Intermodal Shipments Rise 2.6%, IANA Reports
The Intermodal Association of North America said that intermodal volume in the first quarter rose 2.6% in spite of winter weather that slowed economic activity.
The trade group said shipments totaled 3.77 million, including virtually identical amounts of domestic and international freight. In total domestic shipments rose 4.1% to 1,886,188 while international totaled 1,891,266, a rise of 1.1% on a year-over-year basis.
“Severe weather during the first quarter impacted the entire transportation network,” said Joni Casey, president and CEO of IANA. “But despite these challenges, intermodal volumes showed modest growth, led by gains in trailer movements particularly in some of the regions that were hardest hit by winter, such as the Northeast and Eastern Canada.”
The trade group also said that international intermodal was volatile in the quarter, rising 8.5% in March after declining in the prior two months.
Trailer shipments that accounted for about 11% of total volume rose the fastest at 7.5%.
