Key Takeaways:
- Helps reduce emissions per ton-mile when compared to traditional long-haul trucking.
- The flexibility of intermodal shipping can help companies optimize their logistics planning.
- Companies can coordinate and plan routes and schedules in a way that optimizes logistics and minimizes disruptions.
In recent years, intermodal shipping, the use of multiple modes of transportation when shipping cargo, has become a popular choice for businesses looking for cost-effective transportation options. What many don’t know is that intermodal shipping also comes with a slew of environmental benefits that can aid companies in reaching their sustainability goals.
One of the most significant environmental benefits of intermodal shipping is the reduction in emissions per ton-mile compared to traditional long-haul trucking. According to research by the Association of America Railroads, trains are up to four times more fuel-efficient than trucks, resulting in up to a 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. By utilizing trains in tandem with trucks, ships, or air, companies can help reduce the number of trucks on the road, which decreases traffic on the highways and, in turn, helps improve air quality while lowering fuel usage.
Another key benefit of intermodal shipping is the flexibility it offers, allowing businesses to take advantage of multiple modes of transportation to accommodate different types of cargo, delivery schedules, and budget constraints. This can help companies optimize their logistics planning, allowing for more sustainable choices, such as choosing the most efficient route or the option to combine cargo to fill a cargo container to reduce empty miles.
In addition to these benefits, intermodal shipping and trucking companies are known to have well-established relationships with those in rail and maritime. This relationship helps ensure the smooth and efficient transportation of your cargo and allows these companies to coordinate and plan routes and schedules in a way that optimizes logistics and minimizes disruptions to the supply chain.
At the end of the day, intermodal shipping not only offers companies cost-saving solutions but an easy way to reduce their environmental footprint, making it easier to tackle their environmental initiatives. If you’re interested in adopting the use of intermodal trucking, give our experts a call today.
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