From Joliet distribution centers to the BNSF ramp in Elwood, LIWMI Logistics moves truckload, flatbed, and intermodal freight in and out of Chicagoland. We’re headquartered in Chicago, so this is home turf, and we know which way I-80 backs up on a Friday.
Chicago runs on rail. It has been the country’s busiest rail hub for 150 years, all six U.S. Class I railroads operate there, and that traffic also makes it the largest rail chokepoint in the country. Nearly a quarter of the nation’s rail shipments arrive in or pass through the region.
Much of that freight touches the southwest suburbs. The CenterPoint Intermodal Center covers 6,500 acres across Elwood and Joliet in Will County, anchored by two rail terminals: BNSF’s Logistics Park Chicago and Union Pacific’s Global IV. The BNSF terminal sits on 770 acres and handles international container traffic to and from Southern California, including Long Beach. Union Pacific’s Global IV opened in 2010 and is one of five UP intermodal terminals in the Chicago area.
On the highway side, I-55 and I-80 are the main interstate routes to the Elwood ramp, and the Arsenal Road interchange on I-55 was built specifically to reach both terminals. Add the warehouse corridors around Bolingbrook, Bensenville, Elk Grove Village, and Chicago Heights, and Chicagoland ships almost every kind of freight in every direction.
Rail congestion and ramp delays. The same traffic that makes Chicago a rail hub can slow containers at the ramps. We watch container availability and last free days, schedule drayage around ramp hours, and give you a straight answer when a box is delayed so you can plan the delivery.
Winter weather. Chicago winters can stop freight cold. In 1999, two and a half feet of snow and temperatures of 16 below zero shut down the region’s freight rail service. Most storms aren’t that bad, but every one of them slows highway traffic. We build buffer time into winter appointments, track loads in transit, and tell you early when weather is going to affect a delivery.
Highway congestion on I-55, I-80, and I-294. Southwest-suburb distribution traffic is heavy, especially at shift changes. We plan pickups around dock hours and traffic windows, and use straight trucks or sprinter vans when a tight city dock or a small load doesn’t need a 53′ trailer.
Crossing into Canada. Chicago is a common starting point for Ontario freight. We book cross-border truckload freight with carriers set up for border crossings, and we coordinate directly with your customs broker on PARS and PAPS so your freight clears without delays.
Yes. LIWMI Logistics books container drayage at BNSF Logistics Park Chicago in Elwood and the surrounding Joliet ramps, including 40′ high cube containers. We can also book the full intermodal move, with rail linehaul and drayage on both ends, so you have one company managing the whole shipment.
Yes. We book cross-border truckload freight from the Chicago area into Ontario, including Windsor, with carriers set up for border crossings. We coordinate directly with your customs broker on PARS and PAPS. If you need a customs broker, ask us and we’ll point you to one.
Yes. We move freight from the LA and Long Beach area into the Chicago region, including deliveries to Elwood. Depending on your timeline and budget, that can be over the road by truckload or by intermodal rail with drayage at each end.
We book 53′ dry vans, reefers, flatbeds, Conestogas, 24′ and 26′ straight trucks, sprinter vans, and 20′ and 40′ containers for drayage. If you’re not sure what your freight needs, tell us the dimensions, weight, and dock setup, and we’ll recommend the right fit.
We build extra time into winter appointments, track your freight in transit, and tell you as soon as weather is likely to affect pickup or delivery. You hear about a delay from us before you would hear it from your customer.
Request a quote through our website or call (833) 599-8655, and a real person on our team will get back to you the same business day.
Request a quote and a real person on our team will get back to you the same business day.
