Is a new definition of intermodal transport interesting for transferring flows from road to more environmentally friendly modes?

Road remains the most used mode in Europe. Even if it is appreciated for its responsiveness, flexibility, and quickness, road transport is however responsible for negative impacts on its environment like air pollution or climate change. Intermodal freight transport i.e. the transportation of goods using two or more modes of transport, in the same loading unit, without handling of the goods themselves is identified by the European Commission as an interesting solution for limiting the negative impacts of transport.
In the classical conception of intermodal transport, pre- and post-haulage travels are supposed to be short, and to be performed by road transport, whereas the long-haul travel is done using rail or inland waterways (IWW).
The objective of this study is to determine the impact on intermodal attractiveness of allowing other combinations of modes than the classical road-rail/IWW-road combination, during an intermodal travel. The goal is to determine the flow distribution of goods between direct transportation by road, rail or IWW, and any combination of these modes using intermodal transport. The novelty consists in taking into account three modes of transport in a mixed integer programming model, and to allow the transfer from any mode to any other at intermodal terminals where these modes coexist.
For testing the hypothesis of intermodal transport attractiveness on medium to long distance, the model is applied to experimental data at the European level.