The Greater Omaha Chamber today expressed strong support for the proposed merger between Omaha-based Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, as the companies prepare to refile their application with the Surface Transportation Board on April 30.
The Chamber emphasized the proposal’s potential to expand competition, strengthen the national freight network and deliver meaningful economic benefits for businesses across the country.
The proposed merger would create a seamless, coast-to-coast rail network, improving efficiency, reliability and service for American businesses. By eliminating costly handoffs between carriers, the combined system would enable faster freight movement and unlock new opportunities for growth across the supply chain.
“This is about whether the United States is serious about competing in a global economy where speed, reliability and scale matter,” said Heath Mello, president & CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber. “Since the beginning, Union Pacific and Omaha have grown together, with a shared history rooted in building connections that power our economy. Today as always, Omaha stands firmly behind Union Pacific as they make their biggest move yet that will strengthen our supply chains, support business growth and will ultimately benefit all Americans.”
The combined network will convert approximately 10,000 existing lanes from interline service to single-line routes, while opening more than 84,000 new county-to-county lanes where freight currently moves by road. Together, these changes will create hundreds of thousands of competitive service options and introduce meaningful competitive pressure across the industry, the chamber said.
