Beyond containerization : The broader concept of intermodalism

Abstract

Shippers have long been aware that the selection process can affect an entire operation or company. Today's move toward flexible manufacturing, customer responsiveness, and just-in-time (JIT) principles has put additional pressure on the present transportation infrastructure to maintain competitive price positioning while increasing service levels. To expand the current perspective of what constitutes an intermodal movement, a study was undertaken to examine multimodal non-containerized freight practices to determine their contribution and role in operationally defining the term. Carriers, shippers, and government entities can all benefit from understanding these practices and their future potential positioning in an expanded intermodal conceptualization.