Methodology & Data

Methodology & Data

How Intermodal Insider structures intermodal visibility signals—without pretending we see what we do not.

Intermodal tracking is rarely "one source, one truth." It is a chain of operational events and status signals that can arrive late, conflict, or get interpreted incorrectly. This page explains how Intermodal Insider defines events, describes milestone logic, and frames ETA and exception commentary.

Intermodal Insider's goal is transparency: you should understand what a claim is based on, what it is not based on, and where uncertainty remains.

Our visibility posture

  • We separate signals from conclusions.
  • We label uncertainty instead of hiding it.
  • We focus on operational meaning, not just labels.
  • We avoid claims we cannot trace.

Transparency is the product.

Framework

What we measure and model (at a high level)

Intermodal Insider organizes information around four practical layers:

1

Status events

Discrete status messages that indicate a change in shipment state (for example, "In-Gate" or "Departed Terminal").

2

Milestones

Operational checkpoints that matter to planning (for example, "Loaded to rail," "Available for pickup," "Delivered").

3

ETA logic (principle-based)

  • Segment baselines (dray -> terminal -> linehaul -> terminal -> final dray).
  • Known constraints (terminal dwell risk, weather, congestion, capacity constraints).
  • Documented schedule windows where public schedules are available.
4

Exception alerts

Patterns that reliably cause disruption: holds, dwell spikes, appointment constraints, chassis shortages, facility congestion, weather events, and regulatory delays.

We focus on what the signal means operationally, not just the label.
Cadence

Update frequency and latency (what to expect)

Intermodal Insider publishes a mix of:

Publishing mix

  • News and advisories as events happen, when sources are available.
  • Research and guides updated periodically as practices change.
  • Tracking explainers updated when terminology or industry usage shifts.

Latency drivers

  • Publication latency (time needed to verify and write).
  • Source latency (the upstream source may publish late).
  • Regional variability (some terminals publish more than others).
We do not promise real-time tracking unless a page explicitly states a real-time data feed and its provider.
Boundaries

Practical limitations (what we do not claim)

  • We do not claim direct access to proprietary carrier EDI feeds.
  • We do not guarantee that any single status reflects the complete operational truth.
  • We do not guarantee ETAs; we discuss expectations and risk factors.
  • We do not provide safety-critical or compliance advice.

If a situation requires certainty, rely on contracted tracking systems and direct terminal or carrier communications.

Vocabulary

Event taxonomy (common status events)

Below is a simplified glossary of common intermodal-style events and what they typically imply.

Picked Up

A pickup event indicating the load has been collected (often dray stage). May reflect a driver or dispatch confirmation, a system update, or a gate or yard event depending on source.

In-Gate

The unit is gated into a facility (terminal, port, or rail ramp). Usually a strong operational marker, but timing may vary by facility reporting.

Out-Gate

The unit exits a facility. Often used for available-and-collected or release milestones.

Arrived Terminal / Arrived Ramp

Arrival at a facility; may precede unloading, availability, or staging.

Departed Terminal

The unit has left a facility or moved to an outbound leg; can indicate linehaul departure depending on context.

Loaded / Mounted

Indicates the container or trailer is loaded onto a conveyance (railcar or ship) in contexts where that terminology is used.

Unloaded / Grounded

Indicates the unit is offloaded and available for subsequent handling; "available" is not always immediate.

Available for Pickup

The unit is released for pickup (may still require appointment, paperwork, or yard processing).

Out for Delivery

Final-mile movement is in progress. Often an operational cue rather than a precise ETA.

Delivered

Delivery completed. The definition can vary (gate-out, POD timestamp, appointment completion).

Hold / Exception

A general marker indicating an issue; always requires context (reason codes, facility constraints, compliance, and more).

Where sources use different language, we map terms to the closest operational equivalent and note ambiguity if it exists.
ETA logic

Principles, not magic

  1. Segment-based thinking

    We treat intermodal moves as segments rather than a single end-to-end promise.

  2. Baseline + constraints

    We combine baseline expectations with known constraints: terminal dwell risk, appointment limitations, weather or disruption alerts, seasonal congestion patterns, and capacity tightness (when supported by reputable reporting).

  3. Uncertainty is stated

    When the information environment is uncertain, we publish ranges or risk statements rather than false precision.

We do not present a proprietary black-box ETA. If we ever publish an index or scoring model, we explain its components and limitations.
Transparency

If we publish indices or rankings

Intermodal Insider may publish indices such as disruption intensity by corridor, dwell-risk signals by facility cluster, or exception frequency categories.

  • We define the index purpose and audience.
  • We list input signal types at a category level.
  • We explain weighting principles (recentness, severity, breadth).
  • We publish update cadence and known blind spots.
  • We never imply the index is a direct measurement of a private carrier's internal operations unless it truly is.
Data questions

Corrections and contributions

If you believe we are using a term incorrectly, or if a facility's event definitions differ from our glossary, we welcome corrections.

Email data@intermodalinsider.com with the URL, the specific section, your suggested correction, and supporting references.

Email the data desk