TOTAL intermodal volumes declined by 3
TOTAL intermodal volumes declined by 3.7 per cent in the third quarter compared to the same period a year ago, the Intermodal Association of North America's Intermodal Market Trends & Statistics report shows. International shipments fell 0.8 per cent year on year, while domestic containers and trailers decreased 6.8 per cent and 17.6 per cent, reported the American Journal of Transportation.
'Looser trucking capacity, continuing uncertainty about Chinese tariffs, and tough comparisons to 2018 volumes are the primary factors driving intermodal traffic,' said IANA president Joni Casey. 'The rest of the year is projected to be flat, but a turnaround is anticipated by Q2 of next year.'
The seven highest-density trade corridors, which together account for 62.8 per cent of total volume, registered a decline of 3.1 per cent. The southeast-southwest corridor achieved the highest third-quarter growth at 3.3 per cent followed by the intra-southeast and trans-Canada, which stood at 1.8 per cent and 1.3 per cent, respectively.
Four corridors recorded decreases: the midwest-northwest at 2.1 per cent; the southwest-midwest, 4.1 per cent; the south central-southwest, 6.6 per cent; and the northeast-midwest, 7.3 per cent.
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