Total intermodal volume for the fourth quarter of 2006 came in at 3,580,575 loads, which was 0.6% higher than the fourth quarter of 2005, according to Intermodal Market Trends & Statistics, a quarterly report published by the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA).

This figure edged out intermodal loads for the fourth quarter of 2005 at 3,558,371, said IANA. It was also the third highest quarterly volume recorded by IANA. The third and second quarters of 2006 are the top two at 3,699,544 loadings and 3,583,300, respectively.

While the year-over-year quarterly growth percentage increase may appear to be on the low side, Tom Malloy, IANA vice president of member services, told Logistics Management that 2006 marked the fifth consecutive year intermodal loadings have grown. On a yearly basis, intermodal loadings came in at 14,234,074, which represented a 4.3 percent increase from 2005. The IANA bases its data for intermodal volume on total loads of trailers, domestic containers, all domestic equipment, and ISO containers.

For the fourth quarter, domestic intermodal volume was down 4.3 percent—at 1,463,226 loads—and domestic trailers were down 14.9 percent at 605,222 loadings. Domestic containers were up 4.9 percent at 858,004 loadings. International containers paced quarterly growth at 4.3 percent, with 2,117,349 loadings.

Reasons for the quarter’s limited growth—cited in the report—included a slowing economy and higher than usual truck capacity towards the end of the year. Another factor was the lack of a strong October, which is known as the traditional peak month. IANA noted that for the first time since it started collecting quarterly intermodal data in 1996 that August’s volume exceeded October’s by roughly 30,000 loads, which is indicative of shippers moving higher volumes of freight earlier in the year.

Despite this October lull, IANA said that the month’s performance was still 13 percent higher than January 2006 and seven percent higher than the average month in 2006. And it added that it is premature to suggest the traditional October peak season has ceased, as the slowdown might pertain to changes in shipping patterns, truck competition, and a decline in the housing market.

“It is not a matter of one service being better than the other, when it comes to truckload compared to intermodal, although one could make that assumption,” said Malloy. “That is not what caused a peak season slowdown. I think the differentiation between the two services is starting to blur a bit, because it has become a decision on pricing.”

Despite whether a shipper uses intermodal or trucks, Malloy said they face the same obstacles, such as transit times, speed limits, and congestion, among others.

“What is encouraging is that shippers can make a value judgment on which mode of transportation they want to utilize,” said Malloy.

As for how 2007 will look throughout the rest of the year, Malloy said it is hard to ascertain how intermodal loadings volumes will play out until the Chinese New Year is completed on February 19. During the week before the holiday Malloy noted there is typically an uptick in international volume, which usually shows up in March’s numbers.