IANA indicates a strong beginning to Q4 for intermodal transportation, fueled by imports from the West Coast and strong consumer spending.

In October, intermodal volumes showed strong growth with a total of 1,649,394 units, marking an 8.9% annual increase, as reported by the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA). While trailers saw a slight decline of 0.7%, domestic containers rose by 5.8%, and international containers jumped by 12.7%. Year-to-date, total volume reached 15,038,002 units, up 8.8%. The third quarter also reflected solid momentum, with a 9.8% annual increase. IANA attributes this growth to robust consumer spending and a shift in import patterns due to labor uncertainties at East and Gulf Coast ports.