The improvement in the U.S. economy during the fourth quarter translated into modest gains for intermodal shipments, according to the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA). Domestic container volume increased 9.0% during the quarter compared to Q4 08. All but two IANA regions recorded domestic container volume gains.
December volume was a substantial 16.9% above year-ago levels. This strong growth combined with modest gains throughout the year propelled total 2009 domestic container volumes 2.9% above 2008 figures.
International volume declined during the quarter, but the pace of decline slowed significantly. The decline was fairly widespread across most IANA regions. While international decreased 12.3% during the quarter compared to Q4 08, volume improved significantly compared to the previous three quarters, which each posted losses above 20%. While the pace of declines slowed during the quarter, total intermodal volume for the period was still 6.4% below Q4 08.
Fourth Quarter 2009 Intermodal Volume Comparisons
| Equipment Type | 2008 | 2009 | Change |
| Trailers | 491,128 | 415,455 | -15.4 % |
| Domestic Containers | 980,634 | 1,068,754 | +9.0 % |
| All Domestic Equipment | 1,471,762 | 1,484,209 | +0.8 % |
| ISO Containers | 1,794,967 | 1,574,662 | -12.3 % |
| Total | 3,266,729 | 3,058,871 | -6.4 % |
Overall 2009 Intermodal Volume Comparisons
| Equipment Type | 2008 | 2009 | Change |
| Trailers | 2,060,399 | 1,604,555 | -22.1 % |
| Domestic Containers | 3,849,327 | 3,960,480 | +2.9 % |
| All Domestic Equipment | 5,909,726 | 5,565,035 | -5.8 % |
| ISO Containers | 7,749,769 | 6,105,315 | -21.2 % |
| Total | 13,659,495 | 11,670,350 | -14.6 % |
