While total intermodal volume was down 16.4 percent in the third quarter, it was an improvement over the second quarter's loss of 18.7 percent

. Domestic container volume was the only segment that saw positive results, gaining 1.3 percent during the quarter, according to a report released by the Intermodal Association of North America.

According to the third quarter data, advances in domestic volumes were entirely in 53-foot equipment, which grew 5.5 percent.

Domestic containers have not seen a negative quarter this year, although it did slow in 2009. In the first quarter, domestic volumes increased 0.1 percent, followed by a 0.9 percent gain in the second quarter, and this quarter's 1.3 percent uptick. Domestic container volume was at about 1.03 million for the third quarter, versus about 1.02 million for the year-ago period.

Trailer volume was at 395,308 for the third quarter of this year, compared with 527,840 for the third quarter of 2008.