DOT unveils national freight framework

-- Logistics Management, 2/1/2006

WASHINGTON— The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) this week unveiled what it called a "Framework for a National Freight Policy." It was presented by Jeffrey N. Shane, DOT’s Under Secretary for Policy, at the annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) in Washington, D.C. Recognizing the constraints of capacity, the DOT said the agency does not have the "tools – or – the authority – to remedy all of the problems on its own." As such DOT said it intends to bring together public and private stakeholders around a common vision.This plan will solicit input from the private freight sector over the coming months.

In detailing the freight plan, the DOT emphasized that as a theme it is not proposing a Federal freight policy, but a program for a national policy on freight. This distinction makes clear its belief that a national system plan be coordinated among states and localities and not run as a federal institution.

Among the program’s objectives DOT said it plans to improve operations of the existing freight system. Two, it would add physical capacity to the system where investment makes economic sense. Three, it will use pricing to better align all costs and benefits between users and owners of the freight system and encourage deployment of productivity – enhancing technologies. Four, reduce or remove statutory, and institutional barriers to improved freight transportation performance. Five, proactively identify and address emerging transportation needs. Six, maximize the safety and security of the freight transportation system. Seven, mitigate and better manage the environmental, health, and community impacts of freight transport.

It is not clear why the DOT plan was released at this time.It comes some six months after enactment of the surface reauthorization bill, the "Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Act: A Legacy for Users" (SAFETEA-LU).

For a complete copy of the proposed national freight plan, click here:

http://ostpxweb.dot.gov/freight_policy_framework.html.For a copy of Secretary Shane’s presentation, click here:

http://www.nitl.org/ShanePresentation.ppt.