BNSF lays off part of technology workforce amid department restructuring

BNSF has laid off part of its technology services staff as it restructures that department, the company confirmed in a prepared statement provided to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

BNSF would not provide information on the number of employees who were laid off, but cuts are believed to have impacted between 140 and 175 workers .

“Following the announcement of a strategic initiative to transform the future of our rail operations through innovation, BNSF is changing its technology workforce for a newly created division called bnsf | tech,” the company said in the prepared statement. “This new organization will be infused with new investment and an expanded team of software engineers focused on building a safer, smarter railroad. As part of this transition, some Technology Services positions are being repurposed or eliminated, as bnsf | tech will have a reduced reliance on contractors and third-party vendors over time.”

“As in the past, BNSF remains committed to supporting employees affected by personnel changes, and applicable resources and career transition services are being shared with impacted employees,” the company said.

The Fort Worth-based company was formed by a merger of Burlington Northern Railroad and Santa Fe Railway in late 1995. Owned by conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway, BNSF has roughly 36,500 employees across the country, about 4,900 of whom are based in Tarrant County .

Many people identifying themselves as BNSF employees took to social media and anonymous online chat threads to express their frustration with the layoffs. Some individuals attributed the layoffs to the addition of the railroad’s new chief technology officer, Hari Govind, who took the position in January. Govind was previously chief technology officer at Geico, another Berkshire Hathaway-owned company.

BNSF’s earnings were up in the first quarter of 2025, but the company has faced financial difficulties for years .

“The railroad is earning a little more than last year, but it’s not earning what it should be earning at the present time,” outgoing Berkshire CEO Warren Buffett said at the conglomerate’s annual meeting Saturday. “But that’s solvable and is getting solved. It’s still an incredible asset for Berkshire.”

BNSF laid off over 360 mechanical employees in March 2024.