WASHINGTON — U.S. rail freight traffic continues to far outpace 2020 levels, when traffic was depressed by the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and remains stable by week-to-week measures in 2021.
Statistics from the Association of American Railroads for the week ending May 8 show U.S. railroads moved 236,019 carloads, a 27.6% increase over the same week in 2020, and 287,290 intermodal units, up 26.3%. The overall volume of 523,309 carloads and intermodal units represents a 26.9% increase over the same week in 2021. The figures represent a slight decrease from the week ending May 1, when railroads moved 240,858 total carload and 299,609 intermodal units for a total of 540,667 carloads and intermodal units.
For the year to date, carload traffic is up 4% and intermodal traffic is up 18.1% for a total increase in traffic of 11.3%.
North American totals, for 12 U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, include 332,413 carloads, an increase of 24% against the same-week figure for 2020; 380,465 intermodal units, up 22.6%, and 712,878 total carloads and intermodal units, up 22.6%. In Canada, the 75,952 carloads represent a 12% increase, while the 77.487 intermodal units are a 12.1% increase.
