expense and control versus operating expense and reliance on carrier allocation,” Burch eld adds. One historical challenge is slowly dissipating. Intermodal transport depends on ef cient, solid drayage service, as a truck is typically required to move goods on both sides of the rail legs, Kobza says. Traditionally, the drayage and trucking companies and the railroads didn’t engage in much cooperation and coordination. Now, however, all recognize they need each other to create viable solutions. LEVERAGING INTERMODAL TRANSPORT These 8 steps can help shippers reap the bene ts of intermodal shipping: 1 UNDERSTAND SHIPMENT VOLUMES AND FLOWS. You’ll have a better idea of which shipments are likely to be good candidates for intermodal, whether because of their volume or the lanes they typically travel, Brach says. You also want to know any cargo handling requirements and understand securement for intermodal transit; the railroads can assist with this. 2 USE A TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (TMS). By using a TMS, whether internally or as an outsourced partnership with a 4PL, shippers are more ef ciently able to identify
The bill “offers commonsense solutions to identify and deter organized crime throughout the supply chain by enhancing legal frameworks, improving enforcement capabilities, and fostering collaboration across relevant federal, state and local agencies,” IANA said in a statement. The greater visibility possible today through GPS and other technology can also help shippers and carriers understand where the breaches are happening. “Once you nd out exactly what’s going on and where, you can help prevent it,” Kobza says. Variations between intermodal equipment supply on different railroads can be another challenge. Some domestic operations require shipper- owned containers and trailers, while some container eets are owned by both marine and rail carriers, Burch eld says. Both options have trade-offs to consider. If a eet is carrier-owned, the railroad will size it based on systemwide demand forecasts, so availability will depend on how the carrier balances needs across all shippers. If the eet is shipper-owned, the shippers will size it to cover their own volumes with greater certainty, but then they take on the capital cost and risk of underutilization if cycle times stretch. “The trade-off is essentially capital
intermodal opportunities within their networks than is typically possible with spreadsheets, says Jason Miller, senior vice president of sales with NFI. A TMS, which could be purchased software and/or an outsourced solution, can automatically create routing guides based on mode and transit expectations. 3 CONSIDER SCHEDULING OPTIONS. Shippers gain exibility and potential cost savings when using intermodal around weekends and holidays, often with the same delivery time frames that over-the-road trucks might provide, Miller says. 4 EVALUATE LOGISTICS PROVIDERS. They should be able to supply multiple solutions, be nancially secure, and have the expertise and reliability to provide solid service and minimize ancillary costs
such as detention or demerge. “If your provider can’t create
solutions quickly and be nimble, your transportation supply chain will run into a lot of speed bumps,” Kobza says. 5 GET COMFORTABLE WITH DATA SHARING. Logistics providers that handle freight door-to-door likely are working for multiple rms, potentially including competitors. “You have to get comfortable through your non-disclosure agreement and contractually that your information is not going to be shared,” Burch eld says.
Intermodal marketing companies such as STG Logistics (left) and Radiant Road & Rail (right) bundle rail, drayage, and equipment services to provide shippers with a single, door-to-door intermodal shipping solution.
October 2025 • Inbound Logistics 29
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