Schneider National, the nation’s second-largest truckload carrier which traditionally has been a major player in long-haul intermodal traffic, is increasingly marketing shorter-haul freight options in a major shift that is sure to impact shippers’ choices and rates.

For the week ending April 9, carload volume came in at 293,798 for a 1.8 percent annual gain. Intermodal volume was up 12.4 percent at 228,713 trailers and containers.

Trucking and intermodal services bellwether J.B. Hunt (JBH) kicked off the first quarter earnings season in style with record net earnings of $50.1 million or $0.40 per share compared to net earnings of $37.5 million and $.029 per share a year ago.

March rail carloads—at 1,493,553—were up 3.4 percent compared to March 2010 and up 11.2 percent compared to March 2009, said the AAR. The weekly carload average in March checked in at 298,711.

For the week ending April 2, the AAR reported that carload volume hit its highest level since the end of 2008 at 305,905 carloads for a 5.7 percent annual increase. This outpaced the weeks ending March 26, March 19, and March 12, which hit 200,903, 292,164, and 303,953, respectively.

Company officials said this effort is possible due to legislation recently passed by the New Mexico state legislature and signed into law by Governor Susan Martinez, which grants Union Pacific a locomotive fuel tax deduction, coupled with a $400 million investment by UPRR.

Freight transportation services provider Hub Group Inc. said today it has acquired asset-light transportation company Exel Transportation Services, a subsidiary of Deutsche Post World Net.

Carload volume at 299,903 was up 1.9 percent annually and surpassed the week ending March 19 which hit 293,772. Intermodal volumes were up 5.7 percent at 223,034 trailers and containers,

Railroad volumes were up again for both carload and intermodal for the week ending March 19, according to data from the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

More than 20 railroad and shipping experts are slated to predict their industry’s futures at the 2011 North American Rail Shippers annual meeting at the Wyndham Parc 55 Hotel in San Francisco, May 25-27.