Intermodal integration
Intermodal Transportation Integration
An intermodal move is several shipments in one: a dray to the ramp or port, a rail or ocean line haul, and a final dray, each run by a different company. ECOM fully supports correlation and tracking across transportation legs, and connects the shipment references, equipment identifiers, handoff events and documents that hold the move together, along with the systems and partners on each leg.
Overview
What is intermodal transportation integration?
Intermodal transportation integration connects the data of the separate legs of a container or trailer move, typically by truck, rail and ocean, so the shipment keeps one set of references from origin to delivery. It covers tenders and instructions to each carrier, equipment and container identifiers, ramp or terminal events, the documents that follow the freight and the exceptions that arise at handoffs. Each leg uses its own partners and messages, so the messages differ by leg and by partner.
Overview
For shippers, providers and carriers that run more than one mode
Intermodal problems show up where one party’s data stops and the next party’s begins.
Shippers with domestic container or trailer moves
You tender dray and rail legs through different partners and need one view of where the shipment is.
Importers and exporters
You depend on ocean carrier, terminal and dray events to know when a container can be picked up and where it is.
Intermodal marketing companies and logistics providers
You coordinate several carriers per shipment and tell customers the status against the commitment.
Drayage and rail carriers
You receive instructions that carry references from other legs and must report events back in the form each partner expects.
How ECOM helps
How ECOM supports intermodal coordination
ECOM supports intermodal transportation today. These offerings address the coordination problems described above.
One shipment, not three
Dray, line-haul and delivery legs are connected through shared references, so a planner is not reconciling separate partner portals.
Handoffs that are visible
Ramp, port and delivery events reach your systems, so a container waiting at a terminal is noticed.
Documents that follow the freight
Bills of lading, delivery proof and damage or shortage reports stay linked to the same shipment across legs.
Exceptions with an owner
A late pickup, a missed cutoff or a missing document can be raised and routed, with internal and customer-facing service levels tracked.
How ECOM delivers it
Intermodal support today
ECOM supports intermodal transportation, including full correlation and tracking across the legs. The legs and partners in scope are agreed during discovery.
Systems Integrator
Connects the TMS, ERP and WMS platforms that hold the data for each leg.
Exception Management Center
Helps customers automate exception handling and manage internal and customer-facing SLAs across the move.
Transaction Life Cycle Manager
Holds shipment paperwork and evidence such as proof of delivery, signatures, damage reports and shortage reports.
Freight Onboarding
Brings drayage, line-haul and other carriers live across the legs of a move.
Support
ECOM offers 24×7 support, with coverage hours and response targets defined in each service agreement.
ECOM offerings for this workflow
Systems Integrator
Connects the TMS, ERP and WMS platforms that hold each leg’s data, so a reference created in one system reaches the next.
Exception Management Center
Helps automate exception handling at handoffs and manage internal and customer-facing SLAs, such as a container not picked up or a document missing.
Transaction Life Cycle Manager
Holds shipment paperwork and supporting evidence, including proof of delivery, signatures, damage reports and shortage reports, with the shipment.
Freight Onboarding
Brings carriers and other freight partners live.
Trading Partner Onboarding
A self-service portal that supports almost all verticals, with customer click-through onboarding, protocol-specific setup and automated transaction testing.
Reconcile360 (invoice-to-cash)
Invoice-to-cash automation across all verticals, including air and ocean partners, so freight billing connects to cash.
ECOM supports correlation and tracking across the legs of an intermodal move; the references matched and the events tracked are set per engagement. Which offerings apply, and the partners, protocols and systems in scope, are agreed with you during scoping.
Workflow
Two intermodal moves, stage by stage
The first track is a domestic truck, rail, truck move. The second is an import truck, ocean, truck move. Each stage can involve a different company and a different message, so confirm the messages for each leg with its partner.
- 01
Tender the first leg
The shipper or provider tenders the dray to the origin ramp or port and creates the references the whole move will carry.
Typical messages: X12 204, 990, 214, or API
- 02
Instruct the line haul
The rail or ocean carrier receives booking or shipment instructions with the equipment or container details.
Typical messages: Rail: 404 or provider booking. Ocean: 300, 301, 304
- 03
Gate in at the ramp or terminal
The ramp or terminal reports the ingate, linking the equipment identifier to the shipment.
Typical messages: X12 322; CODECO; partner events
- 04
Line-haul movement
The rail or ocean carrier reports movement events until arrival.
Typical messages: Rail events, 214; ocean 315, IFTSTA, DCSA events
- 05
Discharge, availability and release
At the destination, the container becomes available and is released for pickup, after any customs or carrier holds.
Typical messages: X12 322, 312, 317; COREOR
- 06
Tender and deliver the last leg
A drayage carrier is tendered, picks up, delivers and collects the signed proof of delivery.
Typical messages: X12 204, 990, 214; POD
- 07
Invoice each leg
Each carrier bills its leg, and finance matches each invoice to the shipment.
