Rail vs Trucking Containers

With shipping costs becoming a much larger factor than ever, the question of rail verses trucking has become a much bigger consideration. In the past the option of trucking always meant speed to market and therefore, although more costly, definitely worth the extra freight shipping charges. Of course this does not mean that companies are going to rely on rail exclusively, it just means that they will more often weigh the cost and benefits of each instead of relying solely on trucking companies for domestic hauling. Before looking for an intermodal option, it is important that you find a company that can suit all of your needs. When using trucking, a company can expect door to door service, but with rail, there is still a question of how the container or trailer will eventually get to its final destination. Will the company be able to handle this part as well or will your company have to find a trucking company to handle the additional move every time you ship. Since this is another consideration, it is also going to add to the costs involved not only because of the actual move, but the operations behind the move. Whether trucking or rail, when looking for a company to handle the inland or the domestic move, it is important to look for someone who can guarantee the capacity that you will need. This can be something in itself for rail since there are so many rail points. Will the company have access to all areas that you need? It is questions like this that lead many shippers to use trucking companies alone instead of rail. Whatever the means, it is always important to find a reputable and reliable company so be sure to investigate before switching between truck and rail.