Freight Demand Modeling and Data Improvement Strategic Plan (2013)

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84 FREIGHT DECISION-MAKING AND DATA NEEDS BACKGROUND Establishing a strategic direction for innovative freight research requires an under- standing of the decision-making and data needs of state DOTs and MPOs, as well as their perspectives on promising areas of research. It is also important to consider pri- vate sector freight decision-making needs, particularly to the extent that they overlap the needs of public agencies. This section summarizes freight decision-making needs in the public and private sectors derived through extensive outreach in the forms of background research, spe- cial meetings, and workshops, including • State DOT workshops in Ohio and Washington; • A regional freight stakeholders workshop for the Northeast held in Newark, New Jersey; • The Innovations in Freight Modeling and Data Symposium in Washington, D.C.; • Engagement of a range of stakeholders at various conferences, including the American Planning Association and TRB freight and visualization conferences; and • Validation of draft decision-making needs through a special stakeholders meeting in Washington, D.C.

9FREIGHT DEMAND MODELING AND DATA IMPROVEMENT STRATEGIC PLAN SUMMARY OF DECISION-MAKING AND DATA NEEDS The following list highlights those items that stakeholders have most commonly raised as top priorities for freight modeling and data research: • Freight forecasting and analysis can be enhanced through a recognized and valid inventory of standardized data sources with common definitions; • A range of analytic tools and applications to address diverse decision-making needs is needed; • A process is needed to routinely generate new data sources and problem-solving methods; • Behavior-based facets of freight decision making need to be incorporated into modeling, or at least better understood as important context; • Industry-level freight data are needed at a subregional level, and there is also a need to better understand local deliveries in urban areas; • Cost–benefit analysis tools are needed that go beyond traditional financial mea- sures by including direct and indirect benefits and costs (public and private); • Consideration should be given to developing a statistical sampling of truck ship- ment data similar to the Carload Waybill Sample available for railroads; • Better information is needed to understand the nature, volume, and trends of inter- modal transfers; • Attention should be given to using technologies such as global positioning systems (GPS), IntelliDrive, intelligent transportation systems (ITS), and the associated data generated to aid freight planning and modeling; • Local land use policies and controls should be factored into models to increase the accuracy of freight forecasting at the local level; • A better understanding is needed of the correlation between freight activity and various economic influences such as fuel price, currency valuation, and macro- economic trends; • Methodologies are needed to apply freight forecasts to revenue projections for toll authorities and other funding and finance analyses; • The ultimate long-term goal is the development of a multimodal, network-based freight demand model that incorporates all modes of transport (e.g., vehicle, rail- car, vessel) to a similar level of detail for various geographies; • A concentrated effort to develop the requisite knowledge and skills that support freight analysis should be emphasized. Stakeholders generally acknowledged that this will need to be accomplished through more training, greater public–private collaboration, and expanded professional development approaches; • Enhanced tools and processes would be beneficial to measure the accuracy of freight analyses and data forecasts; and Greater communication and structured information exchanges between the public and private sectors are needed to expand data sharing and to advance required analytic approaches.

10 FREIGHT DEMAND MODELING AND DATA IMPROVEMENT STRATEGIC PLAN • There is a strong interest among highway agencies to develop tools that use freight forecasts to support the agencies’ infrastructure design processes. Greater communication and structured information exchanges between the public and private sectors are needed to expand data sharing and to advance required analytic approaches. The need for greater capacity building can be partially achieved through more routine outreach by planners to shippers and carriers to identify trends, changing decision-making needs, and areas of improvement. Expanded exchange will serve to improve model development and calibration, in addition to improving freight analysis overall through greater understanding of carrier and shipper operations and business practices.