Rail when the timing allows. Truck when it does not.
Intermodal can take real money off a long lane. It also adds days and variability. Here is how to tell which one you are looking at.
What it is
What rail intermodal is
Rail intermodal moves freight in a container or trailer that travels by rail for the long middle portion of the trip and by truck at each end. The freight itself is never unloaded, the whole box transfers between modes. It is typically cheaper and more fuel-efficient than trucking the full distance, and slower and less precise on timing.
When intermodal is the right call
And when it is not. If your freight has a hard date this week, take a truck. If it is a steady lane over 700 miles with a few days of slack, intermodal will likely save you real money over a year. We will quote it both ways and tell you which one we would pick, and sometimes that is the truck even though the intermodal move pays us the same.
01
Cost on long lanes
02
Transit
03
Reliability
04
Appointment precision
05
Fuel and emissions
06
Best fit
How an intermodal move actually runs
Steps one and five are where intermodal moves go wrong, and they are the parts a lot of providers treat as somebody else’s problem. We handle both ends. More on drayage.
1 and 5. Drayage at both ends
A truck brings the container to your dock, and another takes it from the destination ramp to the receiver. Door-to-door means we handle both. Ramp-to-ramp means you do.
2. Ramp in, and the cutoff
The container is loaded onto a railcar. Cutoff times matter. Miss one and you wait for the next train, which may not be that day.
3. The line haul
The long middle. This is where the savings come from, and it is the part that behaves most predictably.
What moves well on rail
Non-perishable consumer goods, paper and packaging, building materials, and canned or dry food. Poor fit for hard appointments, high-value freight, short shelf life, or most temperature-controlled loads.
FAQ
Common questions
about rail intermodal
The ones we get asked most often.
How is intermodal pricing calculated?
Rail intermodal pricing is driven by distance, lane density, equipment type and the drayage at both ends. The rail line haul is the cheap part. What varies most between quotes is how the drayage is priced, which is why a ramp-to-ramp number and a door-to-door number are not comparable.
What is rail intermodal freight?
Intermodal moves freight in a container or trailer that travels by rail for the long middle of the trip and by truck at each end. The freight itself is never unloaded, the whole box transfers between modes.
How much slower is intermodal than trucking?
Generally one to three days longer than a comparable truckload move, and with more variance. Ramp cutoff times, rail congestion and weather all affect it more than they affect a truck. If your freight has a hard date this week, use a truck.
Is intermodal cheaper than truckload?
Usually, on lanes over about 700 miles, because rail line haul costs less per mile than trucking. Under that distance the drayage at both ends tends to eat the savings. The tradeoff is one to three extra days and wider variance on arrival.
Door-to-door or ramp-to-ramp?
Door-to-door includes the drayage at both ends, so one provider is responsible from your dock to the receiver. Ramp-to-ramp covers only the rail portion and leaves you to arrange trucking at each end. Cheaper on paper, but only if you have drayage capacity and somebody watching the cutoffs.
Can refrigerated freight move intermodal?
Refrigerated intermodal exists, but the equipment pool is much thinner and the risk profile is different from a reefer truck. For most temperature-sensitive freight we would recommend a truck. If you have steady volume on a long lane, ask and we will look at it honestly.
Got a long lane with some slack in it?
Send us the lane, the volume and the delivery window. We will quote it as intermodal and as truckload, and tell you which one we would pick.