How the Chassis Shortage Is Breaking US Intermodal Shipping

Episode 57 of The Supply Chain Economy digs into the chassis shortage that's crippling US intermodal freight. Lucas and Luna break down how a shortage of the wheeled trailers that haul shipping containers between ports, rails, and warehouses is causing delays, raising costs, and widening the trade deficit. With new orders for manufactured goods up 4.8% in April 2026 and the trade deficit still at -$55.9 billion, they explore why the chassis pool hasn't kept pace with container volumes. They look at the structural issues — from deregulation in the 1980s that fragmented ownership, to the maintenance crisis that's sidelined 12% of the fleet. Listeners learn how a seemingly mundane piece of equipment became a bottleneck worth billions, and how new pooling models and digital tracking might finally unstick it. A focused, data-driven conversation about the hidden infrastructure that keeps goods moving. #ChassisShortage #IntermodalShipping #SupplyChain #Logistics #Freight #PortCongestion #TradeDeficit #Manufacturing #ContainerShipping #RailFreight #Trucking #PoolingModel #EquipmentShortage #Economics #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #LucasAndLuna #SupplyChainEconomy Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo