Tri-Cities Intermodal, Great Northwest form intermodal alliance in Wallula

Tri-Cities Intermodal and Great Northwest Transport have teamed up at the Wallula, Washington ramp to expand lift operations, warehouse services and bulk transloading. The alliance is designed to widen truck-rail options for customers in Idaho, western Montana and the broader Pacific Northwest.

Why it matters: - The alliance gives Tri-Cities Intermodal a wider operating footprint at its Wallula facility. - The deal adds local drayage, warehouse, transload and lift services under one umbrella. - The partnership is aimed at improving truck-rail access for international and domestic freight moving through the region.

What happened: - Tri-Cities Intermodal and Great Northwest Transport formed an intermodal and multimodal alliance in Wallula, Washington. - Great Northwest will assume lift operations at the Tri-Cities Intermodal ramp. - Great Northwest will also provide 3PL services at the warehouse next to the ramp and handle bulk transloading. - The companies will work together to provide seamless intermodal service for international and domestic customers.

The details: - Tri-Cities Intermodal CEO and founder Theodore Prince said the arrangement expands the company’s portfolio of services. - Prince said a ramp operator that can also provide local drayage and transloading strengthens the company’s intermodal and multimodal value proposition. - Prince said trucks are a critical first and last mile part of door-to-door transportation. - Great Northwest Vice President and General Manager Jason Girnus said intermodal opens new business options for an asset-based carrier with trucks and drivers on both sides of Washington state. - The truck-rail service is expected to improve coverage in Idaho and western Montana. - Girnus said the model can reduce winter mountain crossings over Snoqualmie Pass, improve economics for customers, create more predictable turns, reduce terminal delay and help drivers return home each night. - Great Northwest will also assume operations of the 210,000-square-foot warehouse on the property. - Prince said the location offers zero drayage for importers and exporters and Free Trade Zone capability that can help importers defer tariffs. - The site supports truck-to-boxcar loading, truck-to-container bulk transloading and rail-to-container transloading just south of the yard served by Columbia Rail. - Large shipments of apples are expected to start next week. - The operation will be led by Terminal Manager Kourtney Morgan.

Between the lines: - The alliance ties a rail ramp, warehouse and trucking fleet into one operating system, which can simplify freight handoffs for agricultural and import-export customers. - Great Northwest’s link to The McGregor Company suggests the company is positioning the facility to serve agronomy and farm-related freight more directly. - The Wallula location has network value because it connects Union Pacific, Columbia Rail, the Northwest Seaport Alliance and truck transload options in one place.

What's next: - Tri-Cities Intermodal said the facility has an initial annual capacity of 75,000 lifts. - The company plans to significantly expand that capacity as traffic develops. - Great Northwest will continue building out multimodal service for its customer base across the Columbia Basin and beyond. - The companies expect the apple volume and other transload activity to ramp up through the new joint operation.

The bottom line: - The alliance turns the Wallula site into a broader rail-truck logistics hub, with more services under one roof and more options for regional shippers.