As Canada’s intermodal freight market hits record volumes in 2025, the demand for reliable, scalable chassis solutions is rising faster than most fleets can adapt. With new infrastructure investment, shifting trade patterns, and volatile container flows from coast to coast, chassis rental is emerging as one of the most strategic moves a modern fleet can make—especially for operators in key logistics corridors like Surrey, British Columbia.

At Mainland Truck & Trailer Sales, we’ve seen first-hand how container surges, rail congestion, and port realignment have pushed fleet managers to rethink how they access and deploy chassis equipment. Whether you’re hauling containers from Delta port, moving freight from CN/CP yards, or transloading to Alberta, intermodal chassis rentals are becoming essential for operational agility and profitability in today’s volatile logistics climate.

This blog dives deep into the current state of Canada’s intermodal chassis market, supported by up-to-date industry data, and shows how fleets in the Greater Vancouver Area can stay ahead.

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1. A Surge in Intermodal Volumes Across Canada

According to recent figures from Global Trade Magazine and Statistics Canada, intermodal freight volumes rose 12.5% year-over-year in 2024—and the momentum has continued in Q1 and Q2 of 2025.

• The Port of Vancouver alone handled over 4.2 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in 2024, making it one of the busiest ports in North America.

• CN and CPKC both announced significant investments in intermodal rail capacity in Western Canada.

• Inland hubs such as Surrey, Delta, Calgary, and Winnipeg are becoming critical intermodal gateways.

This spike is largely driven by e-commerce growth, post-pandemic inventory diversification, and nearshoring trends. With container volumes more volatile and fragmented than ever, logistics operations must now scale rapidly without overcommitting capital.

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2. The Intermodal Equipment Challenge: Not Enough Chassis

Despite strong demand, the Canadian chassis market is constrained:

• Aging fleets of 20’ and 40’ chassis remain in circulation.

• Lead times for new equipment from manufacturers like Max-Atlas, CIMC, and Strick have extended due to steel supply issues and global container backlogs.

• Costs of new chassis have surged 15–20% over the last 18 months.

This shortage has created a significant supply-demand imbalance, especially during seasonal spikes or rail congestion events. For many operators, buying new just isn’t viable—either financially or logistically.

That’s where chassis rentals come in.

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3. Why Chassis Rentals Make Sense in 2025

Avoid Capital Expenditure

Chassis rentals allow fleet operators to deploy equipment instantly without tying up capital or credit. In a high-interest environment, avoiding new debt is often a smart financial move.

 Flexibility to Scale

Seasonal contract? Surge at port? No problem. Rentals let you add 5–50 units temporarily, then return them when volumes normalize.

 Maintenance-Free Operations

Mainland TTS includes routine maintenance, CVI checks, and safety inspections with every chassis rental—removing one more headache from your operation.

 Fast Turnaround

Need chassis fast? We offer ready-to-haul equipment, often within 24 hours. No waiting for factory deliveries.

 Maximize Fleet Efficiency

By renting for overflow needs and maintaining a smaller owned fleet, many logistics firms have cut chassis idle time by 25% or more, improving ROI.

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4. What the Data Says: The Rise of Equipment Rental

The Canadian industrial equipment rental industry—which includes trailer, chassis, and lift equipment—continues to grow in 2025. According to IBISWorld, the sector is expanding at 1.8% CAGR and is expected to surpass CAD $6.6 billion in annual revenue by year’s end.

Within this space, transportation-focused rental segments (including trailers and containers) are the fastest-growing verticals, thanks to:

• High purchase costs

• Equipment obsolescence concerns

• Variability in freight demand

• ESG and compliance risks when owning aging trailers

As rental demand rises, Mainland Truck & Trailer Sales has responded by expanding our chassis rental fleet, offering short- and long-term programs for both single-unit and fleet clients.

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5. Market Drivers for 2025

Several broader economic and infrastructure trends are accelerating chassis rental adoption across Canada:

a) National Trade Corridors Fund (NTCF)

The federal government is investing $4.6 billion through 2030 into road, rail, and terminal infrastructure to improve trade fluidity—especially in Western Canada. This is creating new container routes that require agile chassis availability.

b) E-Commerce and Retail Import Surges

Canada’s e-commerce market is projected to hit $106 billion by 2026, much of it fulfilled via intermodal containers. This seasonal, unpredictable volume requires scalable chassis support.

c) Driver Shortages and Efficiency Demands

Fleets are under pressure to maximize time per load, which means less tolerance for breakdowns or idle equipment. Rentals with included service agreements help eliminate downtime risk.

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6. British Columbia’s Role: A Hotspot for Intermodal Chassis Needs

Surrey and the Greater Vancouver Area are uniquely positioned at the crossroads of Canadian logistics:

• Direct access to Deltaport and Vanterm container terminals

• Proximity to CN and CP intermodal yards

• Easy access to Highway 1, 17, and 99

• Rapid warehouse and 3PL expansion across Surrey, Langley, and Delta

With hundreds of drayage operators servicing this corridor, equipment shortages are a daily reality. Our customers are often responding to sudden requests from:

• Customs-cleared inbound containers needing quick pickup

• Transloading facilities with limited yard space

• Cross-border clients with JIT requirements into Washington, Oregon, or Alberta

Chassis rentals ensure you never miss a load due to equipment availability.

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7. Types of Chassis Available at Mainland TTS

We offer a wide variety of intermodal chassis types, including:

• 20′ standard chassis

• 40′ gooseneck chassis

• 45′ extended chassis

• Tri-axle configurations for overweight loads

• Combo chassis (20/40/45′)

• Units from top brands like CIMC, Max Atlas, and Strick

All chassis are maintained to CVIP and DOT safety standards, and inspected before each deployment.

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8. Case Study: Scaling Fast Without Owning a Single Chassis

One of our Surrey-based clients, a regional 3PL handling customs-cleared containers, needed to expand capacity by 12 units within 48 hours after a major shipper rerouted containers from Prince Rupert to Deltaport due to weather delays.

Instead of rushing to purchase used units (and losing weeks to prep and inspection), they:

• Rented 12 chassis from Mainland TTS

• Picked up all 12 within 36 hours

• Ran 3 round trips per day per chassis

• Completed the job and returned equipment after 3 weeks

By renting, they avoided $150,000+ in capex and secured repeat business from the shipper.

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9. Your Next Move: Don’t Get Caught Without Chassis This Season

Whether you’re preparing for summer surges, port strikes, or Q4 holiday peaks, now is the time to evaluate your chassis strategy.

Rentals offer a reliable, low-risk way to boost capacity while keeping your operation lean and responsive.

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Contact Us Today

📍 Visit Us: 9616 188 Street, Surrey, BC V4N 3M2
📞 Call: +1 866-888-6887
🌐 Website: www.MainlandTTS.com
📩 Email: info@mainlandtts.com

We’ll help you assess your needs, explore rental plans, and deploy chassis that keep your fleet moving.