Intermodal Association of North America

IANA: Intermodal turnaround in 2024

Intermodal freight volumes saw a significant turnaround in 2024, up 8.5%, according to a year-end report from the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA), rebounding from a 5.9% decline a year ago.

The growth signifies a revitalized economy and evolving international trade dynamics, the trade group said, and highlights the resilience and adaptability of the intermodal sector in the face of economic fluctuations and logistical challenges.

International container flows spur growth

A major...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/iana-intermodal-turnaround-in-2024

At TRB: How high-tech mapping can grow intermodal, and a data reality check

WASHINGTON — Here’s what supply chain stakeholders know for certain about intermodal transportation: It involves freight moving between air, land and sea. Beyond that, well, there are more questions than answers.

The 104th annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board provided a fertile setting for more than 13,000 educators, regulators and private businesses to consider diversified research into how to get from here to there, and the elusive goal of making it all more efficient.

At a...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/at-trb-how-high-tech-mapping-can-grow-intermodal-and-a-data-reality-check

UP to customers: Urge Congress to help reopen US-Mexico rail crossings

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Union Pacific wants customers to urge Congress to pressure U.S. border officials to provide a...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/up-to-customers-urge-congress-to-help-reopen-us-mexico-rail-crossings

IANA panel: Intermodal chassis squeeze easing, but it’s far from over

LONG BEACH, Calif. — The great chassis squeeze of 2021-22 isn’t over and likely will leave in its wake a changed market for the equipment so vital for intermodal movements, according to a panel of industry executives. 

That was a key takeaway from the panel on the second day of the Intermodal Association of North America’s annual exposition. While the worst may be behind the industry, things aren’t all that much better, several of the panel members said. 

The disruption in the market has taken a...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/iana-panel-intermodal-chassis-squeeze-easing-but-its-far-from-over

Rail industry wants to keep infrastructure, capacity projects on track

The issues that are before the Surface Transportation Board — reciprocal switching and proposed acquisitions — are important to rail shippers and the broader industry in 2022.

But the allocation of federal grants for infrastructure projects, regulatory discussions on crew staffing and automated track inspections, and efforts to relieve supply chain congestion, especially at the ports, also are weighing on the minds of those representing rail and intermodal interests.

“The freight rail industry...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/rail-industry-wants-to-keep-infrastructure-capacity-projects-on-track

US rail traffic growth slows in July

An aerial photograph of a rail yard with parked intermodal containers lined up in rows.

U.S. rail traffic in July continued to be higher than July 2020, but that growth appeared to be moderating.

The U.S. operations of the Class I railroads hauled 1.97 million carloads and intermodal units in July, a 3.8% increase year-over-year. While carload volumes grew 6.6% to 904,670 carloads, intermodal traffic rose by only 1.5% to 1.07 million containers and trailers, according to the Association of American Railroads.

Supply chain issues, as well as lower grain exports, contributed to the...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/us-rail-traffic-growth-slows-in-july

Carload and intermodal traffic strong in April and Q1: AAR, IANA

A photograph of rail cars rolling by a railroad crossing.

Volume categories such as grain and intermodal helped U.S. rail traffic near pre-pandemic levels in April, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

For the month, rail volumes totaled 2.13 million carloads and intermodal units, a 29.1% increase from April 2020. Much of the sizable year-over-year increase is due to volumes falling out in April and May at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in North America.

But some commodities, such as chemicals, are posting pre-pandemic volume...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/carload-and-intermodal-traffic-strong-in-april-and-q1-aar-iana

Feds push police to check truck driver seat-belt compliance

A top safety official in the trucking industry is urging police to step up enforcement of seat-belt laws on motor carriers due to the high number of drivers and other occupants who weren’t complying with those laws when they died in crashes.

Speaking on Wednesday at a virtual business meeting organized by the Intermodal Association of North America, Jack Van Steenburg, chief safety officer at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), cited the most recent statistics showing that...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/feds-push-police-to-check-truck-driver-seat-belt-compliance

North American intermodal volumes climbed nearly 10% in Q4: IANA

A photograph of intermodal containers on a train.

North American intermodal volumes gained nearly 10% in the fourth quarter of 2020, setting the pace for the first quarter of 2021, according to the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA).

“Intermodal continued its comeback in the fourth quarter after declines in the first half of the year. Against the backdrop of COVID, all market sectors posted gains, setting the pace into at least Q1 of 2021,” said IANA President and CEO Joni Casey. IANA estimates that 2021 intermodal volumes could...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/north-american-intermodal-volumes-climbed-nearly-10-in-q4-iana

Viewpoint: Strategic outlook for rail freight?

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates.

The strategic outlook for rail freight is mixed based on data and competition hurdles. Some challenges are not in rail management’s hands.

For example, is the long rail freight market trend upward, static or downward?

There is uncertainty.

Briefly, here is the long-term outlook.

Note that the numbers shown here are rounded.

The quick take is that over the past four...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/viewpoint-strategic-outlook-for-rail-freight

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