Intermodal Insider Editorial Standards
Clear reporting for intermodal operations. Zero fluff. Verifiable claims.
Intermodal freight is a high-noise environment: advisories change, terminals fluctuate, and "insider" takes can drift into speculation fast. Intermodal Insider exists to do the opposite—publish logistics and intermodal coverage that is readable, decision-useful, and anchored in sources you can verify.
These standards explain how we choose topics, how we check facts, how we use AI responsibly, and how we correct mistakes.
At a glance
- Every meaningful operational claim is traceable.
- Two-source rule for disputed or high-impact claims.
- AI can assist structure, never invent facts.
- Corrections are timestamped and transparent.
Intermodal Insider is built to be cited—not to be skimmed.
What we publish
Intermodal Insider focuses on:
Intermodal and drayage operations
Terminals, port and rail interfaces, dwell, chassis, and operational exceptions.
Market intelligence
Capacity signals, disruption patterns, and how they change operations.
Tracking education
Milestones, status events, operational meaning, and common failure modes.
Guides and explainers
Practical playbooks for shippers, carriers, 3PLs, and dispatch teams.
How we choose topics
We prioritize stories that meet at least one of these criteria:
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Operational relevance
Does this change what a shipper, carrier, or 3PL should do today or this week?
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Visibility value
Does it clarify what a status or milestone actually means in real-world intermodal flows?
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Impact and reach
Does it affect multiple lanes, terminals, or a significant share of intermodal volumes?
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Signal strength
Is there a credible source trail (alerts, advisories, filings, official notices, direct statements)?
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Search intent (without gaming it)
We consider what readers search for, but we do not publish thin SEO pages. If a topic is important enough to rank, it is important enough to be genuinely useful.
Our fact-checking workflow
Every meaningful operational claim must be traceable—to a source, a document, an official notice, or clearly labeled analysis.
Source capture
We save the originating reference (notice, advisory, report, official statement) and the timestamp.
Verification level assigned
- Confirmed: backed by an authoritative primary source.
- Corroborated: supported by two independent sources.
- Reported: a single credible source; we label it accordingly.
- Analysis: our interpretation; clearly separated from factual statements.
Two-source rule
If a claim is controversial, materially operational, or could be misused, we require two independent confirmations or we do not publish it as fact.
Editorial review
- Dates, locations, and proper nouns.
- Whether the claim is overconfident given the evidence.
- Whether readers could misinterpret a possible scenario as certainty.
Originality: no copy-paste, no low-value rewrites
Intermodal Insider does not republish articles as-is and does not paraphrase competitors without adding value. When we reference external reporting, we do it with:
- Clear attribution and direct links.
- Added operational context (what it means, what changes, what to watch next).
- Clarified definitions, especially for tracking terms and exceptions.
Our content should improve the reader's understanding—not replicate what is already out there.
What we consider acceptable
We prefer primary sources when available: official advisories, regulatory releases, carrier or terminal communications, and formal market publications.
Primary sources
- Official advisories and regulatory releases.
- Carrier or terminal communications.
- Formal market publications and filings.
Secondary sources (when used)
- Reputable trade press and consistent research summaries.
- Claims that can be corroborated.
- Context framing, not a substitute for original documentation.
Use of AI (responsible use policy)
AI can speed up structure. It cannot replace verification.
Where AI may be used
- Outlining and structuring long-form explainers.
- Generating internal checklists (what to verify before publishing).
- Rewriting for clarity after facts are confirmed.
- Summarizing a source we already have in hand (with human review).
Where AI is not allowed
- Inventing or filling in facts, dates, quotes, or figures.
- Producing claims without source review.
- Creating citations that were not actually consulted.
- Describing proprietary systems or access we do not have.
Every published piece is reviewed by a human editor. If we cannot verify it, we label it as analysis or we do not publish it.
Conflicts of interest and sponsored content
Intermodal Insider aims to remain independent. If we publish partner-supported content, we will:
- Label it clearly (Sponsored or Partner Note).
- Keep editorial and commercial decisions separate.
- Refuse sponsorship that requires editorial conclusions.
We do not sell coverage as a product.
Corrections and updates
We correct mistakes quickly and transparently.
- Material corrections are appended to the article with a timestamp and a clear description of what changed.
- Minor edits (typos, formatting) may be made silently.
- Broken sources and links are replaced with archived references when possible.
If you believe something is wrong
Email us at editorial@intermodalinsider.com and include:
- The URL.
- The specific sentence or claim.
- Supporting source links or documents.
What you can expect from us
- Clear separation between facts and analysis.
- Practical definitions for tracking and intermodal terminology.
- Fast corrections when we are wrong.
- Minimal jargon, maximum usefulness.
Built to be cited
Intermodal Insider is built to be cited—not to be skimmed.