CSX CTO Highlights Operational Resilience and Winter
Resource Planning
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - November 21, 2014 - CSX (NYSE: CSX) is
positioning itself to continue delivering strong financial results by balancing
stabilized service levels, improving efficiency and continued growth
opportunities, Chief Transportation Officer Cindy Sanborn told an industry
audience today at the annual RailTrends conference in New York City.
"CSX is committed to delivering Service Excellence for
its customers, which reinforces our strategy of driving the company's ability
to grow faster than the economy, pricing above inflation and producing ever
more efficient operations," Sanborn said. "CSX is working to put the
right people and resources in the right places, combined with process
improvements and increased communication with our peers, to serve the
broad-based growth we continue to see across nearly all markets that we
serve."
As customer demand continues to rise, CSX network
performance remains stable, with key indicators including on-time originations
and arrivals holding steady in the fourth quarter as compared to the previous
two quarters.
"We are working around the clock to further improve
operations at a steady pace into 2015 even as we handle the traditional fall
peak and record grain harvest," Sanborn said.
To facilitate that improvement, CSX is adding additional
locomotives, hiring new train crew employees, accelerating capacity projects
and adjusting operating processes. Fluidity in Chicago remains a top priority for CSX and
its peer railroads. CSX is using infrastructure improvements to help ease
congestion while also improving coordination with other railroads in Chicago . These resources
and process adjustments will support fluidity and growth, preserving the
flexibility to drive long-term asset utilization improvements.
At the same time, CSX is making additional process changes
to help reduce potential winter weather impacts. Increasing preparation in
conjunction with customers, deployment of additional weather preparation and
response equipment, and formal contingency plans for routing, capacity and
inventory management are all complete or underway.
On the strength of this multi-faceted plan to improve
fluidity, serve growth opportunities and drive long-term asset utilization, the
company continues to expect fourth quarter earnings per share growth at a
similar level as it achieved in the third quarter. CSX remains confident in its
ability to deliver double digit earnings growth and margin expansion in 2015 as
it progresses toward a mid-60s operating ratio over the longer term.
More information about CSX's network performance plan is
available at http://www.csx.com/index.cfm/customers/service-overview/.
Investors can visit
http://investors.csx.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=92932&p=irol-irhome for more
information about CSX's financial performance.
About CSX
CSX, based in Jacksonville ,
Florida United States , where nearly
two-thirds of the nation's population resides.
It also links more than 240 short-line railroads and more than 70 ocean,
river and lake ports with major population centers and small farming towns
alike. More information about CSX
Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at www.csx.com. Like us on
Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/OfficialCSX) and follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/CSX).
Contact:
David Baggs, Investor Relations
904-359-4812
Melanie Cost, Corporate Communications
904-359-1702