One of the most common questions shippers ask when considering a switch from truckload to intermodal is simple:
"Which of my lanes are actually a good fit for intermodal?"
It's a fair question and one that has a much more precise answer today than it did even a few years ago. Intermodal is not a mode you "try everywhere." It succeeds when the lane characteristics match the strengths of the railroad network, drayage capacity, and transit expectations.
Shippers who choose the right lanes see:
Shippers who choose poor-fit lanes often walk away thinking intermodal doesn't work, which is almost always a lane-selection problem, not a mode problem. This guide breaks down how shippers can evaluate their network lane-by-lane to determine where intermodal delivers the strongest results.
There are four primary criteria that determine whether intermodal will work for a given lane:
If a lane checks all four, it is almost certainly a great intermodal candidate.
If it checks two or three, it may still be viable with the right Intermodal Marketing Company (IMC).
If it checks one or zero, it's generally not a good fit...and that's okay.
Knowing where intermodal doesn't fit is just as valuable as knowing where it does. Let's dig deeper into each intermodal pillar.
As a rule of thumb, intermodal delivers its best price-to-service ratio on lanes that are 700 miles or longer.
The ideal range is typically 900–2,200 miles, though lanes over 2,200 miles can also be excellent (for example, Pacific Northwest or Southern California to the East Coast).
Why does mileage matter so much?
Because intermodal's cost structure is optimized around long-haul rail economics. The longer the distance, the more the cost advantage widens versus truckload. Rail moves freight more efficiently over distance than trucks, and that efficiency compounds as miles increase.
Lanes under 700 miles can still work if:
But in most cases, routes under 600 miles are not ideal unless they're port-connected or part of a dense high-frequency rail corridor.
On lanes under 500 miles without port connections, truckload typically offers:
There's no shame in keeping short-haul freight on trucks. The goal is to use intermodal where it fits, not force it where it doesn't.
Intermodal is a network-dependent mode. Lanes with higher and more predictable volume deliver better consistency and lower cost.
High-density lanes allow IMCs to:
Intermodal can still work on:
But the challenges increase:
If you ship a lane only a few times per year, intermodal is usually not a fit. The setup cost and operational complexity outweigh any potential savings.
Even if a lane has the right mileage and density, it must also align with the rail network.
Intermodal is strongest where class 1 railroads already have:
West Coast to Midwest (BNSF & UP)
These are some of the most reliable and cost-effective intermodal lanes in North America.
Midwest to Northeast (NS & CSX)
These lanes offer excellent rail frequency and dense dray markets on both ends.
Southeast to Midwest
Port-driven and manufacturing-driven traffic makes these lanes strong performers.
Cross-Border US–Mexico
And any freight moving between major distribution and / or port cities in the US.
Furthermore, intermodal is becoming a mainstream choice for northbound and southbound cross-border freight, offering significant savings over long-haul trucking.
But cost savings are only part of the story. For cross-border freight, intermodal isn't just a good option, it's the superior option. The obstacles involved with using trucks across the border are difficult to overcome, while intermodal offers a streamlined, predictable alternative.
For shippers moving freight between the U.S. and Mexico, intermodal should be the default, not the alternative.
Some lanes are less ideal for intermodal:
Intermodal can still work on these lanes, but the reliability risks increase, and the savings may not justify the complexity.
The competitive reshuffling triggered by the UP-NS merger discussions has created new lane options that didn't exist even six months ago. BNSF-CSX partnerships, new ramp pairings, and expanded services are opening up corridors that were previously truck-only territory.
If you haven't evaluated your network for intermodal in the past couple of years, it may be worth looking again. The landscape is changing.
Drayage services, which describe the trucking legs at each end of an intermodal move, are where most intermodal exceptions originate. You can have perfect mileage, strong density, and excellent rail alignment. But if the drayage doesn't work, the lane doesn't work.
A lane may not be a good fit if:
Every mile of dray adds cost. On a 1,500-mile lane, a 20-mile dray on each end is negligible. But if one end requires a 75-mile dray, you're adding significant cost and complexity that may eliminate the intermodal advantage entirely.
