SONAR Launches 2,000-Lane Intermodal API as 34% Rail Discount Draws Freight From Trucks
Updated
Updated · FreightWaves · Aug 14
SONAR Launches 2,000-Lane Intermodal API as 34% Rail Discount Draws Freight From Trucks
1 articles · Updated · FreightWaves · Aug 14
Summary
SONAR this week rolled out an intermodal API covering rates on more than 2,000 lanes, aiming to meet rising shipper demand for mode-conversion data.
A 34% door-to-door discount versus truckload contracts is driving that interest: truckload contract rates have climbed 7.5% in three months, while intermodal rates rose just 0.6%.
That pricing gap is helping rail gain share even as some see truckload softening, with the national tender rejection index still near 13.5%—above every reading recorded in 2024.
Spot truckload rates at $3.34 per mile are 21% above a year ago, and SONAR says the recent dip looks seasonal after a July 4 peak rather than a structural downturn.
SONAR expects volumes to firm again in late August and tighten further from mid-October into early November as retailers build inventory ahead of Black Friday.