News Release

BNSF to Guarantee Service for Temperature-Controlled Commodities

FORT WORTH, Texas, April 9, 2001:

The Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company (BNSF) today announced it will extend its on-time intermodal guarantee program to include service for temperature-controlled commodities in nine lanes.

BNSF has offered guaranteed service for dry freight in select lanes since May 2000, and is the first and only North American freight railroad to offer a full money-back service guarantee for temperature-controlled commodities.

“The vast majority of temperature-controlled goods moves over the road,” says Steve Branscum, group vice president, BNSF Consumer Products. “Our service guarantee program has been very well received by dry-freight shippers. We are extending the same service to shippers of temperature-controlled commodities to demonstrate that BNSF offers a reliable, competitive alternative to over-the-road transportation.”

The BNSF program allows shippers to purchase, for a premium, a service guarantee for three intermodal service levels in the following lanes: Chicago/Seattle, Chicago/Portland, Chicago/San Bernardino, Chicago/Denver, Chicago/Alliance (DFW), St. Paul/Seattle, St. Paul/ Portland, Kansas City/San Bernardino, Alliance (DFW)/San Bernardino. For each load that does not meet the scheduled availability time for customer pick-up, BNSF will offer a 100-percent refund.

Headquartered in Fort Worth, BNSF operates one of the largest rail networks in North America, with 33,500 route miles of track covering 28 states and two Canadian provinces. BNSF moved more than 3.4 million containers and trailers in 2000 through its extensive network of more than 35 intermodal hubs.

BNSF Headquarters
BNSF Railway Company
2650 Lou Menk Dr. 2nd Floor
P.O. Box 961057
Fort Worth, TX 76161-0057
Phone: (817) 352-1000