A conceptual framework is presented to explain the growth and development of intermodal rail freight in the U.S. The framework describes: (1) the roles of government, transportation service providers, and transportation users; (2) the impact and interrelationship of transportation deregulation, technological advances in transportation, and the evolution of supply chain management; and (3) the external environment of globalization and advances in information technology and communication. The framework is used to suggest how the intermodal rail freight business models changed over time. For the covering abstract see ITRD E137145.
Abstract