Beyond containerization: the broader concept of intermodalism.

CONCLUSION

Before many of today's practices were developed and accepted, intermodalism was more a concept than an operational reality. Many of the early definitions dealt more with modal connectivity than limited modal coordination of containerized freight. There are many different entities involved in domestic and international transportation. Creating a seamless transportation system that meets these needs is the goal of both the public and private sectors. Shippers' needs in the 1990s will require global coverage enabled by flexible and reliable partnerships with carriers that provide creative and flexible transportation options using integrated systems. The importance of intermodal transportation in this environment cannot be underestimated.

What should be recognized is that the way in which this goal is achieved may vary for each of the participants. By narrowly defining intermodalism, carriers and shippers have missed opportunities to enhance their service scope and reduce the cost structure and capital requirements. In some cases, this opportunity could have meant increased utilization of existing equipment or increased market share. For this reason, and others previously discussed, it is time to expand the current role of intermodal transportation to facilitate the growth and development of transloading for true transport coordination. This research has attempted to address the main issues and topics related to the further development and use of transloading as a strategic component of multimodal capability.

The case studies have provided a basis for understanding what research questions should be asked at the next stage of study. More research is needed to confirm/disconfirm the case findings against the industry as a whole. Specifically, the following areas should be considered:

* definition of the value-added role of trans-loading, e.g., quantification of economic benefits;

* impact of modal-specific projects on multimodal coordination efforts;

* adequacy of reporting systems in capturing intermodal activity; and

* comparison of national and international multimodal processes.

The major benefit that may come from further research into the transload subject is a greater awareness of the largely unexplored opportunities that may exist. Recent efforts involved with ISTEA have demonstrated that there is not a good understanding of the freight issues by many levels of the government, and of the legal issues by the business world. Greater recognition of the importance of infrastructure planning for adequate provision of needs, coupled with the increased knowledge of the practice and the acceptance of transloading as an intermodal activity, may provide transportation benefits for multiple constituents.

ENDNOTES

1 Eno Transportation Foundation, "Top Transportation Issues in 1993," Results of a Survey of Major Transportation Organizations for the First Annual Eno Transportation Leadership Development Conference, April 1993.

2 The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines a definition to be "the act of stating a precise meaning or significance... the act of making clear and distinct."

3 See note 1.

4 Philip D. Locklin, Economics of Transportation, 7th edition (Homewood, IL; Richard D. Irwin, Inc., 1972), p. 844.

5 James H. Martin, James M. Daley, and Henry B. Burdg, "Buying Influences and Perceptions of Transportation Services," Industrial Marketing Management, 17.4 (November 1988), pp. 305-314.

6 Fred N. Kerlinger, Foundations of Behavioral Research, 3rd edition (Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers, 1986), p. 29.

7 Bahar Norris, Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, Intermodal Freight: An Industry Overview, prepared for the Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, March 1994.

8 Vivien P. Jeffs and Peter J. Hills, "Determinants of modal choice in freight transport," Transportation, 17, 1 (1990), pp. 29-47.

9 Before a 1984 Senate Committee on Appropriations hearing, Mr. Edward V. Kiley, of the American Trucking Associations, stated that intermodalism for the motor carrier industry means piggyback service. This usage is also found among researchers, as exemplified by the intermodal definition used by Dr. Bahar Norris in her report to the Federal Highway Administration presenting an industry overview.

10 Steven Bergsman, The Changing Face of Warehouse Space," Barron's, 73, 4 (January 25, 1993), p. 60.

11 James R. Stock and Bernard J. LaLonde, "The Transportation Mode Decision Revisited," Transportation Journal, 17, 2 (Winter 1977), pp. 51-59; Wayne H. J. Cunningham, "Freight Modal Choice and Competition in Transportation: A Critique and Categorization of Analysis Techniques," Transportation Journal, 21,4 (Summer 1982), pp. 66-75; Michael A. McGinnis, "Shipper Attitudes Toward Freight Transportation Choice: A Factor Analytic Study," International Journal of Physical Distribution and Materials Management, 10, 1 (1979), pp. 25-34; John E. Tyworth, "The Inventory Theoretic Approach in Transportation Selection Models: A Critical Review," The Logistics and Transportation Review, 27, 4 (1991), pp. 299-318.

12 John Meyer, Merton J. Peck, John Stenason, and Charles Zwick, Economics of Competition in the Transportation Industries (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1969); W. J. Baumol and H.D. Vinod, "An Inventory-Theoretical Model of Freight Transport Demand," Management Science, 16, 7 (March 1970), pp. 413-421; Thomas Craig, "A Behavior Model of Modal Selection," Transportation Journal, 12, 3 (Spring 1973), pp. 24-28.

13 Study results by Thomas and Scott ("Cost Analysis of Specialized Carriers: An Investigation of Aggregation and Specialization Bias," Logistics and Transportation Review, 28, 3, 1992, pp. 217-230) indicate that the task of modal prediction is not as easy to simulate as once believed. Bias in shipper or industry policies, specialized shipper product requirements, or even simple access may play a larger role than once believed in the selection process.

14 Catherine Marshall and Gretchen B. Rossman, Designing Qualitative Research (Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, 1989).

15 John H. Mahoney, Intermodal Freight Transportation (Westport, CT: Eno Foundation for Transportation, Inc., 1985), p. 3.

16 Roy J. Sampson and Martin T. Farris, Domestic Transportation: Practice, Theory, and Policy, 3rd edition (Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1975). p. 132.

17 Gerhardt Muller, Intermodal Freight Transportation, 3rd edition (Washington, D.C.: Eno Foundation and the Intermodal Association of North America, 1995), p. 64.

18 B. J. Allen and R. D. Voorhees, "Constraints to Rail-Barge Movements: An Identification and Assessment," Transportation Journal, 26, 2 (Winter 1986), pp. 21-29; R. D. Voorhees and B. J. Allen, "The Test and Failure of a Coordinated Tariff for Rail-Barge Movements," Journal of Business Logistics, 7,1 (1986), pp. 108-121.

19 Other drawbacks reported by Osswald included inferior service to single responsibility, increased handling, equipment and shipment modal compatibility, and market skepticism. For further reference see William C. Osswald, "Intermodalism as an Alternative Technology," Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Council of Logistics Management, Vol. 2 (1985), pp 295-303.

20 See note 16.

Mr. Jennings is adjunct professor and Ms. Holcomb, EM-AST&L, is assistant professor, Department of Marketing, Logistics and Transportation, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-0530.

Print Get the Mag Weekly Updates