Intermodal transportation saves money, minimizes noise pollution, and lessens traffic.
FREMONT, CA: Intermodal freight transportation refers to the moving of freight using more than one mode of transportation. Typically, when freight is transferred from one mode to another, it takes time to be handled. In intermodal transportation, freight is typically conveyed in shipping containers with uniform dimensions. Long-distance freight can be moved by trains, ships, trucks, and airplanes, whereas short-distance freight is best moved by trucks. Trucks play an important part in intermodal transportation because the shipment often begins and ends on the road. Intermodal trucking refers to a specific type of intermodal transportation.
Key benefits of intermodal transportation
Green intermodal: Intermodal transportation is eco-friendly. As emissions limits increase, the logistics industry is compelled to adjust. Intermodal transport is the solution. Long-distance national or international hauls are more efficient than OTR diesel trucking. A train can convey a ton of freight over 450 miles using only one gallon of gasoline. Intermodal trucking is the most efficient and adaptable mode of transportation for short distances, particularly at the start and finish of a shipment. Smaller drayage vehicles are more fuel-efficient than huge diesel trucks used for long-haul shipping and are required for navigating the final mile in delivery. Intermodal transportation is the solution for lowering greenhouse gas emissions and improving bottom-line performance.
Intermodal is cost-efficient: The fact that shippers can save money by combining multiple modes of transportation is one of the most alluring benefits of intermodal transportation. Shifting from OTR transport to intermodal transportation lowers cargo costs when the freight channels correspond with intermodal choices like rail, sea, or air transportation.
Intermodal eliminates traffic: Switching from OTR to intermodal transport significantly reduces the number of freight trucks on highways. A single freight train may carry over 250 truckloads of merchandise. Reducing traffic congestion benefits both the environment and the economy. Customers increasingly demand faster shipment times, and logistics companies are under tremendous pressure to match this demand. Shippers and customers lose when freight sits idle in transportation, and choosing intermodal is the greatest method to keep freight moving so that it arrives at its destination as soon as feasible.
Intermodal is safe: OTR shipments are at risk of theft whenever a truck comes to a stop. Long-distance trucking hauls involve numerous stops. Choosing an intermodal solution that combines rail, air, or sea for the longest parts of the journey with trucking for the shorter legs decreases the amount of time the freight is immobile. The more the freight moves, the safer it is. On a train, cargo is difficult to access, and it is always supported.
