Identifying and Using Low-Cost and Quickly Implementable Ways to Address Freight-System Mobility Constraints (2010)

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C-1 Project: NCFRP 04: Identifying and Using Low-Cost and Quickly Implementable Ways to Address Freight-System Mobility Constraints Purpose of Study and Interview Objectives The primary objective of the study is to develop and test a methodology to successfully address multi-modal freight mobility congestion points through low-cost, quickly imple- mentable physical and operational improvements. The pur- pose of the interviews is to gather sufficient information to develop a better understanding of constraints facing freight transportation by different modes and the range of improve- ments taken to remove these constraints. The interview guide is designed with the primary objective to obtain sufficient information on: • Definition of freight mobility constraint • Identification of constraint indicators and trigger factors • Definition of low-cost and quickly implementable (quick fix) improvements • Decision process/approach in selecting appropriate im- provements • Cost of low-cost improvements • Examples of implemented improvements. General The purpose of this section is to gather information on the types of freight activities undertaken by the organization. 1. Name or interviewee, phone number, email, fax 2. Name of agency 3. What is your agency’s major freight-related activity? 4. What roles does your agency play in • identifying mobility constraints or • monitoring freight mobility indicators or • implementing improvements or • evaluating effectiveness of improvements? 5. What other agencies does your agency collaborate with in assessing and addressing freight mobility issues? Agencies Responsible for the Provision, Maintenance, and Regulation of Transportation Infrastructure (State DOTs, MPOs, Terminal Operators, Federal Agencies, etc.) The questions in this section are directed at gathering information on identification and classification of mobility constraints as well as definition and selection of improve- ment options. 1. What are the predominant modes of freight transporta- tion of your agency? 2. From your perspective, how would you define a “freight mobility constraint”? 3. What are the major causes of freight mobility constraints? 4. What are the major severe and persistent freight mobility constraints that you experience? 5. What are the indicators of the major freight mobility con- straint (e.g., traffic volume, truck percentage, delay, level of service, service reliability)? 6. How would you characterize the various types of freight mobility constraints (e.g., physical capacity, operational, regulatory)? 7. Do safety regulations (FRA/FMCSA/RITA/MARAD) im- pose unwarranted burdens such as to impede mobility and efficient operations? If so, what reforms could be made that would ensure both safety and efficiency? 8. Do planning and environmental regulations (FHWA, STB, EPA, Corps of Engineers, State agencies) impose unwarranted burdens such as to impede mobility and efficient operations? If so, what reforms could be made A P P E N D I X C Interview Guide

that would ensure both environmental protection and efficiency? 9. How do any Department of Homeland Security (and inter- national) requirements interfere with efficient freight movements (highway, rail, ports, inland waterways, pipeline)? 10. Where do these constraints mostly occur in the freight transportation system—highway or rail class (inter- changes, etc.)? 11. What steps are involved in selecting potential improve- ment options (decision process)? 12. What alternatives are considered in trying to address the freight constraints (by type)? 13. What factors are considered in selecting an improvement action (e.g., cost, implementation time, safety)? 14. How would you characterize a “low-cost” action directed at improving freight mobility? 15. How would you characterize a “quickly implementable” or “quick fix” improvement action directed at address- ing freight mobility constraint? 16. Do you typically use benefit-cost analysis in selecting alternative options? 17. What is the role of stakeholders in selecting and imple- mentation of improvements? 18. What are the measures and how do you assess the success of implemented improvements? 19. Please provide the following information on examples of implemented improvements by type of improvement a. type of improvement b. cost of improvement c. duration of improvement d. impacts of improvement action 20. What are potential sources of detailed information on implemented improvements? 21. Do you have any comments that you would like to add? Rail—Additional Questions 1. Is any part of your railroad currently operating at full capac- ity? e.g., 2. Where/what kind of congestion and bottlenecks are most severe and persistent? a. Yards and Industrial Switching Terminals b. Line Haul (include major maintenance windows/work performed under traffic) c. Intermodal Terminals d. Locomotive Power e. Crews f. Maintenance Shops 3. What are the causes of the most severe capacity prob- lems? e.g., a. General economic growth b. Secular growth in key commodities c. Cyclical boom/bust in imports/exports related to the strength of the dollar d. Economic/re-regulatory uncertainty causing us to be cautious about reinvestment e. Insufficient cash flow for re-investment, e.g., “not earn- ing our cost of capital” f. Car supply shortages g. Other materials or construction supply shortages, e.g., steel rail, concrete, signal systems h. Other 4. Do you believe improving your service reliability “creates” capacity through improved asset utilization, or requires additional (surge) capacity to stay on schedule? 5. What technologies would help you improve service reli- ability? a. Train control/advanced dispatching b. Onboard sensors c. Rapid on/off maintenance of way machinery d. Electronically controlled pneumatic brakes e. Advanced electronic inspection techniques f. Trunked digital communications systems g. Other 6. Do you have any comments that you would like to add? Short-Line and Regional Railroads 1. Are there impediments to freight mobility that short lines and regional railroads face that make re-acquisition by Class Is more or less likely? What are they, and which direction do they point? 2. How effective do you think short lines are in supporting participation by local industry in national rail service markets? Do they help overcome Class I bottlenecks/labor constraints/service weaknesses? 3. Is there a need for improved computerized management systems that are scaled to short-line operations and inter- operable with the Class Is? If so, how might they be devel- oped and deployed? 4. Do you have any comments that you would like to add? Ports and Terminal Operators— Additional Questions 1. What are the top 3 issues you face regarding physical con- straints to your port or terminal operations? e.g., a. wharf conditions, b. terminal layout, c. gate configurations, d. barriers to rail efficiency, e. access to streets and highways outside the gate f. inside the gate operations? 2. What are the top 3 issues you face regarding operational constraints to your port or terminal operations? e.g., C-2

