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Saw a stat that only 7% of new cars get shipped by rail now, down from 70% in the 80s
I was reading a piece on the auto transport industry last month and it said rail used to move about 70% of new vehicles from the factory in the 1980s. Now it's closer to 7%. That number caught me off guard because I always picture those long lines of autoracks when I think about how cars get delivered. A dispatcher out of Kansas City mentioned to me that most of it shifted to trucks between 2000 and 2015 after the big rail mergers. I'm trying to move two trucks from a plant in Kentucky to a dealer in Oregon and I keep getting quotes all over the place. Does rail even make sense for that run anymore, or am I just stuck with a truck carrier and whatever they feel like charging?
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the_daniel1mo ago
7% seems low but honestly who cares, trucks have been doing this forever and the rates reflect that. Two trucks from Kentucky to Oregon is a short run anyway, just call a few brokers and take the best quote. Doubt rail would even touch a load that small.
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