Local Navigation
UPDS Operational Practices and Guidelines
The following contains the general rules and policies that apply to UPDS motor carriers (Carrier). You will find information regarding communication, payment processes, equipment handling, and other related shipment information.
Questions concerning this information can be directed to UPDS at 1-800-877-5631.
Carrier is responsible for entering all billing information on the UPDS Transportation Supplier Dashboard (TSD).
Bill of lading information can be scanned and sent to updsintlsr@up.com or faxed to 1-800-303-8569.
If the carrier publishes a rate matrix, UPDS must have the most current copy on file at all times. If revisions are made to matrix rates, UPDS requires 30-day advance written notice
If a special ‘spot quote’ is issued to UPDS, a rate verification document must be sent to the Manager/Analyst requesting the rate.
Requests for quotations (including rate specifications, volumes and service requirements) will be issued to the carrier by UPDS as a formal RFQ in excel format. The carrier should fill in the information requested and send the completed file electronically to the appropriate contact at UPDS.
Contractors selected to handle business on behalf of UPDS must adhere to the Insurance Requirements set forth in Exhibit A of the UPDS Master Agreement for Motor Carrier Services.
Contractors must keep its insurance and UIIA agreement up to date. Additional information can be found at www.uiia.org. Insurance certificates and notifications regarding changes to insurance status must be sent to UPDS at the following address:
UNION PACIFIC DISTRIBUTION SERVICES
Insurance Compliance
PO Box 12010-UP
Hemet, CA 92546-8010
In the event Contractor brokers/sub-contracts a load to another motor carrier, Contractor warrants that its sub-contracted carrier handling the load meets the same insurance requirements.
a) Picking up empty equipment - unit must meet the following criteria:
- Proper size and type.
- Interior must be clean and dry. Floors must be free from holes or damage that would preclude safe loading.
- All bulkhead liners and kick plates should be smooth with no rough edges.
- Doors should be in good working order with no bulges or gaps.
- Exterior should be in interchange condition with working appliances. Check for any exterior holes or gashes that may leak to inside of conveyance vehicle.
- Ceilings must not have holes.
b) Picking up loaded equipment – carrier must perform the following:
- Exterior must be in interchange condition with working appliances.
- Check for any exterior holes or gashes that may cause a leak inside of conveyance vehicle.
- Verify seal number and ensure seal has not been tampered or altered.
- Ensure freight is blocked and braced inside equipment, if required.
- Ensure that the correct BOL (Bill of Lading) documentation for the equipment is provided for the equipment and load being pick-up.
- Ensure that the correct pick-up number is on the pre-note when picking up loaded equipment from a railroad ramp.
- Trailer tandems must be slid to the rear pin setting before trailer placed at the dock or dropped at designated facility.
- An exterior inspection of the floor to check for potential problems.
c) Carrier is required to carry correct equipment (such as a flashlight) to perform a correct inspection.
d) If the equipment does not meet requirements, UPDS must be notified immediately at 1-800-877-5631.
a) Carrier must inspect chassis/container prior to out-gate
b) If there is minor damage to the equipment, i.e. lights, wiring, tires etc., proceed to the Pacer ‘on-site’ repair facility
c) If there is major damage i.e. dolly legs, floors, structural issues etc., contact Pacer ‘bad-order’ hotline at
d) 866-352-4493
e) Carrier will secure a work order # from Pacer and relay to UPDS Operations
f) Carrier must inspect equipment after re-notification of repair before out-gating
g) If repairs required off-site, contact Pacer’s preferred repair vendor
h) If damage is discovered when equipment is delivered to UPDS customer:
- Carrier should not allow equipment to be reloaded.
- Carrier must contact UPDS Operations (800-877-56310 immediately for disposition.
- Damaged equipment is not to be repaired or removed until instructions are received from UPDS Operations.
NOTE: If Carrier delivers damaged, empty equipment to the customer for loading, Carrier is responsible for all expenses associated with returning damaged equipment and delivering an empty replacement.
