The East Coast Repositioning Program: What It Is and Why Most Shippers Don't Know About It

There is a railroad pricing program that can save East-to-West shippers 30% or more per load versus OTR trucking. It is available right now. It is legally accessible to any shipper whose freight qualifies. And the vast majority of shippers who could use it have never heard it exists.

That's not an accident. It's a function of how intermodal capacity is distributed — and why working with a direct IMC partner changes what's available to you.

What the Repositioning Program Actually Is

Railroads don't just move freight — they manage an enormous fleet of containers that needs to be in the right place at the right time. The demand for outbound international shipping from West Coast ports (Los Angeles, Oakland, Seattle) is significantly higher than inbound demand. Over time, this creates a surplus of empty containers on the East Coast that need to move westbound to serve that demand.

Rather than moving those containers empty — which costs the railroad money — railroads offer deeply discounted rates to shippers whose freight is moving westbound from East Coast origins. The railroad fills containers that would otherwise move empty. The shipper gets a rate that reflects the railroad's need to reposition equipment rather than the standard market rate.

The Five Destination Ramps

To qualify for repositioning rates, your freight must be destined for one of these five West Coast rail ramps:

• Los Angeles, California — the largest rail ramp on the West Coast, serving the greater LA basin
• Oakland, California — serving the Bay Area and Northern California
• Portland, Oregon — serving the Pacific Northwest
• Seattle, Washington — serving greater Seattle and the Pacific Northwest
• Vancouver BC, Canada — the primary Canadian West Coast rail ramp, serving Metro Vancouver and beyond

Why Most Shippers Have Never Heard of This

Repositioning programs are not advertised. They're not listed on railroad websites. They're not something a freight broker — who doesn't hold direct railroad contracts — can consistently access or offer.

Access to repositioning rates flows through IMCs with direct railroad contracts who participate in these programs. LaserNet Jax participates directly. When you ship through us on a qualifying East-to-West lane, those program rates are available to you — and the savings go to you, not to a broker margin.

What the Savings Actually Look Like

Here's a real-world example. A shipper in Jacksonville, FL moves agricultural products to a distributor in the Los Angeles area — approximately 2,500 miles. At standard OTR rates, that lane might cost $5,500–$6,500 per load. At repositioning intermodal rates through LaserNet Jax, the same lane could come in at $3,500–$4,200.

At 15 loads per month, that's a potential savings of $22,500–$34,500 per month — up to $414,000 per year — on a single lane that most shippers are currently running on OTR trucking without knowing this alternative exists.

How to Find Out if Your Freight Qualifies

The qualification check is simple. Your freight needs to meet four criteria:

• Dry van freight — palletized or boxed goods in standard condition
• Origin on the East Coast — any major city or rail ramp from Florida to New York
• Destination served by one of the five West Coast ramps listed above
• 40' or 45' container compatible — your freight must fit in the smaller container sizes

If your freight meets all four criteria, call us. We'll run the lane, come back with a real rate, and show you exactly what the savings look like versus what you're currently paying. It takes minutes and there's no commitment required.