Intermodal shipping combines multiple transportation modes on one trip — commonly a container that travels by rail for the long haul and by truck for the first and last miles. The freight itself usually stays in the same container the whole way.
Trucks handle the drayage legs, moving the container between ramps, ports, and final destinations on a wheeled chassis. Where goods have to be shifted between containers or trailers, that step is a trans-load. Intermodal can lower cost on long routes by using rail for the heavy lifting.