If the carrier discovers damage that can be attributed to handling by either the shipper or consignee, the carrier must notify UPDS immediately and provide all required information, including: copy of a damage report filed at the customer’s facility if required; and all pertinent information regarding the damage (location, time/date of occurrence, noted damage, time/date equipment dropped at facility, points of contact at the facility to include names/phone numbers, etc., time/date of actions taken to resolve the issue. UPDS will assist with resolution of the issue by securing authorization to repair the equipment from the customer and arranging to reimburse the carrier for any costs incurred by the carrier to repair the equipment.
NOTE: The carrier is responsible for per diem charges and must notify the equipment provider of the damage.
When delivering a load for UPDS in a EMP-marked container, UPDS has first right of refusal to reload the container. If UPDS does not need the container and the Carrier chooses to use it for another customer, the carrier must street-interchange the container immediately. Failure to observe this rule will result in per diem charges assessed to the carrier until the container is in-gated into a railroad intermodal ramp.
The carrier must provide timely communication of driver locations, load updates, problems and delays. In the event of a delay in picking up or delivering a load for any reason, the information must be reported to the UPDS Operations Team at 1-800-877-5631. The carrier must be prepared to provide the reason for the delay, the time available to pick up or deliver the load, and if the customer has been contacted already to advise of the delay.
NOTE: All Carriers are required to meet assigned pick up appointment times even if the carrier has additional time to make the scheduled ramp cut-off time.
UPDS requires carriers to provide events including arrival at pick up (X3), departure from pick up (AF), and delivery at destination (X1) within 15 minutes of the actual event time for each container. The carrier must submit this information to UPDS via Electronic Data Interchange, through the UPDS Transportation Supplier Dashboard (TSD) or via telephone at 1-800-877-5631.
Carriers utilizing TSD may obtain user IDs from the Union Pacific Railroad and then must submit the user ID to the Senior Business Manager, Strategic Procurement to secure access to TSD.
Carriers must report events to UPDS as a condition for payment.
Prior to doing business with UPDS, Carrier is required to fax a blank invoice, W-9 with the tax ID# and the remittance address to: UPDS Accounts Payable at 402-544-8980. The carrier should also include an accounts receivable contact name and phone number along with a fax number for UPDS to send Advanced Shipment Notifications. Within ten (10) business days after receipt of the above information, the carrier will be notified with a Vendor Identification Number.
Invoices must be submitted to UPDS via TSD (UPDS, at its discretion, may permit use of electronic data interchange) no later than 3 months after the waybill date of the shipment. Invoices submitted after the 3 month timeframe has elapsed will not be considered for payment.
Mexican carriers are required to follow the procedures listed below as pertains to treatment of IVA taxes:
a) Northbound Shipments
- If the drayage movement originates and terminates in Mexico, the movement is subject to IVA tax and the carrier should handle the IVA tax in accordance with Mexican law.
- If the drayage movement physically crosses from Mexico into the United States, the movement is not subject to IVA tax. If IVA is required, a paper invoice showing UPDS de Mexico SA de CV, RFC: UME080716528, Ruben Dario 281 – 1101, Bosques de Chapultepec as the bill to party must be sent to UPDS at the following address:
Union Pacific Distribution Services
Attn: Accounts Payable
1400 Douglas St MS 1230
Vendor Number
Omaha, NE 68179-1230
Southbound Shipments – Not subject to IVA therefore paper invoices are not required. The carrier may invoice UPDS using TSD.
BILL OF LADINGS (BOL): Carriers must retain copies of bills of lading for at least three (3) years and make requested BOLs available to UPDS upon request at any time. At its discretion, UPDS may conduct periodic random audits of the carrier’s ability to maintain and provide BOLs as part of the annual evaluation of the carrier’s performance.
PROOF OF DELIVERY (POD): In accordance with Section 14 of the Master Agreement for Motor Carrier Services, UPDS requires carriers to maintain a copies of PODs (Proof of Delivery) for at least three (3) years. If at any time UPDS is unable to collect freight charges from a customer due to lack of documentation and a carrier fails to provide a POD or BOL, UPDS will deduct from the amount owed to the carrier the amount that it is unable to collect from the customer.
