Following all three quarters in 2002, total intermodal volume fell 3.6% year-over-year in the fourth quarter, according to the Intermodal Association of North America’s Intermodal Quarterly report.
Domestic containers and trailers dropped 4.2% and 29.7% respectively, while international containers managed 0.9% growth.
Total volume for all of 2022 showed a 3.9% decline.
“The past year presented challenges for intermodal. All four quarters posted negative output,” said Joni Casey, CEO of IANA, in a statement. “The industry continues to address equipment availability, facility capacity and service with the goal of turning things around in 2023.”
All but one of the seven highest-density trade corridors, which collectively handled more than 60 % of total volume, were down in the fourth quarter. The Trans-Canada corridor, with a 7% gain, was the exception.
The Southeast-Southwest, dropped by 14.2%, the largest decline, followed by the South Central-Southwest which lost 6.7%. The Northeast-Midwest, Intra-Southeast and Midwest-Southwest were off by 4.9%,3.3 % and 3.1% respectively. The Midwest-Northwest held losses to 2.6%.
Total IMC volume contracted 26.6% year-over-year in Q4, with intermodal down 17.8%
Highway loads fell 31%.
