WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is updating its national freight strategy to address urgent new policy priorities, including the effects of emerging technology as well as regulatory barriers to improving the transportation system.
To help plan for a projected 50% increase in U.S. freight tonnage by 2050, the U.S. Department of Transportation is seeking input from freight carrier owners and operators, shippers, and government agencies to improve on the National Freight Strategic Plan (NFSP) issued in 2020.
“More than ever, we need to plan transportation and infrastructure investments – especially for freight – by looking at the big picture,” DOT wrote in an information request published on Monday.
“This means considering all transportation modes and both public and private sector needs to maintain America’s competitive edge globally. DOT recognizes the importance of engaging with the public and private industry to develop a clear and inclusive national vision for freight transportation.”
Required by Congressional mandate in 2015, the NFSP outlined strategy objectives across all freight transportation modes. It highlighted eight key trends in U.S. freight transportation, including diversifying global supply chains, rising domestic energy production, changing urban-rural dynamics and increasing e-commerce.
The NFSP also pointed out that the country’s network of million miles of highways, railways, and waterways linked through hundreds of intermodal facilities, seaports and airports make freight markets “fertile ground for applications of wireless connectivity, machine learning, and artificial intelligence that can improve our ability to track freight movements and optimize supply chains.”
With a clearer understanding since then of AI’s potential to transform the industry as backdrop, DOT is asking for public input on how emerging operational or technological advances are likely to reshape freight movement over the next five years, and what actions public agencies should take to enable or accelerate their adoption.
Also, “What are the most significant regulatory, technological, procedural, institutional, or statutory barriers to freight system performance – especially at intermodal connectors and freight origin and destination points?” asked DOT in the information request. “How should any existing goals or strategies be reframed given changes in the freight system since 2020?”
Other questions to which DOT is requesting public comment:
- How can DOT support greater private-sector investment, and what investment roles are best suited for public versus private actors?
- How has the 2020 NFSP influenced freight planning, policies, or investments at the Federal, State, local, or private sector levels?
- What metrics – across safety, efficiency, resilience, or infrastructure condition – should DOT use to evaluate multimodal freight system performance?
- What strategies should DOT consider to strengthen the freight system’s resilience to natural disasters, economic shocks, or other disruptions?
- How will an officially designated National Multimodal Freight Network help or influence the way public agencies plan and invest in the freight system?
Comments must be received by DOT on or before August 14.
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