Data elements required on the POD:
- Appointment time
- Customer ingate time
- Customer outgate time
- Break time
- Customer signature/plant receipt stamp
- Equipment
- number and UPDS order number
J-1 DOCUMENTATION: UPDS also requires a copy of the J-1 from the railroad to be maintained on file for a period of three (3) years. At any time, UPDS may require a J-1 to verify services performed. UPDS may conduct periodic random sampling of the carrier’s ability to retain and provide J-1s as part of the annual evaluation of the carrier’s performance.
Carriers must provide requested documents to UPDS at 1-800-303-8569 within five (5) business days of request. Failure to provide the requested documentation within the allotted five (5) business days could result in delayed payment and the requirement, at UPDS’s sole option, that carrier send supporting documentation on all shipments.
a) The following items are considered allowable accessorials by UPDS:
- Overweights
- Transloads
- Deviations or redeliveries authorized by the customer
- Yard pulls
- One-way rack deliveries authorized by the customer
b) Carriers must adhere to the following accessorial requirements:
- Notify UPDS Operations by the close of the business day on which the accessorial service occurred.
-
Provide UPDS personnel with:
o Explanation of the accessorial
o Cost of the accessorial
o Supporting documentation - UPDS will notify customer of accessorial occurrence and request authorization for service.
- UPDS will communicate authorization number to the carrier.
- Authorization for service shall not be considered an authorization for payment.
c) Invoicing requirements:
- Equipment identification number
- Accessorial exception number
- Explanation of services performed (trailer detention, storage, transload, etc.)
- Supporting documentation signed by the customer
- Any other required supporting documentation (i.e. pictures, overweight fines, etc.)
- Accessorial invoice and backup documentation must be received within 15 days from the date that the authorization number was issued.
-
Remit invoice to: Union Pacific Distribution Services
Vendor # _____________________
Attention: Accounts Payable
1400 Douglas Street MS 1230
Omaha, NE 68179-1230
Invoices can also be faxed to UPDS at 1-402-544-8980
a) The carrier is responsible for equipment once it has departed the railroad intermodal facility.
b) UPDS requires carriers to monitor detention on containers they deliver to customers.
c) Carriers should monitor containers dropped at a customer’s facility to ensure containers are returned in a timely manner and will be expected to furnish a yard report upon request.
1) If a container is spotted at a facility and will exceed the free time, carrier must notify UPDS.
2) UPDS will notify the customer and attempt to get the container emptied in order to return it before detention starts.
3) On Pacer equipment, carriers are responsible for proper reporting of Direct Interchange (DI) activity direct to the Pacer website. Failure to input the DI event will result in the entire invoice amount billed to the carrier.
4) Carriers will receive a bill from UPDS with all per diem charges. Carriers should respond regarding any disputable transaction within five (5) working days of receipt. In addition, once agreement is reached on disputed issues, carriers are required to remit payment within fifteen (15) working days to UPDS.
