Union Pacific, Norfolk Say Merger Will Take Nearly 2 Million Truckloads off US Roads

Union Pacific Corp.’s takeover of Norfolk Southern Corp. will create a stronger competitor to long-haul trucking and take about 2 million truckloads off US roads each year, the companies said as they pursue regulatory approval for the combination.

Creating a continuous, coast-to-coast railroad will also reduce the need to transfer cargo between the companies by truck at interchanges. In the greater Chicago area, that would translate to an estimated 350 fewer trucks on the road each day, the companies said in a summary of their roughly 7,000-page merger application filed with the US Surface Transportation Board.