Intermodal Transport Volume Points Again to a Strong Year Ahead

We talked about the resurgent U.S. railroads at the turn of the year, and their role in fueling wider economic growth, so it's exciting to see that volumes are on the rise again.

During the first quarter of this year, railroads moved 3.8% more than the corresponding period in 2013.

“U.S. rail traffic rebounded strongly in March 2014 following a subpar February,” reports John Gray, the SVP of  the Association of American Railroads. He added in a statement that last month's performance shows there is “every reason to be optimistic that 2014 will break 2013’s intermodal volume record.”

The encouraging data comes in the wake of a long and difficult winter for much of the country.

Despite this adverse weather, intermodal transport solutions rose to the challenge and set 2014 off on a fine footing for the rest of the year. Railroads took the strain even as trucks found it slow going on the country's highways and interstates, demonstrating that having a variety of freight options available is a must for managers running extensive supply chains.

And for businesses interested in eliminating waste from supply chain costs, understanding the many options for getting goods from point A to point B (and C, D, etc!) is a pre-requisite. With so many complex variables at work, knowing your way around the world of transport helps both to plan more effectively in advance and respond to supply chain challenges as they arise.

Hopefully there's more volume being pushed through your business as the year progresses, so make sure you're managing it efficiently and cost-effectively!