PACER STACKTRAIN EQUIPMENT PER DIEM SCHEDULE
Equipment Use Policies and Charges |
|
|
|
|||
Non-West Coast (all states except: CA, WA, OR, UT) |
||||||
| Empty to Load (day out out-gate plus 3 days) | ||||||
| Load to Empty (day of notify plus 3 days) | ||||||
| Day of Out-gate / Notify | Last Free Day | |||||
| Monday | Thursday | 48' - 53' | ||||
| Tuesday | Friday | Days 1-7 | $30 each | |||
| Wednesday | Monday | Days 8 on | $80 each | |||
| Thursday | Tuesday | |||||
| Friday | Wednesday | |||||
| Saturday | Thursday | |||||
| Sunday | Thursday | |||||
| Load to Load (day of notify plus 5 days) | ||||||
| Day of Notify | Last Free Day | |||||
| Monday | Monday | 48' - 53' | ||||
| Tuesday | Tuesday | Days 1 - 14 | $30 each | |||
| Wednesday | Wednesday | Days 15 on | $80 each | |||
| Thursday | Thursday | |||||
| Friday | Friday | |||||
| Saturday | Monday week | |||||
| Sunday | Monday Week | |||||
| West Coast (only in the following states: CA, WA, OR, UT) | ||||||
| Empty to Load (day out out-gate plus 2 days) | ||||||
| Load to Empty (day of notify plus 2 days) | ||||||
| Day of Out-gate / Notify | Last Free Day | |||||
| Monday | Wednesday | 48' - 53' | ||||
| Tuesday | Thursday | Days 1-7 | $30 each | |||
| Wednesday | Friday | Days 8 on | $80 each | |||
| Thursday | Monday | |||||
| Friday | Teusday | |||||
| Saturday | Wednesday | |||||
| Sunday | Wednesday | |||||
| Load to Load (day of notify plus 4 days) | ||||||
| Day of Notify | Last Free Day | |||||
| Monday | Friday | 48' - 53' | ||||
| Tuesday | Monday | Days 1-14 | $30 each | |||
| Wednesday | Tuesday | Days 15 on | $80 each | |||
| Thursday | Wednesday | |||||
| Friday | Thursday | |||||
| Saturday | Friday | |||||
| Sunday | Friday | |||||
EMP EQUIPMENT PER DIEM SCHEDULE
- Free Time
Load/Empty, Empty/Load, or Load/Load: Contractor will receive two (2) free days commencing at the time container is notified as available from the customer or outgate from the ramp/container yard. The day of notification will be day one. Chargeable days will accrue until the container is picked up from or delivered to the customer. It is the sole responsibility of Contractor to notify UPDS when a customer is not complying with delivery or pickup times or requirements. - Charges - After per diem free time expires the following charges apply:
$30.00 per day or any fraction thereof for days 1-3
$60.00 per day or any fraction thereof for days 4-20
$120.00 per day or any fraction thereof for days 21+
All storage free time is day of notify plus 48 hrs.
Storage free time allowed for U.S. Customs in-bond shipments is 48 hours.
In addition the following rules will apply at all Union Pacific Intermodal terminals:
- Notify Time -Notification Clock for storage & detention will be from 5:00 PM. When notification is made before 5 p.m., the day of notification is that (same) day. When notification is made after 5 p.m., the day of notification is the following day.
- Holidays - Good Friday, Day after Thanksgiving, and Presidents Day are chargeable days.
-
Holidays and Sundays (excluding Good Friday, Day after Thanksgiving and Presidents’ Day): will not be included in the computation of free time. The following will be considered Holidays:
o New Year's Day
o Memorial Day
o Independence Day - July 4th
o Labor Day
o Thanksgiving Day
o Christmas Eve
o Christmas Day - Saturday's are included in the computation of free time and will be chargeable.
-
Charges - After storage free time expires the following charges apply:
$100.00 per day or any fraction thereof for days 1-5
$150 per day or any fraction thereof for days 6-10
$300 per day or any fraction thereof for days 11+
The table below represents the storage charge application.
| Mon | Tues | Wed | Thurs | Fri | Sat | Sun | Mon | Tues | Wed | Thurs | Fri | Sat | Sun | Mon |
| VN | F | F | $100 | $100 | $100 | $100 | $100 | $150 | $150 | $150 | $150 | $150 | $300 | $300 |
| F | F | $100 | $100 | $100 | $100 | $100 | $150 | $150 | $150 | $150 | $150 | $300 | ||
| F | F | $100 | $100 | $100 | $100 | $100 | $150 | $150 | $150 | $150 | $150 | |||
| F | F | $100 | $100 | $100 | $100 | $100 | $150 | $150 | $150 | $150 | ||||
| VN | F | X | F | $100 | $100 | $100 | $100 | $100 | $150 | $150 | ||||
| VN | X | F | F | $100 | $100 | $100 | $100 | $100 | $150 | |||||
| VN | F | F | $100 | $100 | $100 | $100 | $100 | $150 |
This chart represents notification prior to 5 p.m.
VN - Van Notification
- When notification is made before 5 p.m., the day of notification is that (same) day
- When notification is made after 5 p.m., the day of notification is the following day
F - Free Day: once free time has expired, all days are chargeable
X - Exempt Day: Excluded from calculation of free time