April 27, 2022

Intermodal Continues Slide in First Quarter

Domestic Volumes Help Offset Decline

CALVERTON, MD, April 27, 2022 – Total intermodal volumes fell 6.6 percent year-over-year in the first quarter of 2022, according to the Intermodal Association of North America’s Intermodal Quarterly report. Domestic shipments held positive ground at 5.2 percent growth, while international containers dropped 15.5 percent and trailers, 12.8 percent.

“Supply chain issues continued to impact volumes in the first quarter, especially on the international side,” said Joni Casey, president and CEO of IANA. “On the other hand, domestic containers stood out for a respectable year-over-year gain. Higher levels of transloading are primarily responsible for this trend.”

The seven highest-density trade corridors, which collectively handled more than 60 percent of total volume, were all down in the first quarter. The South Central-Southwest, with a 15.3 percent deficit, led the losses, followed by the Intra-Southeast and Trans-Canada corridors at 14.6 percent and 13.4 percent, respectively. Also dropping in the first quarter: Midwest-Southwest, 8.7 percent; Midwest-Northwest, 7.3 percent, and the Northeast-Midwest, 2.5 percent. The Southeast-Southwest held losses to 0.8 percent.

Total IMC volume rose 10.8 percent year-over-year in Q1, with intermodal traffic up 0.9 percent and highway loads up 16.7 percent.

Members of the press may request the 2022 First Quarter Intermodal Quarterly report from Art Cleaver at acleaver@intermodal.org.