Why Use Intermodal Transportation?

In today’s modern world, few professional distributors deal in only one method of freight shipping. Rather, incorporating a number of different conveyance modes – including rail, road, and waterway – is often a more economical option.

Intermodal transportation is simply the movement of freight by more than one mode of conveyance. Through a combination of trucks, trains, and ships, your cargo arrives safe and sound, and often keeps extra cash in your pocket.

There are a number of reasons to utilize intermodal transportation:

It’s Reliable

Modern shipping and tracking technology has rendered any confusions or complications arising from swapping carrier vessels essentially obsolete. Cargo’s condition, requirements, and schedule are monitored and updated at every step of the way. 

It’s Safe

Similarly, lift technology as well as vehicle safety and maintenance requirements have reached all-time highs. As such, there is little to fear from the possibility of damaged freight during the mode changeovers.

It’s (Often) Cost-Efficient

Trucks are an irreplaceable component of overland shipping – after all, far more places are directly accessible by road than by rail. Even those shipping by rail will need to get cargo from the arrival depot to the final destination. That said, trains are far more fuel and space efficient (an average freight train carries 1 ton of cargo nearly four times as far as a truck could on an equivalent amount of fuel, and trains can carry hundreds of trucks worth of freight at once). So not only can intermodal transportation be cheaper, but also…

It’s Environmentally Friendly

Fuel efficiency is great, but it’s not the only reason that incorporating other methods into your route is good for the environment. Trains cut down on highway congestion, keeping other vehicles moving rather than idling, and the EPA states that trains account for a mere 9 percent of transportation-related nitrogen oxide emissions.

Bonded Service has extensive experience in the world of freight transportation – get in touch with us today.