3Q intermodal boosted by domestic volume

   U.S. domestic container volume grew 9 percent in the third quarter, its best year-on-year growth of 2011, according to the Intermodal Association of North America’s Intermodal Market Trends & Statistics report released Monday.
   The report showed that total intermodal volume, including domestic trailers and international containers, grew 1.4 percent in the quarter, the seventh straight quarter in which volume has risen.
   “While domestic containers continued to gain market share from trucking, trailer volumes slipped 0.8 percent during the quarter as compared with last year,” IANA said. “While rising diesel prices drove freight to trailers during the first half of the year, diesel prices began a decline in the third quarter which may have contributed to the decline in trailer activity in rail service.
   “Year-over-year international volume decreased a slight 2.6 percent during the quarter, as many ports recorded declines in import volumes. International units handled by rail did not mirror the decline in imports reported by most ports, suggesting that international volume may have gained share from highway movements.”
   IANA said the 1.4 percent growth rate was lower than expected, due to economic fluctuations and difficult comparisons to last year’s early peak, which was in August.