Editorial: The Intermodal Freight Crisis

he intermodal freight sector has been growing by leaps and bounds, and has already exceeded coal as the top revenue generator for the U.S. railroad industry.

Forecasts show that intermodal traffic — which is composed primarily of containerized freight that moves from ships to trains and trucks — is likely to double by 2020.

Many trucking fleets have working agreements with the few major remaining railroads to transfer containers and trailers between their modes, and thousands of small fleets move the freight between ports and railheads and shippers.

The steamship lines own most of the chassis that are utilized to transport containers over the road. For years, American Trucking Associations has been negotiating to get the chassis owners to properly maintain the equipment, but to no avail.

Many times, truckers who move containers find they are paid less than the rates they agreed upon when they contracted with the ship lines to handle the freight.

Increasingly, motor carriers are being ordered to reposition intermodal equipment for the ship lines’ benefit, but with no additional compensation.

And drivers are often made to wait for hours in long lines to pick up or drop off containers. While this has always been an inconvenience, with the new federal hours-of-service rules, the delays are intolerable.

These issues have generated a wave of unrest among independent drivers who service intermodal freight, which has led to protests at several of the nation’s ports.

While problems at ports affect drivers and motor carriers alike, ATA is not a party to any attempt to shut down the ports. But ATA sympathizes with the frustration of the motor freight community that operates at the ports.

It’s time to fix the problems.

We’re delighted that the Department of Transportation has decided to hold the chassis owners responsible for the maintenance of the equipment.

But much more needs to happen. Freight needs to move quickly and efficiently through the ports, and port operators need to be more sensitive to truckers’ needs by extending their hours and improving their facilities.

We must all recognize that no port freight moves without trucks and truck drivers.

The Federal Maritime Commission, the port operators and the ship lines need to work with the trucking industry to alleviate these problems and ensure the future viability of intermodal freight in the United States.

This story appeared in the July 5 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.