Typical messages: X12 210, 410, 310 per partner
Handoffs, identifiers and who reports what
The swimlane shows an example move. Each arrow is a handoff where a reference or an equipment identifier must be carried into the next party’s message.
Illustrative example: truck, rail, truck
An illustrative container moving from an origin plant to a distribution center, followed step by step.
| Step | Message or event | From → to | Reference carried |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tender dray | Load tender (204) | Shipper → drayage carrier | Shipment reference and container number |
| Ramp ingate | Ramp activity (322) or partner event | Ramp → rail carrier and shipper | Container number linked to the shipment reference |
| Rail movement | Provider events or status | Rail carrier → shipper | Container number and booking reference |
| Destination ramp | Arrival and availability event | Ramp → shipper and drayage carrier | Container number |
| Deliver | Status (214) and proof of delivery | Drayage carrier → shipper | Shipment reference, signed proof attached |
Messages
Transactions and messages
Typical requirements—confirm with your trading partner.
Dray and terminal messages
The truck legs and the ramp or terminal events around them.
| Transaction | Purpose | Sender → receiver | Trigger | Key data | Connected systems | Business benefit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 204 Motor Carrier Load Tender ANSI X12 | Tenders a dray leg to a motor carrier. | Shipper, broker or 3PL to Drayage carrier | A container is to be moved to or from a ramp or port | Pickup and delivery locations, container or equipment number, references | TMS | Dray legs carry the same references as the line haul |
| 990 Response to a Load Tender ANSI X12 | Accepts or declines the dray tender. | Drayage carrier to Shipper, broker or 3PL | Carrier decision | Shipment reference, accept or decline | Carrier TMS | The dray is confirmed before the container is available |
| 214 Transportation Carrier Shipment Status Message ANSI X12 | Reports pickup, appointments and delivery for the dray. | Drayage carrier to Shipper, broker or 3PL | Each dray event | Status, time, location, container number | Dispatch, TMS | Dray events join the shipment view |
| 322 Terminal Operations and Intermodal Ramp Activity ANSI X12 | Reports activity such as ingates and outgates at terminals and ramps. | Terminal operator or ramp to Carrier, shipper, forwarder or other authorized party | Equipment enters or leaves a terminal or ramp | Equipment number, activity, time, location | Terminal systems, TMS, visibility tools | The handoff is seen when it happens |
Rail and ocean line-haul messages
The rail and ocean legs use different messages. Which apply depends on the partner.
| Transaction | Purpose | Sender → receiver | Trigger | Key data | Connected systems | Business benefit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 404 Rail Carrier Shipment Information ANSI X12 | Tenders a shipment to a rail carrier with bill of lading information. | Shipper or agent to Rail carrier | Equipment is released for rail movement | Equipment, routing, bill of lading data | ERP, TMS | Rail instructions come from the same shipment record |
| 300 Reservation (Booking Request) (Ocean) ANSI X12 | Requests an ocean booking; the 301 confirms it. | Shipper or forwarder to Ocean carrier | A container needs to sail | Parties, ports, dates, equipment | Forwarding system, TMS | The booking reference starts the chain |
| 315 Status Details (Ocean) ANSI X12 | Reports container events such as gate-in, loaded and discharged. | Ocean carrier or terminal to Shipper, forwarder, consignee or interested party | Each container event | Container number, event, time, location | TMS, visibility tools | Ocean events join the shipment view |
| IFTSTA International multimodal status report UN/EDIFACT | Reports the status of a consignment moved by more than one mode. | Carrier or logistics provider to Shipper, forwarder or other party | A status change | Consignment, status, time, location | TMS, forwarding system | A status format for international moves |
| 410 Rail Carrier Freight Details and Invoice ANSI X12 | Bills the freight payer for a rail movement. | Rail carrier to Freight payer | Movement completed | Charges, equipment, references | ERP | The rail charge is tied to the shipment |
Systems
How documents, evidence and exceptions follow the shipment
Across handoffs, paperwork and problems tend to get lost. The diagram shows the path from reference creation to resolution that the Exception Management Center and Transaction Life Cycle Manager can support, with triggers and owners defined for each engagement.
Systems an intermodal integration connects
Each leg has its own systems. Integration scope usually covers these.
| System | What flows | What to plan for |
|---|---|---|
| TMS | Dray tenders, line-haul bookings, status and freight bills for each leg. | The TMS usually holds the shipment reference that every leg must carry. |
| ERP | Orders, shipment references and invoices from each carrier. | Finance needs each leg’s invoice tied to the right shipment. |
| Visibility tools | Events from ramps, terminals and carriers. | Event feeds and APIs differ by provider; confirmed during scoping. |
| Terminal, ramp and carrier systems | Ingate, outgate, availability and release messages. | Formats and connection methods are set by each partner. |
Problems and exceptions
Problems intermodal teams recognize
These problems arise at the seams between legs, where one party’s data stops and the next party’s begins.
| Problem | Why it hurts | How ECOM addresses it |
|---|---|---|
| References change between legs | The dray tender, rail booking and ocean booking use different numbers, so the move cannot be viewed as one shipment. | References and container or equipment identifiers are stored and carried through each system connection. |
| Handoff events arrive late or not at all | A container sits at a ramp or terminal and nobody is told. | Ramp, port and carrier events are connected to your systems, and missing events can be raised as exceptions. |
| Documents are spread across partners | The bill of lading, proof of delivery and damage reports are in different e-mail threads and portals. | The Transaction Life Cycle Manager holds the paperwork and evidence with the shipment. |
| Each carrier has to be onboarded separately | Dray carriers change often and each one needs setup and testing. | Freight Onboarding brings carriers live, with click-through onboarding and automated transaction testing in the self-service portal. |
| No one owns a cross-leg exception | Each party blames the neighbouring leg and the customer waits. | The Exception Management Center supports routing exceptions and managing SLAs internally and for customers. |
Common intermodal exceptions and what is needed to resolve them
Handoff exceptions are resolved faster with the shipment reference, the container or equipment identifier and the last event from each leg.
| Exception | Typical cause | How it is handled |
|---|---|---|
| Container not available at the destination | Hold, late discharge or missing release. | Needs the container number, the release status and the last terminal or carrier event. |
| Dray pickup missed | Late tender, declined tender or appointment missed. | Needs the tender reference, the carrier response and the appointment. |
| Damage or shortage found at delivery | Noted on the signed delivery receipt. | Needs the signed proof of delivery and the damage or shortage report linked to the container. |
Get started
How an intermodal engagement starts
Bring a typical move. Your partners, systems and the problem you want to solve are enough to begin.
- 01
Describe a typical move
Tell us the legs, modes, carriers and terminals involved and where information or documents get lost.
- 02
Review identifiers and handoffs
We look at which references and equipment identifiers each leg uses and which events matter.
- 03
Agree scope
Which legs, partners and ECOM offerings are in scope is agreed before work begins.
- 04
Onboard partners and test
Partners are set up and transactions tested; the self-service onboarding portal is used where it fits.
- 05
Go live and support
Go-live is arranged with you and your partners, with 24×7 support defined in your service agreement.
Helpful to share, never required
- The modes and partners on a typical move (drayage, rail, ocean carrier, terminal, broker)
- Your TMS, ERP and visibility systems
- The identifiers you carry between legs (shipment, booking, container or equipment numbers)
- The handoff events and documents that cause exceptions
- Your current manual steps
- Your target timeline
Have a carrier specification? Send it for review Call Sales: 972-836-7750
Sources
Sources and related pages
Standards and partner requirements are revised over time, and each trading partner publishes its own. Confirm current versions with the partner before you build.
Standards and public sources
- ASC X12 transaction setsOfficial names of the 204, 214, 300, 310, 315, 322, 404, 410 and 990 sets; names match ECOM’s transaction guides.
- DCSA standardsOcean container event and booking interface standards referenced on the ocean page; not restated in detail here.
Related pages
- Carriers and Freight Transportation hubAll six modes and processes.
- Road freight and truckingThe dray and delivery legs.
- Rail freightRail transactions and intermodal operators.
- Ocean freightBooking, container events and port handoffs.
- J.B. Hunt guideAn intermodal and transportation provider guide.
- Hub Group guideAn intermodal and logistics provider guide.
- EDI 322 Terminal Operations and Intermodal Ramp ActivityRamp and terminal activity in detail.
- Transportation and LogisticsLoad tenders, responses, status and freight invoices for carriers, brokers and shippers, integrated with the TMS.
- Supply Chain VisibilityTrack orders, shipments and invoices across partners and catch exceptions early.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Does ECOM support intermodal transportation?
Yes. ECOM supports intermodal transportation today, including correlation and tracking across the legs. The legs, partners, messages and systems involved in your moves are agreed during discovery.
What is the difference between intermodal and multimodal?
In common use, intermodal means freight moves in one container or trailer across more than one mode, such as truck, rail and ocean. Partners and standards also use the word multimodal, for example in the EDIFACT IFTSTA International multimodal status report, so confirm the terms your partner uses.
How are the legs of a move connected?
Through shared references such as the shipment, booking or bill of lading number and the container or equipment identifier. Each partner may name them differently, so the identifiers are matched and stored during implementation. Detailed automated matching is scoped per engagement.
Which messages does an intermodal move use?
It depends on the leg: dray moves commonly use 204, 990 and 214; terminal and ramp activity uses the 322 or partner events; rail uses documents such as the 404 and 410; ocean uses messages such as the 300, 301, 304 and 315. Typical requirements—confirm with your trading partner.
How are exceptions across handoffs handled?
The Exception Management Center helps customers automate exception handling and manage internal and customer-facing SLAs. Which handoff events raise an exception is defined with you.
Where are documents and proof of delivery kept?
The Transaction Life Cycle Manager holds shipment paperwork and supporting evidence, including proof of delivery, signatures, damage reports and shortage reports.
Discuss how your legs connect
Tell us the modes, carriers and terminals on a typical move and where references or documents get lost between legs. An ECOM specialist will review the handoffs, messages and systems involved.