FTR, a thought leader in North American freight transportation intelligence, is the organizer of program sessions for the “Intermodal Economic Environment,” one of four tracks in this year’s expanded Intermodal Expo education program.
Presentations by FTR’s Larry Gross and Noël Perry, along with other industry leaders, including Bill Strauss, senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, will focus on industry specific trends and forecasts useful to all intermodal supply chain stakeholders.
Intermodal Economic Environment sessions include:
•INTERMODAL FREIGHTCAST: Supply, Demand, and the Prospects for Higher Rates—An in-depth review of intermodal’s recent performance and future prospects. Intermodal volume has been growing, but rates have been depressed. Will growth continue, and will it be enough to allow providers to increase rates? This session will help participants gain insight into the intermodal environment, including trends in the overall economy and freight demand, along with intermodal prospects, including rate projections and potential risks and opportunities.
The End of the Line for IPI? Trade, Transloading, and the Prospects for IPI Growth—With trade patterns changing, ocean carriers’ strategies uncertain, and investment pouring into both inland logistics parks and coastal transloading facilities, what does the future hold for the torrent of import goods that move on our intermodal system in ISO boxes? This session will help participants understand the forces promoting changes, the tradeoffs between IPI and transloading, and opportunities for growth in the years to come.
Where’s My Driver? The Driver Shortage and What It Will Mean for Intermodal—Regulatory activity by state and federal governments and the improving economy are combining to create tight supplies of truck drivers for over-the-road and drayage carriers alike. This session will help participants understand the causes of the driver shortage, ramifications for intermodal, and recommendations for dealing with the issue.
•THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX: New Markets for Intermodal—One way to keep intermodal growth on track is to tap into new markets. New technologies and fresh approaches are allowing intermodal to do just that, but creativity and persistence are requirements for success. This session presents two real-world examples of non-traditional approaches to expanding the intermodal frontier.
Registration is now open for Intermodal Expo 2014 to be held September 21-23, 2014, in Long Beach CA.
Access IntermodalEXPO.com for the latest information.