60 is the new 40

Canadian Tire has been rolling out its groundbreaking 60 foot intermodal container across the country since May of this year, in association with Canadian Pacific.

 Ontario plated Canadian Tire Volvo out of Brampton, did not haul this can over the road to Halifax!

The immense rear overhang of the new 60 footers is not quite so obvious in this view.

Believed to be the first in North America, although Uncle Sam Walmart is breathing down their neck, Canadian Tire has been designing and testing the new big box since 2014. By first attaching Styrofoam blocks to the ends of their 53 footers (they were early adopters of that larger size too), they found that they could still remain within the various legth, rear overhang and other regulations, by using a day cab tractor.

Now they have AICM manufacturring the boxes and Max-Atlas building trombone trailers that can be pegged for 53 or 60 foot (or is it 60'-6"?).

The new 60s will be used in intermodal transport in the Toronto-Vancouver, Toronto-Calgary, Toronto-Halifax corridors and inter-Ontario. Halifax is a big Canadian Tire distribution centre and has consolidation facilities for overseas imports. Halifax is not served by CP Rail, but CN Rail handles their intermodal work here. So far Alberta and Ontario have permitted these rigs, but it seems likely the Maritimes will be on the bandwagon soon.

With the new 60 footers CT claims a 13% increase in capacity, equivalent to four pallets. When you think that CT has 6,500 of the 53 footers in service and has a 15 year plan to upgrade to 60 foot, you can see that this is a big deal.

53 foot containers, and certainly 60 foot containers for now, will be confined to intermodal work, although they do go to sea on some short sea routes such as TOTE Maritime's Florida / Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands service service and Oceanex's Newfoundland service. There is some Asia-Pacific use for reinforced 53 footers, but they are still rare on ships that are usually restricted to the more traditional 20, 40 and 45 foot lengths.

(cell phone photo used for comparison purposes only)

If drivers need sleeping accommodation, will we see the return of the Jimmy crackerbox COE with 24 inch sleeper? 

.