Carload volume—at 245,574—was down 3.2 percent year-over-year.

Following flat traffic growth on an annual basis in May, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported that both carload and intermodal volumes in June were up compared to the same timeframe last year.

At a time when the freight railroad industry is seeing more than its fair share of regulatory action, rail shippers received some good news last week, when the Surface Transportation Board said it is reducing the fee shippers pay to file a railroad rate or unreasonable practice complaint from $20,000 to $350—while maintaining its $150 filing fee for an expedited small rate case.

The National Industrial Transportation League (NITL) filed a petition with the United States Surface Transportation Board (STB), requesting that the STB adopt new rules regarding reciprocal switching between Class I railroad carriers.

Carload volume—285,943—was up 0.3 percent year-over-year and ahead of the week ending June 25 at 284,562 and behind the week ending June 17 at 294,310.

Container shipping carrier APL recently said it has made a land purchase in Joliet, Illinois to develop an intermodal container terminal. APL officials said the company purchased 43 acres of space from CenterPoint Properties within the CenterPoint Intermodal Center, the largest inland port in the United States.

LM Group News Editor Jeff Berman conducted an on-stage interview with Leo Suggs, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Greatwide Logistics at the eyefortransport 3PL Summit. The theme of this year’s interview was “Gauging the Impact of Driver Shortages and Changed Carrier Relationships.”

The cost of the U.S. business logistics system jumped up 10.4 percent in 2010, making up more than half of the preceding year’s decline. But don’t expect gains like this to continue as the economy begins to slow and all four transportation modes scramble to make adjustments during this period of unprecedented volatility.

Carload volume—at 284,562—was down 0.2 percent annually and behind the weeks ending June 17 and June 10 which hit 294,310 and 290,181, respectively.

Steady growth on the rails