October 15, 2026 - TRA Newswire -
BNSF Railway has announced an expanded partnership with Overhaul, a global leader in real-time risk monitoring and cargo security protection. This step is in response to issues with supply chain security for its rail shipping customers.
While the number of thefts reported by all railroads across the country decreased in 2026, the average theft of shipper's goods has skyrocketed. Estimated losses have more than doubled, skyrocketing from $135.7 million in Q2 2025 to $304.6 million in Q2 2026. Average Q2 value reached $564,009, driven heavily by strategic syndicates stealing multiple shipments worth over $1 million each.
“Cargo crime has become increasingly organized and data-driven, which means prevention requires coordinated intelligence and a trusted response framework,” said Overhaul Co-Founder and CEO Barry Conlon. “Overhaul continues to work closely with BNSF to maintain a shared mission to protect freight in motion by identifying risks earlier, validating threats faster, and deploying preventative action long before cargo loss occurs.”
The types of items stolen and the methods used have radically changed in 2026. Instead of bulkier, harder-to-sell items or food and beverage items (which dominated volume in 2025), thieves are heavily targeting copper and metals (up to 80 incidents from 54) and enterprise-grade technology, such as networking components and cryptocurrency mining hardware. Traditional lock-cutting is being replaced by "strategic cargo theft". Syndicates are buying legitimate motor carrier authorities, stealing digital credentials, and creating fictitious pickups to get logistics brokers to willingly hand over freight.
The collaboration with Overhaul will connect BNSF’s networkwide security technology and police department with Overhaul’s real-time risk intelligence teams, helping to identify potential risks earlier, improve coordination and support the secure movement of intermodal freight across BNSF’s 32,500-mile network.
According to a BNSF news release, as Overhaul’s exclusive railroad partner, BNSF customers receive access to a level of integrated shipment intelligence and security coordination not available through any other railroad. Overhaul maintains a 99.9% shipment protection rate for monitored freight, combining real-time visibility, verified intelligence, and active risk management to help prevent cargo loss before it occurs.
“Working with Overhaul’s verified intelligence advances our prevention-first approach to supply chain security,” said Chief Special Agent and Assistant Vice President of BNSF Police Will Johnson. “Our teams have built a deep foundation of trust over the years, and this partnership strengthens our ability to take informed action and uphold rail as the most secure mode of freight transportation by land.”
The BNSF/Overhaul partnership will mean direct Overhaul-to-BNSF integration for faster incident detection and intervention, measured in seconds, not hours.
It will also allow continuous monitoring of intermodal shipments for early indicators of tampering, fraud, or organized crime patterns. Verified and proprietary threat signals are shared directly and immediately with BNSF, enabling earlier intervention, more strategic agent deployment, and seamless coordination with multiple jurisdictions from a single source.
“Protecting customer shipments is a longstanding BNSF commitment,” said BNSF Group Vice President of Consumer Products Jon Gabriel. “This partnership combines advanced tools with the expertise of our people to further safeguard freight and reduce disruptions to our customers’ operations.”
Photo credit: Steven Grabman
BNSF Railway has announced an expanded partnership with Overhaul, a global leader in real-time risk monitoring and cargo security protection. This step is in response to issues with supply chain security for its rail shipping customers.
While the number of thefts reported by all railroads across the country decreased in 2026, the average theft of shipper's goods has skyrocketed. Estimated losses have more than doubled, skyrocketing from $135.7 million in Q2 2025 to $304.6 million in Q2 2026. Average Q2 value reached $564,009, driven heavily by strategic syndicates stealing multiple shipments worth over $1 million each.
“Cargo crime has become increasingly organized and data-driven, which means prevention requires coordinated intelligence and a trusted response framework,” said Overhaul Co-Founder and CEO Barry Conlon. “Overhaul continues to work closely with BNSF to maintain a shared mission to protect freight in motion by identifying risks earlier, validating threats faster, and deploying preventative action long before cargo loss occurs.”
The types of items stolen and the methods used have radically changed in 2026. Instead of bulkier, harder-to-sell items or food and beverage items (which dominated volume in 2025), thieves are heavily targeting copper and metals (up to 80 incidents from 54) and enterprise-grade technology, such as networking components and cryptocurrency mining hardware. Traditional lock-cutting is being replaced by "strategic cargo theft". Syndicates are buying legitimate motor carrier authorities, stealing digital credentials, and creating fictitious pickups to get logistics brokers to willingly hand over freight.
The collaboration with Overhaul will connect BNSF’s networkwide security technology and police department with Overhaul’s real-time risk intelligence teams, helping to identify potential risks earlier, improve coordination and support the secure movement of intermodal freight across BNSF’s 32,500-mile network.
According to a BNSF news release, as Overhaul’s exclusive railroad partner, BNSF customers receive access to a level of integrated shipment intelligence and security coordination not available through any other railroad. Overhaul maintains a 99.9% shipment protection rate for monitored freight, combining real-time visibility, verified intelligence, and active risk management to help prevent cargo loss before it occurs.
“Working with Overhaul’s verified intelligence advances our prevention-first approach to supply chain security,” said Chief Special Agent and Assistant Vice President of BNSF Police Will Johnson. “Our teams have built a deep foundation of trust over the years, and this partnership strengthens our ability to take informed action and uphold rail as the most secure mode of freight transportation by land.”
The BNSF/Overhaul partnership will mean direct Overhaul-to-BNSF integration for faster incident detection and intervention, measured in seconds, not hours.
It will also allow continuous monitoring of intermodal shipments for early indicators of tampering, fraud, or organized crime patterns. Verified and proprietary threat signals are shared directly and immediately with BNSF, enabling earlier intervention, more strategic agent deployment, and seamless coordination with multiple jurisdictions from a single source.
“Protecting customer shipments is a longstanding BNSF commitment,” said BNSF Group Vice President of Consumer Products Jon Gabriel. “This partnership combines advanced tools with the expertise of our people to further safeguard freight and reduce disruptions to our customers’ operations.”
Photo credit: Steven Grabman