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Fostering Intermodal Growth: The Three I's of the Future

At the recent IANA Intermodal Expo, industry leaders gathered for a forward-looking panel titled "Fostering Intermodal Growth," as Moderated by Jim Wilson, President and CEO of Autonomous Intermodal, the 30-minute discussion challenged attendees to look one to three years into the future to see what it will take to make intermodal transportation more competitive, scalable, and attractive to cargo owners.

Wilson guided an expert panel consisting of:

• Paul Tonsager, CEO and Founder, Integrated Multi-Modal Solutions, LLC a beneficial cargo owner representative and experienced railroad marketing, sales, and intermodal consultant.

• Adam Hyrtzak, the Director of Intermodal Wholesale for CPKC Railway.

• Dr. Noel Hacegaba, the CEO of the Port of Long Beach.

The conversation was anchored by three core themes necessary to grow market share: Innovation, Investment, and Implementation.

Innovation The panel explored how the industry's value proposition must evolve to shift more freight off the highway and onto intermodal networks. Paul shared what shippers and receivers need from intermodal providers, while Adam discussed CPKC’s strategy for broader intermodal growth. Dr. Hacegaba highlighted the specific innovations required at port facilities to support this expansion for ocean carrier growth and to efficiently move shipments via rail and truck off the port.

Investment Recognizing that innovation establishes what is possible, the panel stressed that growth requires targeted investment across the entire intermodal ecosystem. Wilson challenged each panelist to identify the single most critical investment over the next three years that would generate the most volume growth and deliver measurable improvements for customers.

Implementation Ultimately, investments must be converted into consistent, measurable performance. The panelists unpacked the necessary steps to reduce handoff friction, improve consistent execution, and drive industry-wide standardization over the next three years. Dr. Hacegaba specifically addressed how the rollout of new capacity and technology at the Port of Long Beach will directly benefit operators and customers.

The session concluded with an actionable challenge for the audience. The panelists provided attendees with one concrete action they could take back to their workplaces to actively build this envisioned future. For the AIM website community, the overarching takeaway from the event was clear: intermodal growth requires more than just capacity; it demands ecosystem-wide investment, problem-solving innovation, and disciplined implementation.