In certain applications Intermodal transportation, the combination and integration of at least 2 transport modes, can be a cost effective and environmentally friendly complement to road transport for the handling of shipped goods. With diesel prices having increased y/y by over 33% to $3.908 a US gallon, the intermodal option is being considered more frequently, but at what price?... Read More

This blog entry was originally posted by , VP of Government Relations and Public Affairs, Con-way Inc., on their Public Policy & Sustainability blog site.... Read More

According to U.S. railroads' advertising, shifting freight from highway to rail through government incentives will result in a "greener" transportation system. However, a new report says the railroads' claim isn't true.

"When all factors are considered, most freight currently moving by truck would consume more energy if converted to a 100 percent rail move," said FTR Associates' Noel Perry, who authors a report titled Transportation Fundamentals.... Read More

Intermodal has long been considered a handsome profit center for the railroads, and JBHT's financial statement disclosures reveal that JBHT is now also minting money the Intermodal way. From every $1,000.00 of its Intermodal revenue JBHT extracts ~$102.00 of operating income; that's about $195.00 of average operating income achieved from each JBHT Intermodal load, and there were 663,386 such loads at JBHT during the first nine months of this year (17,000 loads per week = $3.3 million of JBHT Intermodal weekly operating income). Schneider's Intermodal results are likely near those of JBHT's, but Schneider's privately-held status allows it to withhold words to the public about the parts of its money machine.... Read More

Savvy trucker JB Hunt heads east, by train! Truckers traveling via train? Yep, the smart do so with increasing frequency. Earlier this month, J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. announced that its already successful "Secret Formula" for Intermodal success will henceforth include much more of a current ingredient, one known as "NSC" or Norfolk Southern Corporation, which reported Intermodal revenues for this year's 1st nine months of just slightly less than JBHT's $1.2 billion of Intermodal biz. for the same three quarters.... Read More