3 Tips To Streamline Your Intermodal Transport
Shipping plays an important role in determining the accessibility and cost of consumer goods. Today's manufacturers have a wide range of shipping options available to them. Intermodal drayage transport, which is the transport of goods via rail, can be a valuable asset if it is used correctly.
Here are some tips that you can use to help streamline your intermodal transport services in the future.
1. Know When to Use Intermodal Transport
Not every shipment should be transported using intermodal channels. In order for intermodal transport to reduce your shipping costs and enhance the efficiency of your shipping efforts, you need to know when using intermodal transport is appropriate.
Shipments that are being sent over long distances fare best with intermodal transport. It's essential to keep in mind that it takes longer for goods to arrive by train, so you should only send shipments with ample lead time via intermodal channels.
Other forms of transportation would be more beneficial for sending products over short distances or shipments that need to arrive quickly.
2. Work With the Right Provider
Many commercial railways are available to ship manufactured goods across the country. If you want to streamline your intermodal transport activities, you must partner with the right provider.
Be sure that your provider has a steady inbound capacity of trains to your area. This will ensure that you can always get your goods sent on their way without having to wait days or weeks for the next train to arrive.
The right provider should also be able to secure space on a commercial train for your goods at an affordable rate.
Shop around to determine the intermodal transport provider that will best meet the shipping needs of your company.
3. Accurately Schedule Delivery Pick-Ups
Once your shipment of products arrives at the train station in its destination city, it must be delivered to retail locations via commercial truck. It's critical that you schedule pick-up times for truck drivers accurately if you want to keep intermodal transport costs low.
Some providers only allow for driver pick-ups within a limited timeframe. If poor scheduling causes your drivers to miss this timeframe, you will have to pay a storage fee while your products sit in the railyard overnight.
Storage fees and an additional day of driving costs can hurt your company's bottom line. Be sure that you work closely with your provider to accurately schedule all delivery pick-ups to avoid shipping delays.
