U.S. intermodal keeps climbing as tight truck capacity pushes shippers to rail

Summary

KWE's week-35 brief notes U.S. intermodal volumes continue to grow as tight truckload capacity steers more shippers to rail, with domestic container traffic up 7.4% in the first half of 2026. While localized congestion and chassis shortages affect some terminals, the network remains fluid overall, though shippers are advised to build extra lead time ahead of the September peak.