Domestic Intermodal’s Looming Stress Test: An Inland26 Webcast

Buckle up, because domestic intermodal is entering one of its most important windows in years. Truckload rates increased in the first quarter, the result of a supply-side recovery more than a surge in demand. As that happened, shippers started shifting incremental volume back to intermodal to capture cost savings. And it showed in March, the third-highest monthly domestic container volume on record, and the strongest performance for any month outside the traditional peak season. Intermodal rates, however, don’t move in lockstep with truckload. There is usually a lag before intermodal rates catch up. That creates a window where savings are at their peak, but it will not stay open for long.

This hourlong webinar, led by Journal of Commerce senior editor Ari Ashe, will break down what changed in the first half, where intermodal is gaining share, and how to think about positioning ahead of a peak season that could look very different from the past two years.