Intermodal: Unlocking Growth in North America’s Logistics Market

Q: What specific market challenges are driving EASO HUBS transformation? 

A: Transportes EASO has evolved from its origins as a traditional trucking company founded over 55 years ago. About a decade ago, we shifted part of our long-haul operations to intermodal, leveraging our strong relationship with Ferromex and becoming the leading Intermodal Marketing Company (IMC) in Mexico. This model combines our own trucks for the first and last mile with rail for long distances, increasing efficiency and competitiveness.

In October 2024, we entered a joint venture with Hub Group, one of North America’s top logistics companies, which has been a transformative step. This partnership strengthens our technology, operational processes, and customer service while providing capital to invest in more trucks, chassis, and containers. While we continue to offer traditional trucking, our strategic focus is firmly on intermodal, positioning EASO HUB as a key player in North American logistics.

Q: What key steps did EASO HUB take to transition from a family-run business to an institutionalized company capable of supporting its intermodal expansion?

A: Transitioning from a family business to an institutionalized company has been challenging but essential for Transportes EASO’s growth. Professionalization required investing in technology. Implementing robust systems allowed us to modernize operations, make better decisions, and prepare the company to scale up. Another key step was the standardization of processes. Reducing micromanagement and delegating operations allowed our team to focus on value-added activities while ensuring efficiency and consistency across the company.

Trusting our team to execute their responsibilities effectively strengthened the organization and created the foundation for sustainable growth. This combination of technology, standardized processes, and well-structured teams has allowed EASO HUB to successfully transition from a family-run trucking business into a professionalized company, supporting our expansion into intermodal services.

Q: What key technologies and systems make up your logistics technology ecosystem, and how do they enable real-time operational decisions?

A: Our technology ecosystem is built around a Transportation Management System (TMS), which serves as the company’s core. Initially, we implemented Trimble’s TMS to support our conventional trucking operations, but as we shifted toward intermodal services, we began migrating to more robust, multi-modal platforms leveraging our partnership with Hub Group. This allows us to optimize processes and support real-time decision-making across different transportation modes.

We also rely on GPS tracking, AI-enabled cameras, and ERPs to enhance safety, visibility, and operational efficiency. Introducing cameras was initially challenging, as Drivers were hesitant, but with proper communication, they recognized the benefits for safety and accident liability.

Another crucial pillar is automation and system integration. Through EDI and API connections with customers, orders flow automatically, reducing manual touches and errors. Our planning systems then recommend the most efficient equipment and automatically communicate trip details to drivers via an app, where they can access routes, POD uploads, and settlements. This “fewer touches” approach reduces costs, errors, and human intervention, while maximizing fleet utilization and productivity.

Q: How do you evaluate which solution is best for a customer, and how does EASO HUB physical infrastructure and partner network influence this decision? 

A: Intermodal offers significant advantages for both shippers and society. For customers, it is typically more cost-effective, sustainable, provides greater capacity, and is safer than conventional trucking, with theft incidents below 0.5% on certain routes. For society, it reduces highway congestion, accidents, and public infrastructure costs, while lowering carbon emissions and even logistics-driven inflation by making supply chains more efficient.

When evaluating whether intermodal is the optimal solution, distance and volume are key factors. Routes over 600km are usually the most competitive, such as Mexico–Culiacan, Mexico–Mexicali, Mexico–Chicago, or Monterrey–Chicago. However, intermodal can also be used for shorter, high-volume routes — like Mexico–Guadalajara — when truck capacity is limited.

EASO HUB operates across three main intermodal divisions. The first is Maritime Intermodal, which connects ports like Manzanillo, Veracruz, and Lazaro Cardenas to inland destinations, typically using 40ft containers. The second is Cross-Border Intermodal, which connects Mexico, the United States, and Canada with 53ft containers for long-haul, international shipments. The third is Domestic Intermodal, which has grown rapidly on routes connecting Mexico City with Culiacan, Mexicali, Tijuana, Chihuahua, and Monterrey.

