Despite tough year-over-year comparisons, intermodal managed 4.7 percent growth in the three months through September, according to the Intermodal Association of North America’s Intermodal Market Trends & Statistics Report. International intermodal volumes increased 4.4 percent, domestic containers 3.9 percent, and trailers led overall at 12.1 percent.
“We saw some trail off in growth during the third quarter, relative to the first half of the year, but intermodal’s market expansion was still respectable. Trailers again performed especially well at the margins. The industry is in a strong position going into the fourth quarter,” said Joni Casey, president and CEO of IANA.
The seven highest-density trade corridors accounted for 62.4 percent of total volumes and were collectively up 3.9 percent. The intra-Southeast performed the best of the seven with volumes gaining 12.0 percent. The Midwest-Northwest, Northeast-Midwest, and South Central-Southwest lanes had growth of 8.4 percent, 7.7 percent and 6.6 percent respectively. The trans-Canada and Southeast-Southwest recorded losses on international performance of 1.1 percent and 3.7 percent, and the Midwest-Southwest eked out 0.2 percent growth.
IMC growth slowed in Q3 compared to the first half of 2018. Total loads rose 4.6 percent after climbing over 10 percent in the second quarter. Combined highway-intermodal revenue remained in the double digits, however, growing 22.9 percent after posting 28.6 percent in Q2.
