MONTREAL, (May 1, 2003) — While carriers aren’t willing to let go their strong grasp of the wholesale freight market, Canadian Trucking Alliance CEO David Bradley said that truckers these days are more open to entering the intermodal environment.

Speaking to marine shipping executives at a session entitled, “Intermodalism’s Vital Benefits For Shippers,” Bradley said most carriers think of themselves as service providers, not just truckers, and will chose intermodalism when “it makes business sense.”

“Growth and market reach of intermodal shipping, whether it involves combinations of truck, marine, rail or air carriers, will be dependent upon the transparency of the price-service package offered to shippers and the prospect of efficiency gains for the carriers involved,” he said. “Service levels and price must be at least the same and preferably better and cheaper from the customer’s standpoint.”

While he predicted intermodalism would continue to grow as all the modes improve their service and efficiency, Bradley did warn against overselling of intermodalism in the freight sector. “From some of the things you read and hear from some proponents of intermodalism, you’d think it was the solution to all the world’s known ills – pollution, highway congestion, and safety … Any freight service must live and die by its service and cost, not by hoping for public policy changes.”