Intermodal pushes ahead in third quarter  

Total intermodal volume rose 9.8 percent year-over-year in the third quarter of 2024, according to the Intermodal Association of North America. International containers added 15.4 percent, domestic containers improved 6.0 percent, while trailers fell 11.0 percent.

"International volume continued to be the growth engine in the third quarter,” said Joni Casey, president and CEO of IANA. “We expect this strength to drive overall traffic through the end of the year.”

All the seven highest-density trade corridors, which collectively handled more than 60 percent of total volume, were up. The Southeast-Southwest climbed 25.9 percent, followed by the South Central-Southwest at 23.8 percent. The Midwest- Northwest rallied 23.2 percent, while the Midwest-Southwest, the highest volume corridor, advanced 17.0 percent. The Trans-Canada came in at 7.4 percent, and the Intra-Southeast registered 2.7 percent. The Northeast-Midwest eked out 0.4 percent.

Total IMC volume increased 2.8 percent year-over-year in Q3, with intermodal traffic up 9.5 percent and highway loads down 5.8 percent.