Intermodal transport works on a very simple principle: move cargo from one place to another while handling it as little as possible. This shipping method typically requires specialized equipment that can move shipping containers without disrupting their contents, which is why most shippers use intermodal transport companies for their shipping.

Intermodal transportation services operate in nearly every shipping capacity. Intermodal trucking companies carry goods that are pre-packed either on pallets or in special shipping containers to other intermodal sites. From the trucks, the goods are loaded onto a train or boat for further transport. If the item wasn’t already in an enclosed shipping container, it will typically be put in one at this step. After it has gone through this leg of its journey, it will be loaded back onto a truck and taken to its final destination. Think about these intermodal transportation basics:

1. Intermodal trucking companies are usually the first and last step in any intermodal shipping operation.

2. Trains perform most of the domestic or near domestic intermodal transport.

3. Waterborne companies make up the largest part of international intermodal shipping.

Action Steps
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Use an intermodal trucking company for your basic shipping needs

While the majority of intermodal transportation is done through boats and trains, the early part is almost always trucks. You need a good overroad company to transport your goods from their point of origin to the next step in transports. At the other end of the transport chain, you need an overroad company to pick up your cargo and take it to its final destination.

I recommend: RSI Logistics has many overland shipping capabilities. They work throughout much of the continental U.S. using both trucks and trains. Bridge Terminal Transport has a wide shipping area and specializes in ship to land transport.

Find a railway intermodal transportation service

One of the most efficient means of transporting cargo from one place to another is using trains. Trains have a low cost to operate, and they transfer that through low-cost shipping. Much of the domestic shipping in the U.S. and Europe is done using trains.

I recommend: JB Hunt is a well-known and respected logistics company. They ship all over the continental U.S., Canada, Alaska and Mexico. They work closely with both truck and waterborne intermodal companies. CH Robinson has both a domestic and an international presence. They have a wide range of domestic shipping options but can also arrange rail shipping in Europe, if needed.

Locate waterborne intermodal shipping companies

When shipping internationally, waterborne transport is a safe and reliable method of moving cargo. Cargo ships rent out space to hundreds of different companies with every voyage. This means that the cost of moving the cargo is split between many different people, and the overall cost is very low.

I recommend: Freight Dynamics is a well-known logistics company that operates in nearly all areas of shipping, including waterborne. Maersk maintains one of the largest shipping systems in the world: water, air, land and rail. They have a wide selection of waterborne transport systems available.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The world of intermodal services is a web of companies, all working together to move cargo from one place to another. When starting out with intermodal shipping, find out if the companies you already deal with have ties to companies specializing in other forms of transportation. With a small amount of effort, you may be able to use companies and firms that you already feel comfortable with to take you cargo to many new places

Intermodal transportation involves the use of 2 or more carriers, or “modes” that link logistics programs in order to complete delivery. This can involve transport by land, sea or air in a number of carrier combinations. The marriage of rail and intermodal trucking companies is a common example of intermodal shipping. A shipper loads product into a cargo container attached to a truck by a special chassis. The truck takes the product to a rail yard where a crane separates the box from the chassis and transfers it to a train. When the train reaches its destination, a crane operator offloads the container to a truck chassis once more for final delivery.

Intermodal transportation services provide businesses with a simple solution for getting cargo from Point A to Point B. For a single rate, a shipper is able to schedule a move by origin and destination alone. The shipper needn’t be concerned over logistical details, such as how to get a product moved partially by train, and partially by truck. Intermodal brokers make all the arrangements.

To take advantage of intermodal services, consider the following:

1. Consider the size and weight of your product. Each mode has its own requirements and restrictions.

2. Review the shipping time frame. Some carrier combinations are speedier than others.

3. Calculate the cost effectiveness of assorted intermodal carrier combinations.

Action Steps
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Determine the intermodal transport container best suited to your product

Containers come in a variety of sizes and shapes. In addition to standard trailer boxes, vented, refrigerated ('Reefer'), open-sided containers or containers with bulk liquid tanks are also available.