a. ship arrival time b. sufficient labor c. checking situation at gates d. cargo movements within the terminal e. ability to adjust to peak flow periods f. gaps in technology 3. What are the top 3 issues you face regarding regulatory re- quirements (e.g., security, safety, and environmental con- cerns)? Are these causing delays in cargo throughput that need to be addressed? 4. To what extent do you use electronic identification systems and other technical tools to track containers, communicate with logistics providers, meet homeland security require- ments, and participate in information sharing with local transportation agencies? Please give some examples where these applications have helped improve the flow of cargo and alleviated congestion problems. 5. Overall, how would you rate the “value” of your ability to quickly act, at relatively low cost, to address congestion problems at your port or on your terminal and in moving cargo on and off terminal? 6. Do you have any comments that you would like to add? Freight Operators—Motor Carriers, Freight Forwarders, Logistics, Warehouse The questions in this section are directed at gathering in- formation on operators’ perspectives of freight mobility constraints and impacts of improvements. 1. Are there areas of the country where you assess conges- tion/mobility-related accessorial charges? 2. From your perspective, how would you define a “freight mobility constraint”? 3. Are there areas of the country where you face mobility constraints more than other areas? 4. What mobility constraints do you face in these identified areas of the country? 5. What are the major causes of freight mobility constraints? 6. How would you characterize the various types of mobility constraints you face? 7. At what type or types of facilities do your drivers most fre- quently encounter freight mobility challenges (ports, rail yards, intermodal facilities, major bridges and tunnels, urban areas, etc.)? 8. Do safety regulations (FRA/FMCSA/RITA/MARAD) im- pose unwarranted burdens such as to impede mobility and efficient operations? If so, what reforms could be made that would ensure both safety and efficiency? 9. Which facilities offer better freight mobility than others? If so, what makes the difference? 10. What metrics does your fleet use to identify freight mobil- ity challenges, either recurring or non-recurring? 11. How do you respond to each type of constraint? 12. What are the 3 most common operational impacts of freight mobility constraints? How do they affect your customers (shippers and consignees)? 13. Have freight mobility issues changed your operating prac- tices? If so, how? 14. What improvements have improved mobility and which have not? 15. Outside of major infrastructure improvements, are there short-term fixes (facility-based, operational, etc.) to freight mobility issues that you would judge as successful? Are there others that you might propose? 16. Of those short-term fixes, are there thresholds that you would use to define “low-cost” and “quickly imple- mentable?” 17. Do you have any comments that you would like to add? Labor Unions Labor and their union organizations negotiate collective bargaining agreements that specify terms and conditions for their work efforts, including ways to improve safety, decrease lost time, and educate members to accomplish jobs using new technologies. Both management and labor ascribe to these goals. How labor cooperates and supports low-cost and quickly implementable actions will vary by mode and func- tion within that labor group’s sphere of influence. The fol- lowing questions are generic and may be modified by mode and labor participant in the interview process. 1. From your perspective, how would you define a “freight mobility constraint?” 2. What are the top 3 issues or problems you face in your work that impact freight flow and involve congestion? In this case, congestion is defined as a delay or block- age in the supply chain that causes a “back-up” to freight flow. 3. What are the top 3 actions you have seen implemented that have helped reduce these congestion problems if at all and, if not, what would you suggest could be done to address them? 4. How do you know when things are operating smoothly during your work day and when they are not, what causes the most delays and barriers to doing so? 5. Has your union been able to work with management to try to implement what might be considered “best practices” in supplying labor when needed? For example, do you sit down with management on a regular basis to determine when labor will be needed so that workers will be ready to go as soon as the freight needs to be moved? Are there C-3

other cooperative examples you can cite where specific problems affecting the speed of freight flow have been addressed by your workers? 6. What would you consider to be a “low-cost” or “quickly implementable” fix to address congestion issues? Can you give an example of one that has worked including cost and time it took to implement? 7. Can you make decisions about problem solving im- provements at your level of decision making or do you have to go through a process for approval by persons higher up in the organization? Can you give an example of one such improvement including the time and cost to you of sending it up the chain of command for approval? 8. How do you measure the flow of cargo involving your labor to move cargo? 9. To what extent do you use electronic identification sys- tems and other technical tools to track containers, com- municate with logistics providers, meet homeland secu- rity requirements, and participate in information sharing with local transportation agencies and other unions? Please give some examples where these applications have helped improve the flow of cargo and alleviated conges- tion problems. 10. To what extent are international and homeland security requirements adding to operational constraints for you in transporting freight? 11. Overall, how would you rate the “value” of your ability to quickly act, at relatively low cost, to address congestion problems in carrying out your work efforts to move freight? 12. Do you have any comments that you would like to add? C-4