Intermodal Volume Rises 6.5% in Second Quarter
Intermodal traffic volume rose 6.5% in the second quarter, the Intermodal Association of North America said Tuesday.
International container volume rose 5.4% in the quarter to 1.88 million units, IANA said in a statement.
Domestic container volume increased 9% to 1.23 million units, while trailer volume rose at a more modest 4.6% rate to about 425,000 units.
Domestic intermodal’s strong pace was bolstered by a steep rise in diesel prices that likely made it more cost-effective for shippers to shift freight off the highway, IANA said.
Railroad volume is considered an important economic indicator. Intermodal traffic, which tends to be higher-valued merchandise than bulk commodities, uses trains for the long haul and trucks for the shorter distance at either end of the trip.
