By Andy Williams, BNSF Director of Public Affairs for Nebraska, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri
At BNSF Railway, the safety of our employees and contractors, customers and the communities we serve is important to us.
We are taking the necessary precautions to protect their health and safety as well as ensure that our operations are not impacted from the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
In response, we have been following the guidance and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local public health agencies. Our Medical team continues to closely monitor the situation on any additional measures that should be implemented.
Our company plays a vital role in supporting the nation’s economy and delivers the goods on which communities across our country depend—especially during times of need. We understand that the COVID-19 situation is extraordinary, placing additional strain on both work and home life. Many of our employees —such as train crews, dispatchers, maintenance and engineering crews and others—play a critical role in daily train operations and customer support. While rail service must continue during this time for our customers, our communities and our nation, we will continue to take additional actions to protect the health of our employees and ensure we operate as safely as possible.
To minimize the risk of transmission to those employees who cannot perform their work remotely, we are encouraging those who can work from home to do so. We believe this is the most effective way to protect those who must be on site for their duties, while also protecting those that are able to work from home. We are also limiting visitors to our corporate headquarters and other major facilities as well as restricting employee travel.
Regarding BNSF’s continuity of operations, we have well-established plans to ensure that rail service is maintained throughout any workforce disruptions, including those caused by a pandemic. All BNSF facilities remain open with additional safety protocols in place.
Once conditions have improved, we are aware of concerns about the ability to support a spike in volumes involving North American supply chains. BNSF is working closely with our partners to ensure that resources are positioned where they will be needed most. In this effort, we remind customers to please share information on anticipated volumes with your BNSF representative as frequently as possible. We are confident that we have the equipment, facilities and other resources needed to handle an expected demand surge in the coming weeks. We will provide additional updates on our COVID-19 response as developments occur.