Fantastic Freight

2017 was the best year ever for US intermodal (shipping container) loads. Originations were 14.01 million containers and trailers, 2.2% above 2015’s previous record of 13.71 million units. Similarly, truck tonnage grew 7.2% and is also at a record high. By contrast, rail carloads, which specifically exclude intermodal traffic, remain in the doldrums, roughly 20% below the 2006 high, as shipments of coal, cereals, and metallic ores remain weak.