GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 22, 2026

modal shift procedures

A logistics provider is asked to move a regular freight flow from road to rail – this is precisely where modal shift procedures apply.

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Last updated: 22 June 2026Published: 19 June 2025

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modal_shift

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Logistics Concept

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1 min

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Definition & Explanation

A logistics provider is asked to move a regular freight flow from road to rail – this is precisely where modal shift procedures apply. The term describes the systematic transfer of cargo from one transport mode, typically road, to another – rail, inland waterway, or combined transport – covering all organisational, technical, and infrastructure measures needed to make that transition permanent. Modal shift procedures operate both at company level and as instruments of public transport policy, such as the EU's modal shift targets or Switzerland's statutory rail transfer obligations, with the dual aim of reducing road congestion and cutting carbon emissions. In practice they depend on compatible loading units, coordinated timetables, and suitable transhipment infrastructure including freight terminals and rolling motorway (Ro-La) loading points. Unlike intermodal transport, which simply describes the use of multiple modes within a single shipment, modal shift procedures target a lasting structural change in the dominant freight mode.