Railroads Increase Surcharges for Intermodal Shipping

Rate Hikes May Stay in Place After Peak Season

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ith the peak shipping season for intermodal containers set to begin this month, railroads are making seasonal rate hikes, but the increases may stay in place after the peak, shipping executives said last week.

“Peak season pricing is coming,” said Derek Broom, a sales representative with Pacer Global Logistics, an intermodal marketing company based in Dublin, Ohio. “Rates are higher across the board and everybody is charging more with less capacity out there.”

When rates go up, intermodal carriers have to pass the increases on to shippers, Broom told Transport Topics. Pacer ranks No. 19 on the Transport Topics Logistics 50 listing.

Major rail lines have planned their peak-season surcharges for shipments from the West Coast to take effect Aug. 17.

For the full story, see the Aug. 2 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.