Many businesses immediately brush off the idea of rail shipments without much consideration, but often this decision is based on outdated knowledge and a misunderstanding of the industry. By not checking out this option, you could be seriously missing out! Below, we've detailed (short and sweet) the top five reasons you should be considering intermodal shipping.

1) Cost-effectiveness. This is the most widely-known benefit of intermodal shipping — it's usually cheaper than shipping truckload. Who doesn't like to save money?

2) Extra capacity. When trucks are hard to come by, the railway might be wide open. The intermodal industry continues to add new 53' containers to their fleets, while many trucking companies are being forced out of business due to the economy. An freight solutions provider like Trinity can tap into this extra capacity and save your freight from sitting on the dock for days, waiting for a truck to become available during tight seasonal periods, like produce season.

3) Inclement weather? Who cares? Rail carriers will generally keep on rolling during inclement weather conditions, whereas highways tend to be shut down or slowed down, bringing your truckload freight to a halt. This is especially relevant right now, as we are starting to see major snowfall impacting certain regions this winter season.

4) It's good for the environment. An intermodal train will emit 6.8 pounds of carbon emissions for every 100 ton miles, compared to an over-the-road truck emitting 19.8 pounds. That same intermodal train can move one ton of freight intermodal for approximately 830 miles on only one single gallon of diesel fuel! If your company has a green initiative, this switch could be highly beneficial for you.

5) Convenience. We stay in touch with the draymen when they're picking up and delivering your freight, and we have access to real-time electronic tracking from pickup to delivery, increasing visibility. You don't have to worry about much – if there's a problem, we'll work it out.

Sounds enticing, huh? Maybe it's time you took a second look at your supply chain and considered how intermodal might fit into the mix. We'd love to talk you through that decision! If you'd like to learn more about intermodal, click here to e-mail us – we're here to help.