BNSF CEO: Rail merger still a “significant threat” to economy, consumers

2 hours ago 1

Stuart Chirls

Fri, December 19, 2025 astatine 11:44 AM CST 2 min read

At slightest 1 rival railroad is doubling down connected its absorption to the transcontinental merger of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern aft the companies filed their erstwhile exertion with national regulators Friday.

“While we are inactive reviewing the [Surface Transportation Board] filing and volition person much to accidental soon, what we person seen truthful acold does not alteration BNSF’s absorption to the projected merger,” said Chief Executive Katie Farmer, successful a statement. “The transaction poses a important menace to the U.S. system and the American user done its semipermanent competitory harms. It would permission shippers with less options – driving higher rates and yet higher prices for consumers.

“This didn’t statesman with customers asking for this merger, and the claimed nationalist benefits look to accrue chiefly to shareholders. Past mergers show the hazard of superior work failures with destructive impacts to customers, the U.S. obstruction web and the American economy.”

Both UP (NYSE: UNP) and NS (NYSE: NSC) accidental the tie-up volition velocity freight crossed their web by eliminating handoffs betwixt railroads astatine engaged interchanges specified arsenic Chicago and St. Louis. The merger volition amended operations and little costs for shippers who volition lone person to woody with paperwork for 1 railroad.

But immoderate shippers are wary that the woody volition ore excessively overmuch pricing powerfulness with 1 carrier, starring to higher rates and large work meltdowns that accompanied past mergers. BNSF earlier dismissed speculation that it would prosecute a merger with CSX (NASDAQ: CSX); the railroad dropped a akin statement with Canadian National (NYSE: CNI) successful 2000 aft regulators intervened.

“This is precisely wherefore the STB strengthened its merger rules: applicants indispensable present beryllium their woody volition not lone sphere but heighten competition; that it serves the nationalist interest, and its purported benefits can’t beryllium delivered done partnerships,” Farmer said. “BNSF (NYSE: BRK-B) is assured that UP has not met these requirements. UP has a agelong past of making promises successful past mergers that they backmost distant from erstwhile they’ve secured approval. BNSF remains focused connected achieving these aforesaid benefits done concern and collaboration which results successful streamlined service, and greater operational flexibility – delivering real, contiguous benefits to customers.”

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