October Intermodal Volume Forecast Rises 5.5% Year Over Year

North American intermodal freight is entering the fourth quarter above last year's level, giving truckers and carriers an early signal about container and rail-linked demand. TheTrucker.com reported October 9 that the Intermodal Association of North America's October Volume Index estimate reached 105.1. That reading is 5.5% higher than a year earlier, even though it is forecast to ease 0.3% from September.

The index uses a 2017–2019 baseline of 100 and translates high-frequency freight activity into an estimate before official monthly results are available. IANA expects October to resemble September, extending peak-season activity into early Q4. The association also cautioned that domestic freight shifting from trucks to intermodal and recovering imports could tighten available capacity and leave the final reading below the current estimate.

For highway carriers, growth in intermodal is not automatically a loss of truck freight. Containers still need drayage moves between ports, rail ramps, distribution centers and customers. Stronger volume can increase short-haul appointment demand while also creating congestion, chassis shortages or longer dwell times around busy terminals. Long-haul dry-van operators may see more competition on lanes where rail offers a practical alternative, especially for predictable freight moving over longer distances.

Carriers serving intermodal customers should review ramp appointment performance, free-time rules, chassis access and detention terms before committing equipment. Drivers need precise pickup numbers and gate instructions to avoid unpaid delays. Shippers should compare total transit reliability, not only linehaul price, and maintain backup capacity if imports accelerate. Because the 105.1 figure is a nowcast rather than a completed monthly total, fleets should pair it with their own tender volume, rejection rates and customer forecasts before changing hiring or equipment plans.