What is Intermodal Transportation?

Intermodal Transportation is the movement of cargo or people, through two or more modes of transportation.

In the case of international container shipping, intermodal transportation is the movement of shipping containers around the world via various transportation methods, such as by truck, railroad, or steamship line (SS line). TruckerZoom is used to manage every aspect of operating an intermodal drayage trucking company.

TruckerZoom customers are called Freight Forwarders, a kind of a broker who chooses the right combination of trucking companies, steamship lines, or rail roads, to transport the cargo container from the Shipper to the Receiver at the best price and transit times available.

Import vs. Export Containers

Whether a shipment is an import or export depends on whether it is received into the US, or being shipped out of the US.

Import shipment

Container is received from overseas to US ports and then railed to the various rail ramps.

Export shipment

Container is taken from US warehouses to rail terminals, then by rail to ports, to be shipped overseas.

Example:

A cargo container needs to be moved from the shipper warehouse to the receiver warehouse.

Company TRUCKING1, SSLINE2, RAILROAD4, and TRUCKING2 are selected by the Freight Forwarder, based on the price and availability.

An empty container is picked up by a driver for TRUCKING1, and drives it to the shipper warehouse. The container is then loaded by the shipper. Once the container is loaded, it is then transported by a TRUCKING1 driver, from the shipper warehouse to the SSLINE2 designated port terminal. From there, the load travels on board one of SSLINE2's ships to the receiver's warehouse overseas by moving inland on RAILROAD4 and TRUCKING2.

An Intermodal chain can have a railroad leg, both in the beginning and at the end, depending on the distance between warehouse and port terminal. If the distance is short, there could be just a truck route, as opposed to a truck/rail/truck intermodal inland leg. The inland movement at the origin country is called Pre Carriage. The inland movement at the destination country is called On Carriage.

SSLINE2 moves the container from one shipping port terminal to another from where the load travels inland to the consignee on RAILROAD4.

After the container is moved by the rail company, it is then ready for pickup at the rail terminal. A driver for TRUCKING2 picks up the container from the rail terminal, and delivers it to the receivers warehouse.

Whether a shipment is an import or export depends on from/to which countries a container is being shipped. A container going from Xiamen, China to Los Angeles, USA is an export from China. and an import to the United States. Another container going from Los Angeles to Xiamen is an export from the United States, and an import to China.

North America Intermodal Rail/Port Network

Below is a map of the major intermodal transportation routes in the United States, and Canada.