Intermodal 101 - A Discussion with Anne Reinke on the Future of Intermodal Freight

The container doesn’t magically appear at your warehouse when it comes off the vessel, and that gap between “arrived at port” and “delivered” is where intermodal either shines or breaks. We sit down with Anne Reinke, President and CEO of the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA), to trace the real container journey and the behind-the-scenes systems that keep freight moving across ocean shipping, ports, drayage, rail, and logistics providers. Anne shares her unexpected career path through CSX, USDOT, and the freight brokerage world, and what each vantage point reveals about how the supply chain actually works under stress. We dig into what happened during COVID when curfews, closed rest stops, and uncertainty collided with the need to keep essential freight moving and why better multimodal coordination at DOT matters long after the crisis headlines fade. We also get practical about today’s risks and pressures: cargo theft, strategic theft, fraudulent and “chameleon” carriers, and the tough balancing act of carrier vetting and broker liability. From there, we break down the UIIA in plain English, including how shared standards, driver databases, chassis tracking, street turns, and geofencing help the intermodal ecosystem speak the same operational language. We wrap with why the IANA Intermodal Expo in Long Beach is a must-attend moment for anyone touching containers, equipment, ports, rail, trucking, technology, policy, or supply chain security. Subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review if the show helps you make the regulatory and operational side of freight clearer. Send us Fan Mail Support the show 🎙️ Thanks for tuning in to *By Land and By Sea* powered by The Maritime Professor®! If you enjoyed today’s episode, be sure to **subscribe ⭐ and leave a review 📝 -** it really helps others find the show. 📚 Want to go deeper? Check out our **live webinars**, **on-demand e-courses**, and our **Just-in-Time Learning™** sessions -- short, plain-language lessons (30 minutes or less) built for supply chain pros who need quick clarity. 🚢 Looking for something tailored? We also provide **custom corporate trainings** designed to meet your team’s needs. ⚓ Learn more and explore past episodes at: www.TheMaritimeProfessor.com/podcast