Equipment availability is not just about peak demand, it is the door through which railroads can attract new customers open to trying rail, shippers testing whether rail can work for new products, or opportunistic volumes. A customer who cannot get a timely rate, cannot receive equipment when needed, cannot receive timely support, and cannot rely on a stable service plan has little basis for committing freight to rail when trucking is an option. The path forward requires investing in people, assets, and customers beyond the ones that fit into today’s operating plan, and committing to providing the services the customers want instead of the services the Class Is want to provide.