Reference no: EM13818866

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                                                                          Intermodal Freight and Global Operations/ Management

Intermodal transport is the use of two or more modes of transportation, in combination, to form an integrated cost effective transport chain to achieve operational efficiency while maintaining sustainability (Lowe, 2005). In Europe and North America the global trade market has increased significantly, with a grave impact on road congestion and CO₂ emissions. Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue (n.d.) stated, "It is important to underline when looking at the structure of global trade that it is not nations that are trading, but mostly corporations with the end products consumed in majority by individuals." Therefore, majority of the pressure is on the corporate freight shipper to decrease road congestion and lessen environmental impact. To address these issues, intermodalism has become of increasing concern to serve as an efficient and more cost effective mode for freight movement within both regions.

I agree with the shift to intermodal transport. As consumers are becoming more environmentally aware and committed to "going green", they are expecting companies to do the same. When evaluating logistic strategies intermodal transport benefits both domestic and global supply chains. It provides lower transportation costs, its environmentally friendly, reliable, safe, and can move large volumes.      

I stated in a previous forum that I live in very close proximity to a railroad and have seen the use intermodal transport in action. Atlanta has even claimed the title of "the country's first "freight rail smart zone" because more than 60 percent of the freight traveling through by rail is carried on intermodal trains..." (Jones, 2003). However, living the suburbs of Atlanta and trying to go into the city still takes strategic course plotting, since traffic is ridiculously congested. Which leads me to believe that intermodal transport may take some time for us to see a difference in road congestion. 

References

Jones, W. C. (2003, September 30). Region to benefit from Atlanta's freight rail hub | Jacksonville.com. Retrieved from https://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/093003/bus_13661841.shtml#.VdM2zpdTarR

Lowe, D. (2005).Intermodal freight transport. Oxford: Elsevier Butterworth---Heinemann.

Rodrigue, J. P. (n.d.). Transportation, Globalization and International Trade. Retrieved from https://people.hofstra.edu/geotrans/eng/ch5en/conc5en/ch5c2en.html