We were faced with a challenge to transport a large inventory of 60-ton salvage Army tanks for Melrose Air Force Base. Our task involved moving all inventory in a short period of time while providing a cost-effective and comprehensive transportation solution.

Since railroads alone don't provide door-to-door service, we created a solution that involved packaging rail service with specialized trucking. At each destination we utilized cranes to place the tanks in specific locations. This innovative and creative solution allowed us to answer the challenge.

BAE's manufacturing facility in Sealy, TX, lacks the ability for direct rail service, and the excessive height of its X-van truck requires specialty equipment and permitting for legal highway routing. The cost for shipping via truck is substantial and the Army is continually concerned about the availability of special truck equipment. That's why when they were contracted to supply Army trucks, they called on us to help get the job done.

As most major U.S. military installations are direct-rail served, and BAE's X-van load ratio for truck to rail is 2-to-1, it made rail transportation a viable option. We covered the load planning and scheduling for the origin dray from plant to rail loading yard, procured rail equipment, managed all rail loading activities on site and handled EDI waybilling.

To date, we've coordinated shipments of more than 150 railcars of X-vans, saving BAE about 30 percent in transportation costs when compared to using truck.