Dray challenges don't kill intermodal on their own, but they can quickly erode cost savings and service reliability.
A great intermodal candidate will generally have:
| Criteria | Ideal |
|---|---|
| Mileage | 700+ miles |
| Density | 3+ loads per week |
| Rail Alignment | Direct service or mature corridor |
| Dray Distance | 20–40 miles from ramp on both ends |
| Transit Flexibility | Accommodates 1–2 days of variability |
| Freight Type | Non-hazardous, non-extreme temperature |
If your lane checks all these boxes, it's almost guaranteed to perform exceptionally well on intermodal.
A marginal lane typically includes at least one of the following challenges:
These lanes can work, but they require the right IMC, careful prioritization, and enhanced communication. Don't write them off entirely - just set realistic expectations.
A lane is generally not a fit for intermodal when it has:
This doesn't mean intermodal is bad, it just means this particular lane is better suited to truckload.
Knowing where intermodal doesn't fit protects your service levels and prevents frustration. And it's also important to note that the right IMC will help you recognize this and can coordinate truckload solutions for you without requiring extra legwork on the shipper end.
Here's the exact process the best IMCs use...and shippers can use it too.
Sort your freight data by volume and total miles moved. Focus on your highest-spend, highest-volume lanes first.
Remove lanes under 700 miles unless they're port-driven or have other compelling factors.
For each remaining lane, identify the nearest intermodal ramps at origin and destination. Aim for 30 miles or less on each end. Flag anything above 50 miles for further analysis.
Check whether your corridor aligns with a class 1 railroad's high-frequency intermodal routes. Look for direct service without multiple interchanges.
Look for lanes with consistent weekly loads. Predictability matters more than raw volume.
Determine which lanes have tighter delivery requirements. These may still work for intermodal but require more careful planning.
Based on the criteria above, score each lane as:
Intermodal is best validated through structured pilots with clear KPIs.
Don't try to convert your entire network at once.
Start with your best-fit lanes, prove the model, then expand.
Please fill out the following if you'd like us to run InTek's Intermodal Optimizer to identify potential intermodal freight lanes in your supply chain:
These lanes consistently rank among the most reliable and cost-effective in North America:
If you're shipping on these lanes via truckload today, you're almost certainly leaving money on the table.
Intermodal's reputation ... good or bad ... comes down to lane selection.
Shippers who choose lanes aligned with rail strengths experience:
Shippers who choose weak lanes experience frustration not because intermodal doesn't work, but because the wrong lanes were chosen. The mode isn't broken. The lane selection was.
Don't dump your entire network onto intermodal in one move. Start with 2-5 ideal lanes, prove the concept, build operational muscle, then expand.
If you tried intermodal on a marginal lane and had a poor experience, don't write off the mode entirely. Re-evaluate with better lane selection.
The rail portion usually works. Drayage is where service breaks down. Make sure your IMC has strong dray relationships in your origin and destination markets.
Intermodal requires slightly different operational planning than truckload. Give your team time to adjust to the rhythm of ramp cut-off times and transit windows.
A good IMC makes the complexity invisible. They know which lanes work, which dray carriers to use, and how to prevent accessorial surprises. Don't try to figure this out alone.
Intermodal is not simply a mode...it's a fit-based strategy.
And when the strategy is applied correctly, it becomes one of the most effective long-haul freight solutions available today.
The key is knowing where it fits and where it doesn't. This guide gives you the framework to make that determination with confidence.
If you want help evaluating your lanes, designing an intermodal pilot, or scoring your network, InTek Intermodal Logistics can provide a complete lane-by-lane analysis including:
Intermodal works exceptionally well when the lane is a fit.
About InTek Intermodal Logistics
InTek Intermodal Logistics has been helping shippers simplify, save, and increase freight capacity with intermodal since 2007. With roughly 95% of our business dedicated to delivering intermodal solutions across North America, we're not a truckload company that dabbles in intermodal: Intermodal is who we are and what we do.
Ready to explore intermodal for your network? Contact us for a lane analysis or visit our services below to learn more.