Intermodal can serve almost any industry that ships in 53ft dry vans, including automotive, retail, consumer goods, appliances, beverages, and industrial components. Automotive leads cross-border volumes, and its successful adoption despite just-in-time requirements proves that any sector can adapt. The key is consistency: shippers will accept slightly longer transit times if service reliability exceeds 95%, as it allows them to plan their supply chains confidently and meet strict delivery appointments at distribution centers or retail locations.

Q: How are you leveraging the momentum seen in the Chicago–Ferrovalle corridor to expand capacity, improve transit times, and potentially open new strategic corridors between the United States and Mexico? 

A: The growth along the Chicago–Ferrovalle corridor reflects the combined efforts of our industry partners. Ferrovalle and Grupo México Transportes have significantly improved intermodal efficiency and consistency by investing in technology that speeds up terminal operations, reduces dwell times, and accelerates train loading. These improvements have been key to handling greater volumes and driving double-digit growth in cross-border lanes to the Valley of Mexico.

Despite this momentum, intermodal still represents less than 5% of total cross-border freight, leaving enormous room for growth. Our goal as a company and as an industry is to reach 30%–40% of the market in the coming years. Achieving this requires educating customers about intermodal’s benefits, which include lower costs, higher security, added capacity, and sustainability, while showing them how longer transit times can become an advantage by reducing warehouse inventory needs and overall supply chain costs.

We are also leveraging this performance to expand capacity and open new corridors. Successful examples like the Culiacan and Lazaro Cardenas–Chicago routes, which initially faced skepticism, now demonstrate the “build it and volume will follow” approach works when supported by rail partners. Looking ahead, we are exploring new connections to the southeast, including opportunities linked to the CIIT and Mayan Train projects, to further integrate the Yucatan Peninsula and Villahermos into Mexico’s intermodal network.

Q: How has EASO HUB navigated the uncertainty caused by recent US tariff measures, and what strategies are you implementing to protect operations?

A: The recent tariff measures have created significant uncertainty and stress for the logistics industry. Over the past months, we have faced multiple scares that have impacted both the national economy and the transportation sector. While the broader economy shows limited growth, the logistics market is already experiencing a recession, with lower demand and excess transport capacity.

In this environment, EASO HUB is focusing on preparing for two potential scenarios. If tariffs reduce Mexico’s competitiveness as a US trade partner, we risk lower foreign investment and slower growth. To face this, we are investing in modern trucks, optimizing supply chains, and increasing intermodal operations to gain market share and operate more efficiently, even in a contraction. On the other hand, if tariffs ultimately benefit Mexico by making other countries less competitive, we must be ready to handle higher volumes. This requires addressing our major structural challenges: security and infrastructure. Mexico needs long-term investment in ports, railways, highways, and border crossings to fully capitalize on nearshoring opportunities. These projects take between five and 20 years, so we must continue investing regardless of short-term uncertainty.

Despite the challenges, we remain optimistic. Mexico is in a privileged position thanks to its geographic location, young workforce, and growth potential. Even if 2025 brings limited expansion, our long-term vision is to build the infrastructure and capabilities needed to capture strong growth in 2026 and 2027. 

Q: What strategic initiatives are you focusing on to strengthen your position in the North American logistics market? 

A: Logistics is an industry defined by uncertainty, and EASO  HUB approaches market cycles as opportunities rather than obstacles. Periods of lower demand allow us to increase capital investments in trucks, equipment, and infrastructure at more competitive costs. Understanding these cycles is critical. We maintain strong customer relationships and service consistency regardless of market conditions, knowing that capacity needs can quickly shift.

Looking toward 2026, our strategic priority is to expand beyond traditional transport into integrated logistics solutions. This includes warehousing, last-mile delivery, consolidation services, and leveraging our technology and systems to provide end-to-end visibility and efficiency for our clients.

Long-term, our focus is on investing in talent, technology, and operational flexibility. By building a team capable of adapting to market changes and continuously improving our service offering, EASO HUB is positioning itself to strengthen its role in the North American logistics market and capture growth as demand cycles recover.

Transportes EASO is a leading freight transportation provider with over 50 years of experience. It specializes in the provision of comprehensive logistics solutions, including ground transportation, dedicated equipment, intermodal services, and brokerage.