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An intermodal method of transportation is often depended on for the use of intra-continental shipments of large volumes of goods in an effort to lower the possibility of loss or damage to those goods and as a means for providing faster transportation and easier handling. An intermodal system of transport for freight, for example, (meaning transporting goods via ships, trucks, or trains) often means reduced costs and a higher security in managing the goods that need to safely arrive from point “A” to point “B”. The very first forms of intermodal transportation canisters were first put into use back in the 18th century before railways themselves became as crucial as they later would. These containers were used for the shipping of large volumes of coal in England via the Bridgewater Canal. Large containers filled with coal known as “tubs” were transmitted from one point to another on the canal and were then transferred to horse drawn carts for road delivery. Once railroads came into play in early to mid-eighteen hundreds, wooden coal storage units would be used for moving coal all around England. The Great Eastern Railway was counted upon heavily for shipping baggage from one train to the next and from train to ship as passengers traveled long distances. By the turn of the century, large covered canisters were used so items could be moved safely and much easier from rails to roads eventually to the required destination. The very first container flats utilized for intermodal transport were used by the Railway Clearing House by which they were able to stack the containers for transport. Pallets became popular during World War II when the United States counted heavily upon the fast transfer of goods between various warehouses, aircraft, ships, trains and vehicles. The decreased need for freight handling as a result meant that there was less of a need to employ costly personnel and it also meant that unloading and loading times were significantly decreased. This was greatly preferred during times of war when timing was crucial and the luxury of waiting a long time to transport goods was not something that the military could afford to do. The Canadian Pacific Railway became the first major transfer effort and the most depended upon railway in North America by the mid-nineteen hundreds and provided the service of many truck trailers which carried storage containers that could easily be transported on and off the train by way of cranes. By the 1950's, steel containers started being used in the shipping of sensitive items and had specific guidelines established by the United States Department of Defense. The standard carry container was often as large as twenty feet by ten feet that was used for intermodal transportation and grew to be as large as forty feet by forty feet by the nineteen sixties making it possible for more goods to be shipped at one time. Becoming more and more popular over time, the steel containers were in high demand because they were reliable and quick for transporting a large amount of goods. From 1980 to early 2000’s the transportation of canisters grew rapidly from about three million per year to nine million per year. Many investments in intermodal freight transportation were made, especially as a method often known as “double-stack rail transport” grew in popularity. This intermodal transportation system offers the most security and lessens the damage potential when used for transporting goods. If you're looking to regulate your intermodal system from invoices to dispatch you can find the proper software solution at Compcare Services. For additional details on Compcare Services, visit their web site at http://www.compcareservices.com/.
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