There are four main types of chassis provision models, mostly organized as pools.
- Single chassis provider. An individual intermodal equipment provider (IEP) owns chassis pooled/stored at selected locations, usually in proximity to container yards. The motor carrier must pick up and drop chassis from selected locations offered by the IEP. Providing chassis to shippers and carriers is undertaken under individually negotiated rental agreements or at posted daily rates.
- Gray pool. Several IEPs or other chassis owners contribute chassis managed by a single pool neutral manager. The pool manager is a third party created by IEPs or stakeholders such as ocean carriers to manage the pool. The pool manager performs chassis maintenance and repair and is reimbursed for these costs by the chassis contributors. IEPs receive compensation based on the provided number of chassis in the pool.
- Motor carrier controlled. Motor carrier owns chassis or leases them long-term from an IEP and is responsible for maintenance and repair, storage while not in use, and repositioning. Chassis provisioning is part of the transportation service that the motor carrier provides to its customers.
- Pool of pools. Involves the cooperation between the separate pools of IEPs, with flexible pick-up/drop-off locations, allowing for inter-pool chassis interoperability. Each IEP is still responsible for the M&R of its own chassis.