3PL Partner Briefing
Intermodal Intelligence for Freight Partners

What your customers are dealing with right now.

Peak season is no longer approaching — it’s here. The national OTRI hitting 9.2% means carriers are turning down nearly 1 in 10 loads tendered. Your customers originating freight in the Southeast are feeling the squeeze most acutely, with OTR spot rates running well above contract and capacity becoming genuinely scarce on northbound lanes.

Intermodal is not only significantly cheaper right now — it is also more reliable. CSX and Norfolk Southern northbound capacity from Jacksonville and Atlanta is confirmed, transit times are consistent, and the all-in pricing is running $1,500–$2,000 below OTR spot on comparable lanes. The conversation with your customers couldn’t be easier to start.

Use these with your customers right now.

• 1
  “Are you having trouble covering your Jacksonville or Atlanta northbound lanes?” National OTR rejection rates are above 9% this week and Southeast outbound is one of the tightest corridors in the country. Intermodal from Newark to Dallas is available all-in at $2,475 — saving your customers $1,500–$2,000 per load vs. current OTR spot. Call us and we can confirm capacity today.
• 2
  “With OTR spot running 65% above last year, is freight cost affecting your customers’ margins?” This is the question that opens the modal mix conversation. Peak season is the moment shippers are most receptive to switching modes — because the pain of staying on OTR is real and immediate. Intermodal on any Southeast-to-Midwest lane saves 25–35% right now.
• 3
  “Has your customer locked in capacity for the rest of August?” Peak season capacity tightens further week by week. Partners who secure intermodal capacity now will be in a far better position than those who wait until mid-August. We can confirm availability and rates on any qualifying lane same day — reach out before your customers start shopping around.

Where intermodal is the strongest play for your customers this week.

Southeast → Midwest (Jacksonville / Atlanta / Charlotte → Chicago, Columbus, Detroit): The standout corridor this week. OTR is tight and expensive out of the Southeast. Intermodal via CSX and Norfolk Southern northbound is available and saving customers $2,200–$2,700 per load vs. OTR spot. Newark to Dallas at $2,475 all-in — call to confirm.

Northeast → West Coast (Newark / NYC / Philadelphia → Los Angeles, Oakland, Portland): Northeast OTRI is above 10% this week. OTR is both expensive and unreliable. Intermodal via NS to UP interchange remains available and competitive. Call for current pricing.

Midwest → Southeast (Chicago / Columbus → Jacksonville / Atlanta): Consistent 25–30% savings vs. OTR. Strong CSX and NS southbound capacity. Reliable transit times. If your customers have this lane in their network it should already be on intermodal.

US → Canada (Any US origin → Toronto / Vancouver / Montreal / Calgary): Cross-border volume remains elevated. Direct CN Rail and CP Rail contracts — one rate, one contact. Shippers managing tariff exposure through inventory positioning continue to favor intermodal on Canada lanes.

The 3PL Partner Briefing is published every Monday by LaserNet Jax — a direct Intermodal Marketing Company based in Jacksonville, FL. We hold railroad contracts with CSX, Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific, CN Rail, and CP Rail, plus access to the full North American rail network. Rates shown are representative — contact us for a confirmed quote on your specific lane.

Become a 3PL partner →  ·  View Weekly Rail Report →