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This study of policy options for intermodal freight was initiated by the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Executive Committee in 1995. The Executive Committee recognized that freight transportation is of critical economic importance to the United States and that intermodal freight transportation is one of the major technological and organizational trends affecting the performance of the sector. The Executive Committee also recognized that the federal government and many state and local governments are working to accommodate public transportation facilities and programs to the needs of intermodal freight.

The Executive Committee decided to undertake a project that would highlight the importance of intermodal freight transportation efficiency, identify major impediments, indicate areas where research could resolve or reduce existing problems, and identify changes in public policy that could help foster more efficient intermodal freight movements. The scope of inquiry would focus on land access issues at intermodal freight terminals, including the public policy issues raised at major terminals serving interstate commerce, with an emphasis on the public role in resolving freight terminal access issues.

Intermodal freight transportation is any movement of goods that involves two or more modes of transport, for example, shipments of goods in containers that are transferred between truck and rail, and shipment of bulk commodities that involves transfer between rail and water. The total of all such movements accounts for a minority of U.S. freight activity, measured in physical volume of freight or in the cost of services. However, intermodal freight is critical in international trade,

in transport of many high-value products, and in military supply; it has been a source of trucking industry cost savings and rail industry revenue growth; and intermodal transfers, which often require coordination of government entities and multiple private-sector firms, can be physical and organizational bottlenecks affecting the performance of the entire freight system. Because it competes with single-mode freight, the intermodal option spurs efficiency in a large segment of the freight industry. The public sector is looking to intermodal freight as a means of controlling government highway costs, reducing pollution, and stimulating local employment.

Freight transportation is a joint enterprise of the private sector, government, and public enterprises (for example, public port authorities). Private firms provide direct services to shippers, but public enterprises and government provide major components of the infrastructure. It is important to review public-sector programs that serve freight to determine how well they are keeping up with rapid change in industry.

To conduct the study, TRB formed a committee that included members with expertise in intermodal freight transportation, state and local government transportation administration, and public policy. The committee was formed according to the procedures of the National Research Council (NRC) to ensure a balance of points of view.

The study committee examined policy issues confronting government officials at the federal, state, and local levels. The committee selected topics to complement and update other recent reviews of intermodal issues, including the report of the National Commission on Intermodal Transportation and U.S. Department of Transportation studies of impediments to intermodal freight efficiency. The committee decided that its contribution should be in the definition of principles to guide decisions as governments venture into developing the new kinds of transportation infrastructure projects and new forms of arrangements with users that will be needed to respond to changes in the freight industry. The committee’s conclusions are in four areas:

• Principles for government involvement,

• Federal surface transportation programs affecting freight,

• Regulatory and operations issues, and

• Public finance of intermodal freight projects.

As sources of information for its report, the committee organized a workshop for government officials, industry executives, and researchers and commissioned a series of papers on special topics. The papers appear at the end of this volume, following the committee’s report. The authors and titles of the commissioned papers are as follows:

• Randall W. Eberts, “Principles for Government Involvement in Freight Infrastructure”;

• Jean Lauver, “Federal Surface Transportation Legislation and Freight”;

• Daniel Smith, “Freight Projects of National Significance: Toward a Working Definition”;

• Barrie R. Nault, “Information Technology for Freight Transportation Coordination”; and

• John E. Petersen, “Public-Sector Financing in Intermodal Freight Transportation.”

The committee acknowledges the contributions that these authors have made to this report through their participation in the workshop as well as their papers. The authors are responsible for the contents of their papers.

This report has been independently reviewed according to procedures of the NRC Report Review Committee. Reviewers were chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise. The purpose of the review was to provide comments to assist the authors and the NRC in making the report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following persons for their participation in the review of this report:

• A. Ray Chamberlain, American Trucking Associations, Inc.;

• John Glover, Port of Oakland, California;

• William J. Harris, Jr., Texas A&M University System;

• Lester A. Hoel, University of Virginia;

• David Luberoff, Harvard University;

• Bradley L. Mallory, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation; and

• Paul E. Nowicki, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway.

Funding for this study was provided by the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Railroad Administration, and TRB.

The study was performed under the overall supervision of Stephen R. Godwin, TRB Director of Studies and Information Services. The study director was Joseph R. Morris. Frances E. Holland provided administrative and clerical support. Norman Solomon edited the report and the commissioned papers. Suzanne Schneider, TRB Assistant Executive Director, arranged the report review process for TRB.

The highlights of the consensus findings and recommendations of the study committee are given in the Executive Summary. The complete presentation of findings, recommendations, and policy options appears in Chapter 6. Background information on public policy issues concerning freight transportation and the scope of the study are described in Chapter 1, which should be read in conjunction with the Executive Summary by readers unfamiliar with the issues. The basis for the committee’s conclusions is explained in Chapters 2 through 5.

Edward K. Morlok, Chairman

Committee for a Study of Policy Options To Address Intermodal

Freight Transportation

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