Cover story:
The fall and rise (?) of Class Is' intermodal traffic
In the first quarter, North American intermodal volume tumbled 6.6% to 4,312,905 units — the third-lowest quarterly total in the past four years, according to the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA). Volume likely will be soft in the second quarter, too.
But 2022 shouldn't be a total bust, volume-wise. IANA officials expect domestic and international traffic to pick up in the second half, helping to increase total 2022 volume by 0.9% compared with last year’s total. For example, climbing transloads, tight trucking conditions and mounting trailer traffic conversions should help domestic container counts climb more than 6% year over year. The Class Is would welcome such an intermodal volume boost, if it comes to pass. The traffic segment is vital to the large roads, generating anywhere from one-third to one-half of their annual carloads and revenue.
What are the Class Is themselves forecasting for intermodal traffic through the remainder of 2022? What are they doing to help generate more shipments of containers and trailers? And where will any traffic gains come from? For answers, Managing Editor Jeff Stagl talks with top intermodal executives from a cross section of Class Is.
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