Sentiment Analysis of the earnings transcript to help figure out if there are any bullish or bearish sentiments that could be gathered from it. We're doing ML and AI based analysis on the earnings call to get some more insights.
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| So to your point, that's our opportunity is through the productivity and the efficiency that we look to gain on the railroad, and we have opportunities in every category |
| So if you put the three things that you need railroad capacity, asset capacity and people, I'm very comfortable that we have the room to grow |
| If you operate the railroad in a very efficient manner, you give our marketing sales people a good chance to win in the marketplace, and that's really important |
| We have an improvement in the general economy and interest rates that can help us with bonus products and a number of products that we move in the housing business |
| And as an industry, the railroad industry in the United States and Canada, and in Mexico have done a good job of improving safety across the board on the employee interaction and enrolments |
| So we feel very bullish about automotive volumes, both parts and some [indiscernible] this year |
| Biofuels is going to continue to be a strong growth area for us as more plants come online in our served territory |
| Some of that's supporting the auto industry, but that's another part of our business that we feel really good and so to a continued growth and strength in that market |
| So that's where us demonstrating day-after-day, week-after-week that we're a resilient customer service product, that gives us an opportunity to grow with them |
| And so I think we're well positioned as we continue through February and into March to move the demand that our customers have |
| But when we look at the rest of our markets, we see some great growth opportunities |
| But that's what services for us is how fast we move in, and we're real proud that we were the winner from UPS in a Christmas rush and the build-up of their [indiscernible] be the railroad that won the best-in-class performance |
| That industrial complex that we have that we serve and we're the biggest server from all the way from New Orleans down to Bronco, Texas is a great franchise for us to have |
| But I'll tell you what I'm really happy about is how fast we were able to recover and get the network fluid |
| Since then, as the chart shows, our velocity has improved tremendously, and our carloads have come back |
| We think we have the capability to be the best operating ratio, best margin railroad in North America, and that's what we're driving towards |
| We're also implementing remote control technology that helps us -- we're looking at how we can reduce re-crews as the velocity of the railroad pools up, that gives us better predictability, helps us improve and we do that and reduce the need for borrowings across the company, and that's a cost savings for fuel efficiency |
| We also have a new service on coming from the border because we think with near-shoring and everything that's happening in Mexico, that we have a great opportunity that traffic is going to both north and south traffic |
| But below that, there is a number of ways that we look at it underneath, but it's a good guide that if you're using your assets faster and you're getting more mileage a day, then it's better for the system and better for our customers and better for ourselves and how we operate |
| There's no cost category out there that we think that we have maximized our productivity or that we're doing the best job possible |
| One is through price and I think we're going to do a good job of being able to make sure we cover that and we can price it that we cover that expense |
| I see a point down in the future where we will cover all the expenses that we have for inflation, and we're able to operate more efficiently |
| So if we can move equipment quicker, what happens is the customer has a better experience |
| I do have a very strong team |
| We're in good shape there in the number of locomotives we have in the railcars and everything else, I'm very comfortable |
| And we put on a train that is unparalleled |
| We want to be the best in safety |
| And what we want to be is we want to be excellent at safety |
| companies in that area by companies in that area, and we see that as an improvement |
| So it gives us great penetration |
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| We know there are going to be some challenged markets and it's still a challenged market, which is why you're still seeing this a little bit lower year-over-year |
| We have challenges in some of the agreements that we signed last year |
| Biggest year-over-year challenges in coal |
| I think cold weather across the continent was really a cause |
| And workforce productivity, we have some challenges |
| Volumes for Union Pacific and other carriers were pretty challenged in January |
| If you look at our January volumes, they were down about 6% |
| So that's just a much more challenging market for us |
| We also talked on the quarter about an intermodal contract last year, so that's a little bit of a headwind |
| So January was a pretty tough month for a lot of railroads in the U.S |
| And if you don't mind, maybe I ask some of your questions, especially those ones that you were not positive on us |
| And now quarter-to-date, I think we're down about [indiscernible] |
| And on the volume outlook this year, I think you guys were maybe a little bit more muted given I think you mentioned intermodal contracts in coal |
| That's just the inflationary pressure that we see in those categories |
| It's not weak |
| It was a little bit harder right after |
| Now we're not sure, and we were not sure when we spoke in January after the fourth quarter, about what the economy is going to look like |
| If I was -- if it was a dream, I would hope that interest rates dropped down to 2%, GDP growth is 3% or 4% |
| But at the end of the day, I don't think it's good enough |
| You know you're going to get impacted, especially if you get lots of snow |
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