Higher consumer spending, inventory restocking and rising import levels contributed to a 9.6% gain in North American intermodal volumes in the fourth quarter of 2020, according to the Intermodal Association of North America.
As retailers faced a decline in customers during COVID-19 lockdowns, many turned to scanning applications to help meet a surge in online orders.
COVID changed consumer behaviors and the result has been a growing realization the supply chain is no longer proactive but rather reactive to quickly shifting consumer demands.
U.S. weekly carloads last week were only 1.4% lower than year-ago levels, while intermodal traffic is still experiencing double-digit percentage increases.
U.S. carload traffic on a weekly basis was 3.1% lower last week on a year-over-year basis and 1.7% higher sequentially.
Weekly intermodal traffic is still higher year-over-year although on a sequential basis, volumes appear to be leveling off for trailers.
U.S. intermodal volumes grew in September amid a continued increase in U.S. imports.
U.S. rail volumes, including intermodal traffic, fell in a week that was shortened by Labor Day.
Intermodal volumes actually grew year-over-year.
U.S. carloads fall nearly 18%, although intermodal traffic slipped by only 1%.
