James Johansson
Senior Consultant
Expertise
- Rail, Port & Terminal Operations
- Intermodal Operations & Equipment Management
- Supply Chain Design
- Due Diligence
- Assessment & Optimization
Highlights
- 30+ years of experience in Class I rail, intermodal terminal, & logistics
- Director of Port Operations, S. California On‑Dock Rail — BNSF Railway
- Regional Director, Hub & Facility Operations — BNSF Railway
- Director, Continuous Improvement — BNSF Railway
- Regional Market Director — Direct ChassisLink Inc. (DCLI)
James Johansson is a transportation and operations leader with 30+ years of experience across Class I railroads, intermodal terminals, and port‑adjacent logistics networks. He has held senior operating leadership roles with direct accountability for terminal throughput, rail service alignment, equipment flow, service reliability, and employee safety across some of North America’s most complex port- and rail‑connected facilities.
At BNSF Railway, James held progressively senior roles across the intermodal network—from Sr. Manager to Director of Port Operations at LA/Long Beach —leading on-dock rail service planning and managing unionized workforces in high-density port environments. As Regional Director of Hub & Facility Operations, he oversaw terminal performance across West Coast hubs—Seattle, Tacoma, Oakland, Long Beach, and Los Angeles—managing teams of up to 200 and multimillion-dollar budgets. As Director of Continuous Improvement, he delivered measurable gains in velocity, safety, and reliability without capital expansion. At Direct Chassis Link Inc. (DCLI), he directed chassis strategy across port and intermodal markets, developing expertise in lifecycle management, utilization optimization, and chassis supply dynamics.
James advises clients on throughput improvement, network reliability, and logistics infrastructure investment evaluation. He brings expertise in inland port feasibility & multimodal network design, translating operational realities into actionable strategy with a pragmatic, operations-first perspective grounded in safety and workforce leadership.
