Logistics / Free editable template

Intermodal transport flow template

Intermodal moves are slowed down more by waiting than by travelling. This board breaks one door-to-door move from Leicester to Chicago into road, rail and sea legs and the waits between them, drawn as bars on a day scale so each wait is as visible as each leg. Totals show days moving against days waiting and the carbon saved against an all-road and air route.

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Intermodal transport flow example showing every leg and wait as a bar on a day scale, road, rail and sea legs with icons, days moving, days waiting and carbon saved
Everything in this example is editable. Replace the labels, move the shapes and adapt the layout to your work.

How to use this template

  1. List the legs

    Write each leg from door to door with its mode, start and end, including the short road moves at each end.

  2. Add the waits

    Put in every wait between legs, such as terminal dwell, vessel cut-off and customs. These are usually where days are lost.

  3. Attack the longest wait

    Look for the biggest hatched bar and plan around it, for example by timing rail to arrive just before cut-off.

Questions about this template

Why are the waits shown as separate bars?

Showing waits next to travel makes dwell time as visible as moving time. Edit each bar's length in days to match your own route.

Do I need an account to use it?

No. Open the template and edit it in your browser. Your work saves on this device. An account is optional if you want to sync your workspace.

Can I export the finished diagram?

Yes. Use Export in the editor to save a PNG, SVG or PDF, or download an editable .epicdraw backup.

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