, another realization of the benefits of the CPKC combination.
“Since being launched on May 11, MMX has provided truck competitive service, delivering exactly what we promised and executing what many said could not be done,” said Jonathan Wahba, CPKC Senior Vice-President Sales and Marketing Bulk and Intermodal. “We’re providing customers with the fastest transit times in the rail industry and this expansion of our state-of-the-art reefer equipment gives more customers the solution they need to convert to rail.”
The average intermodal train takes more than 300 trucks off the road with 75 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than trucks. Freight trains are four times more fuel efficient than trucks and can move a ton of freight 500 miles on one gallon of fuel.
The new refrigerated containers are part of CPKC’s TempPro™ solutions, ensuring products that require temperature protection are transported safely in a fast, reliable, and fuel-efficient service that brings optionality and more competition to North American supply chains.
The MMX temperature controlled service will move fresh and frozen produce, baked goods, candy and other food products northbound and beef, chicken and pork to southern markets.
The MMX Series debuted May 11 with trains now linking Chicago, Kansas City, Texas markets, Monterrey and San Luis Potosi. MMX trains offer third-day service to/from Laredo, fourth-day service to/from Monterrey, and 4.5-day service to/from San Luis Potosi. MMX provides transit time of 98 hours from Chicago to San Luis Potosi – a day faster than the nearest competitor.
In April, CPKC announced new multi-year agreements with Schneider and with Knight-Swift Transportation for intermodal transportation services along the CPKC single-line north-south corridor.
CPKC is working with customers and investing in infrastructure to unlock the full potential of the newly-combined network while continually advancing industry-leading safety and sustainability practices.
Source: Canadian Pacific