I recommend: Research container capacities and assorted styles to find one with maximum efficiency for your product.

Find intermodal brokers to address your shipping needs

Once you've established a working relationship and provided the broker with product size and weight, simply give the broker a delivery timeframe, and he takes it from there.

I recommend: Alliance Shippers, Inc., is one of the largest intermodal exchange companies in the world. They’re ideal for businesses that cater to multinational customers. Handy Freight Brokers is also an excellent find, offering discount intermodal shipping with the motto, “Any load, any size, anywhere…for less!”

Track your product shipments using EDI technology

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is state of the art design for tracking all aspects of intermodal exchange. Follow your product from the time it leaves your dock until it arrives in your customer's hands.

I recommend: Request a free EDI price quote from Truecommerce.com, or visit Infocon Systems for a free demonstration of their subscription-based EDI system.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Compare intermodal pricing against traditional trucking alternatives. For some shippers, adherence to intermodal transport schedules is not a problem. For JIT freight, the more direct route of sending shipments by truck offers enhanced product security (shipment never sits unattended in an open rail yard) without transloading delays.

The world of intermodal transport is filled with specialized words. In the past, shipping cargo involved several separate industries, all dependent on the method used for shipping. When modalism (the idea that shipping was a single industry and the different modes were just facets) came on the scene, there was an industry wide attempt to bring their various terms together into a single intermodal shipping vocabulary.

Understanding some of the basic intermodal services terms will help you move into this fast-paced industry with more confidence and knowledge. These terms will also assist you in making informed decisions about your products and the methods used to move them. Consider the following when learning about intermodal transportation services terminology:

1. There are several different abbreviations and terms to describe the amount and type of goods being shipped.

2. Cargo containers have specialized terms used to describe their design and use.

3. Intermodal transport vehicles have their own specialized terminology.

Action Steps
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Learn the terms for transporting via intermodal carrier

The two most common abbreviations in general shipping are LCL and CL. These mean Less than a Container Load and Container Load, respectively. These general terms describe how much space cargo takes up in the one basic unit of intermodal transport, the shipping container. LTL (Less than a Truck Load) and TL (Truck Load) are similarly used and generally describe how much cargo is on a truck.

I recommend: The shipping section of Export911 has a wealth of information, including a breakdown of more shipping abbreviations used in intermodal trucking and related industries. This handy calculator from SeaRates can help you figure out the most efficient way to pack your cargo for shipping.

Find out about containers used for multiple modes of transportation

The shipping container is probably the most important part of intermodal shipping. The basic reference container is 20 feet long, 8.6 feet tall and 8 feet wide. This is called a 20-foot equivalent unit (or TEU) and is the basis for logistical planning. Contrary to the reference model, the most common shipping container currently is 40 feet long and is 2 TEU in size. When a shipping container is stacked on top of another container for transport or storage, it's called double stacking (or triple stacking, and so on).

I recommend: The Container Shipping Information Service has a wealth of information about shipping container facts and figures. Familiarize yourself with various types of intermodal containers by viewing detailed photos on the Intermodal Container Webpage.

Discover the terms used by intermodal shipping companies

The simplest terms used in intermodal transport refer to the methods used to ship the cargo itself: overland, overrail and waterborne. These terms are the most common and describe trucks, trains and boats. Intermodal shipping containers are shipped by truck using box trailers or flatbeds. When the actual container doubles as the storage area on the truck it is called piggybacking.

I recommend: Both the Maritime Administration and the Intermodal Association of North America maintain very nice glossaries of intermodal transportation key terms.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The key to learning the definitions of the intermodal transportation service is remembering that the industry was, at one point, several distinct industries. As time goes on, they attempt to bring in more common terminology, but there are still some rather odd terms that only apply to a certain area in a certain way.