Trailer and container (intermodal) rail traffic for August 2020 was higher than August 2019 -- the best news this year

September 2, 2020
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending August 29, 2020, and the month of August 2020.

U.S. railroads originated 1,122,954 containers and trailers (aka intermodal units) in August 2020, up 3 percent, or 33,115 units, from the same month last year!
“Despite the pandemic and the associated economic dislocations, an enormous amount of freight continues to move on railroads and other transportation modes,” said AAR Senior Vice President John T. Gray.

“For U.S. railroads, August 2020 was the best month in terms of intermodal loadings since October 2018 and the fifth best intermodal month ever. Much of what’s inside the trailers and containers on an intermodal train ends up on the shelves of stores, or finds its way to consumers’ doors via e-commerce merchants. Railroads help ensure that consumers get what they want, when they want it.”

Total U.S. intermodal traffic for the first eight months of 2020 was 8,610,477 intermodal units, down 7.7 percent, from last year.

One week doesn't mean much, but if you are interested, the week ending August 29, 2020 had intermodal units down 6.2 percent compared with the same week last year.


About AAR:
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) is the world’s leading railroad policy, research and technology organization focusing on the safety and productivity of rail carriers. AAR members include the major freight railroads of the U.S., Canada and Mexico, as well as Amtrak. Learn more at www.aar.org.