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Are you interested in moving intermodal freight and expanding your owner operator business? Download the free DrayNow app from the App Store or Google Play store, or click the button below.

Truck drivers interested in haul local freight can run intermodal loads, which are primarily 53’ intermodal containers coming off of the rails. Also referred to as drayage, the moves consist of the first and last mile of intermodal trips, so carriers running hauling this freight will start and end each load at a rail yard.

The Importance of Rail Registration

Since intermodal loads originate from the rail, a truck driver running an intermodal load must be registered with the rail to enter the yard. The main rails where loads originate from on the DrayNow app are Norfolk Southern (NS), Union Pacific (UP), CSX, and BNSF. Registering with the rail ensures proper tracking of equipment and records who ingated and outgated containers from that yard.

Note that a carrier must be registered with a particular rail company in advance, before beginning an intermodal load picked up from the DrayNow app. The app will show the exact rail locations where a carrier needs to pick up the equipment at the start of the trip and where they will drop it off at the end.

Once a carrier has registered with a particular rail company, they will be able to access any rail location for that particular railroad. For example, a carrier in Chicago that registers with Norfolk Southern will then have access to NS 47th, NS 63rd, NS Calumet and the NS Landers ramp. And a carrier in Los Angeles signed up with Union Pacific would then be able to go to UP City of Industry, UP Montebello, UP LATC and UP East Los Angeles.

How To Register for the Rail

The process for rail registration is simple yet important. Before running a trip, an intermodal truck driver must register with the rail in advance online, as in-person registration at the rail yard is no longer an option. Drivers can download the app for each rail company and create an account directly through the app. For CSX, carriers can register using the ShipCSX app. Norfolk Southern offers the ExpressNS+ app, and Union Pacific provides the UPGo app for registration and rail access.

We recommend downloading the app for the specific rail and completing your registration as soon as you schedule a trip on the DrayNow app. If you’re running a DrayNow trip for the first time but have already registered with the rail through prior experience, great! You’re all set and ready to go.

last updated in January 2025