If there’s one thing a railway knows how to do, it’s keep things moving. That’s certainly true for Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, better known by its acronym, BNSF. Today’s BNSF is the product of almost 400 railroad lines that merged or were acquired over the course of 160 years. All that change – all that growth – only happens with a long string of successes.
As you might guess, such a long history means a huge number of employees and customers. There are approximately 42,000 current employees of the railway, so you can imagine how that number balloons when taking into account former workers, too. The company’s success is a testament to those individuals’ commitment to a job well done – every day, over thousands of miles.
Partnerships for Success
The transportation business – including railways – is a prime example of the importance of partnerships. Various organizations rely on transportation companies to move their goods over the miles. When you dive even deeper, you find there are business relationships that help even those relationships work better. There are the accounting agencies that help check the books, the manufacturing pros who build the railway behemoths, and the engineering and logistics folks who augment the daily work.
Lineage is proud to be one of those partners that, while maybe not as visible as some others, is just as vital to its success. Just ask Bruce Kahre (pronounced “Carrie”), the supervisor at BNSF’s print shop and mailroom in Topeka, Kansas. There, a team of three helps ensure that company marketing materials and communications are sent on their way. That task is aided by Lineage’s pre-sort mailing services.
“We’re mailing out bills for our customers – freight companies, mostly – or pay stubs and paychecks for our employees,” added Kahre. “Most of it is regular first-class mail. The folks from Lineage come out every day to pick up our mail. They’re reliable and have really become a dependable partner. It’s nice to be able to have that sort of relationship. It’s easy, you know?”
Simple. Dependable. Reliable. It’s that type of commitment that helps set Lineage apart – and enables BNSF to focus its efforts on doing what it does best.
“They’re incredibly dependable,” said Kahre. “We put postage on our mail, and then they pick up our mail from us. Being in Topeka, we’re about an hour away from their facility in Lenexa. They take it back to their facility, they sort it, and then they take it to the post office. They handle any exceptions and rectify any discrepancies at the end of every month.”
On the Move
BNSF mails out about 25,000 piece of mail every month. Like the products shipped on its railway, those pieces of mail are important. They can carry money and information. With nationwide customers (from Memphis west, to be specific), BNSF’s reputation for timeliness and safety have garnered it much respect and admiration.
Lineage is proud to echo those hallmarks of commitment. In fact, Lineage now processes more than 30 million pieces of mail annually through its world-class Lenexa facility. As mail is presorted, addresses are verified and checked for accuracy to reduce the number of returns. If mistakes are found, we make corrections and then make certain the mail gets entered into the USPS stream. It’s seamless, efficient, and cost effective.
“Our business is about getting things moving,” added Kahre. “Needless to say, we appreciate that commitment in our partners, too. Lineage’s service is outstanding. They’re always available to address any of our needs; I can’t say enough about their dependability and their willingness to answer any questions we may have.”
Lineage and BNSF. Getting you where you want to go.
