Intermodal volume in the fourth-quarter was 1.6 percent below the same quarter of 2006, largely as a result of a 4.7 percent decline in international traffic that was linked to slowing imports, according to the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA). Domestic traffic actually increased by 2.7 percent in the quarter, with container growth of 9.5 percent offsetting a decline of 6.9 percent in trailer movements. The Intermodal Market Trends & Statistics report published by IANA showed that total intermodal traffic was down 1.1 percent for full-year 2007. Domestic movements eked out a small gain of 0.3 percent for the year.
"The growth in domestic intermodal was very encouraging at a time when other freight traffic volume has been struggling," said Tom Malloy, vice president of member services and business development for IANA. "That growth affirms the continuing value of intermodal service and sets the stage for a return to international volume increases when import traffic rebounds."
http://www.intermodal.org