Faxed bills of lading to be subject to processing charge

Beginning in 2001, Norfolk Southern has been transitioning customers who fax bills of lading to alternative electronic processes. In hopes of further reducing the number of faxed bills and improving the associated billing processes, NS will implement a $50.00 processing charge for faxed bills of lading. There will be no charge for bills of lading received via electronic means. Customers are encouraged to submit bills of lading electronically via: 1) iBOL available through accessNS ; and/or 2) EDI (electronic data Exchange). The electronic options provide substantial benefits:

• Expedited billing
• Immediate access to information verifying the transaction and charges
• Error free waybilling, freight billing and shipment tracking
• Availability of a wide range of bundled Web tools in accessNS free of charge

To ensure sufficient time for set up and testing, the effective dates will be phased in based primarily on the leading 2-digit STCC codes (standardized transportation commodity codes) as follows:

On and after the effective dates shown for each 2-digit STCC, NS will assess a $50 processing charge (Tariff NS 8002-Series) for faxed BOLs processed by NS. Third party vendors are available, which for a fee, will accept your faxed bills of lading and transmit them to NS in one of the above electronic formats. Examples of companies that provide such services are TransWorks (800-435-4691, x-3643) and IntelliTrans (404-523-7474, x-119).

For customers who are unfamiliar with iBOL or EDI, NS is ready to assist with the transition and the implementation of other Web based tools. Please contact the e-Commerce group at (800) 235-5551 or echelp@nscorp.com for assistance or direct your questions to your respective Sales or Marketing representative. We will work with you to determine the most appropriate option for your business needs.

Fax users should contact NS at your earliest convenience, so we can ensure an easy transition prior to the effective date for your business. Please disseminate this information throughout your organization to the appropriate people.