Revenues

The Company’s revenues are primarily derived from the transportation of freight as performance obligations that arise from its contracts with customers are satisfied. The following table presents the Company’s revenues disaggregated by lines of business as they best depict how the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows are affected by economic factors:



	Third Quarters				Nine Months
(Dollars in millions)	2018		2017		2018		2017

Chemicals	$	596	$	546	$	1,741	$	1,664
Agricultural and Food Products	325		288		959		941
Automotive	300		269		934		892
Forest Products	223		181		633		567
Metals and Equipment	205		178		589		546
Minerals	137		120		388		362
Fertilizers	104		106		332		353
Total Merchandise	1,890		1,688		5,576		5,325

Domestic Coal	347		350		937		1,029
Export Coal	241		164		723		537
Total Coal	588		514		1,660		1,566

Domestic Intermodal	331		297		948		896
International Intermodal	169		149		491		432
Total Intermodal	500		446		1,439		1,328

Other	151		95		432		326
Total	$	3,129	$	2,743	$	9,107	$	8,545

Revenue Recognition

The Company generates revenue from freight billings under contracts with customers generally on a rate per carload, container or ton-basis based on origin to destination and commodities carried. The Company’s performance obligation arises when it receives a bill of lading (“BOL”) to transport a customer's commodities at a negotiated price contained in a transportation services agreement or a publicly disclosed tariff rate. Once a BOL is received, a contract is formed whereby the parties are committed to perform, collectability of consideration is probable and the rights of the parties, shipping terms and conditions, and payment terms are identified. A customer may submit several BOLs for transportation services at various times throughout a service agreement term but each shipment represents a distinct service that is a separately identified performance obligation.

The average transit time to complete a shipment is between 3 to 8 days and payments for transportation services are normally billed once a BOL is received and are generally due within 15 days after the invoice date. The Company recognizes revenue over transit time of freight as it moves from origin to destination. Revenue for services started but not completed at the reporting date is allocated based on the relative transit time in each reporting period, with the portion allocated for services subsequent to the reporting date considered remaining performance obligations.

NOTE 11. Revenues, continued

The certain key estimates included in the recognition and measurement of revenue and related accounts receivable are as follows:


•	Revenue associated with shipments in transit is recognized ratably over transit time and is based on average cycle times to move commodities and products from their origin to their final destination or interchange;


•	Adjustments to revenue for billing corrections and billing discounts;


•	Adjustments to revenue for overcharge claims filed by customers, which are based on historical payments to customers for rate overcharges as a percentage of total billing;


•	Incentive-based refunds to customers, which are primarily volume-related, are recorded as a reduction to revenue on the basis of the projected liability (this estimate is based on historical activity, current volume levels and forecasted future volume).

Revenue related to interline transportation services that involve the services of another party, such as another railroad, is reported on a net basis. The portion of the gross amount billed to customers that is remitted by the Company to another party is not reflected as revenue.

Other revenue, which includes revenue from regional subsidiary railroads, demurrage, switching and other incidental charges, is recorded upon completion of the service and accounted for 5% of the Company’s total revenue in the third quarter and for the nine months ended September 30, 2018. Revenue from regional subsidiary railroads includes shipments by railroads that the Company does not directly operate. Demurrage represents charges assessed when freight cars are held by a customer beyond a specified period of time. Switching revenue is primarily generated when the Company switches cars for a customer or another railroad.

During the third quarters of 2018 and 2017, revenue recognized from performance obligations related to prior periods (for example, due to changes in transaction price), was not material.

Remaining Performance Obligations

Remaining performance obligations represent the transaction price allocated to future reporting periods for freight services started but not completed at the reporting date. This includes the unearned portion of billed and unbilled amounts for cancellable freight shipments in transit. The Company expects to recognize the unearned portion of revenue for freight services in transit within one week of the reporting date. As of September 30, 2018, the Company had no material remaining performance obligations.

Contract Balances and Accounts Receivable

The timing of revenue recognition, billings and cash collections results in accounts receivable and customer advances and deposits (contract liabilities) on the consolidated balance sheets. The Company had no material contract assets, contract liabilities or deferred contract costs recorded on the consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2018.

NOTE 11. Revenues, continued

The Company’s accounts receivable - net consists of freight and non-freight receivables, reduced by an allowance for doubtful accounts.



(Dollars in millions)	September 30, 2018			December 31, 2017

Freight Receivables	$	887		$	810
Freight Allowance for Doubtful Accounts	(17		)	(17		)
Freight Receivables, net	870			793

Non-Freight Receivables	230			186
Non-Freight Allowance for Doubtful Accounts	(10		)	(9		)
Non-Freight Receivables, net	220			177
Total Accounts Receivable, net	$	1,090		$	970

Freight receivables include amounts earned, billed and unbilled, and currently due from customers for transportation-related services. Non-freight receivables include amounts billed and unbilled and currently due related to government reimbursement receivables and other non-revenue receivables. The Company maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts to provide for the estimated amount of receivables that will not be collected. The allowance is based upon an assessment of customer creditworthiness, historical payment experience, the age of outstanding receivables and economic conditions. Impairment losses recognized on the Company’s accounts receivable were not material in the third quarters of 2018 and 2017.