For release November 12, 2009
Contact: matt mlynarczyk
voice 703-623-2929

Domestic Container Gains Accelerate in Third-Quarter

CALVERTON, MD, November 12, 2009 – As the U.S. economy showed hints of recovery during the third-quarter, so did intermodal results. Year-over-year volume comparisons improved during the quarter, with total volume off 16.4% – a significant improvement over Q2’s downturn of 18.7%. Domestic container volume increased in every U.S. region during Q3, growing 1.3% overall. Domestic advances during the quarter were entirely in 53-foot equipment, which jumped 5.5%.

Despite the severity of the recession, it is important to note that domestic container growth has not retreated into negative territory once on a quarterly basis. Although growth did slow in 2009, gains in domestic equipment volume have increased each quarter of the year. These increases began with a Q1 advance of 0.1%, followed by a 0.9% surge in Q2, and finally this quarter’s 1.3% up-tick.

Third Quarter 2009 Intermodal Volume Comparisons

Equipment Types 2008 2009 Change
Trailers 527,840 395,308 -25.1 %
Domestic Containers 1,015,326 1,028,989 +1.3 %
All Domestic Equipment 1,543,166 1,424,297 -7.7 %
ISO Containers 2,040,991 1,570,746 -23.0 %
Total 3,584,157 2,995,043 -16.4 %

International volumes fell for a ninth-consecutive quarter, with over 20% decreases realized during each quarter of 2009. Encouragingly, the rate of decline decelerated in every month of the quarter, with September’s result only 20%.

Intermodal Marketing Companies continued to mirror the industry’s challenges in Q3. IMC intermodal volume results were in line with the broader industry on a year-over-year basis, falling 8.6% compared to a 7.7% overall decline in domestic intermodal. IMCs had topped overall results slightly in Q2. At the same time, IMC highway loadings drew almost even with year-ago results after two years of steady and sometimes brutal decline.

Intermodal Market Trends & Statistics is published quarterly by IANA and is available on a subscription and individual copy basis. Members of the working press may request a sample copy of the Q3 2009 Intermodal Market Trends & Statistics from Matt Mlynarczyk at matt@intermodal.org or 703-623-2929. The report features detailed analyses and reproducible graphical representations of Q3 2009 results.

Intermodal Association of North America, Suite 1100, 11785 Beltsville Drive, Calverton, MD 20705 http://www.intermodal.org/