Current News

The following news items were compiled by the FHWA Office of Freight Management and Operations. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list of freight news.

Data and Analysis

Quick Response Freight Manual Second Edition - February 20, 2008
Quick Response Freight Manual II is an update to the first edition developed for FHWA in 1996. Like its predecessor, the new edition provides background...

Triad Transport/Logistics Inventory and Cluster Mapping Project Study Results Now Available - February 13, 2008
This study, commissioned by the Greensboro, North Carolina Economic Development Alliance, involved a comprehensive data analysis of the North Carolina Triad area's cluster of transport-logistics...

New Publication: Freight Facts and Figures 2007 - January 11, 2008
This report provides an overview of freight transportation, focusing on the volume and value of freight shipments, the extent of the freight network, industry employment...

Now Available: Freight Analysis Framework 2 Technical Data - April 11, 2007
The Office of Freight Management and Operations has just released truck flow data over the national highway network as part of the Freight Analysis Framework...

New Publication: Freight Facts and Figures 2006 - December 22, 2006
Freight Facts and Figures 2006 (Publication Number: FHWA-HOP-07-033) contains national statistics and maps highlighting the extent, use, and consequences of freight transportation in the United...

Freight Demand Modeling: Tools for Public-Sector Decision Making available as an e-Session - October 04, 2006
Most of the Transportation Research Board's (TRB) Freight Demand Modeling: Tools for Public-Sector Decision Making conference, sponsored by FHWA and others, is available as a...

Freight Analysis Framework (FAF) Information by State - March 10, 2006
FAF State Profiles provide 2002 data on freight shipments by mode and by commodity for each state.

Freight Info: Freight Analysis Framework Commodity Origin-Destination Database 2002 and User Guide - February 09, 2006
This document contains basic information for using the Freight Analysis Framework Version 2 (FAF2) Commodity Origin-Destination Database: 2002.

Now Available: Freight Analysis Framework 2 (FAF2) Estimates for 2002 - January 20, 2006
FAF2 products released in January 2006 include the 2002 database of tons and value by origin, destination, port of entry or exit for imports and...

New Publication: Freight Facts and Figures 2005 - January 18, 2006
Freight Facts and Figures 2005 (Publication Number: FHWA-HOP-05-071) contains national statistics and maps highlighting the extent, use, and consequences of freight transportation in the United...

Freight Facts and Figures 2004 is Now Available - February 03, 2005
Freight Facts and Figures 2004 is a snapshot of the volume and value of freight flows in the United States, the physical network over which...

Announcing the New National Freight Transportation Statistics and Maps Web Page - January 06, 2005
The National Freight Transportation Statistics and Maps page provides information on the volume and value of freight flows in the United States, the physical network...

Environment

London Launches Low Emission Zone - March 06, 2008
Camera network will monitor emissions of large diesel trucks and impose heavy fines on those exceeding EU exhaust limits. Link to Reuters story.

Freight News: Freight and Air Quality - June 16, 2005
Current and projected growth in freight traffic volumes will continue to congest our highways. Operational and physical capacity improvements are being made to address this...

Freight and the Environment Charrette Proceedings - June 07, 2005
FHWA is in the process of developing a training course on Freight and the Environment. As a first step, FHWA held a one-day, invitation-only charrette...

Freight Planning

NCHRP Report 606: Forecasting Statewide Freight Toolkit - April 18, 2008
TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 606: Forecasting Statewide Freight Toolkit explores an analytical framework for forecasting freight movements at the state level....

Canadian Freight and Logistics Management Manual - April 18, 2008
This manual is currently available in draft format for review. The purpose of the manual is (1) to publicize among relevant regional, provincial and federal...

Guidebook for Integrating Freight into Transportation Planning and Project Selection Processes - December 19, 2007
The Transportation Research Board's (TRB) National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 594: Guidebook for Integrating Freight into Transportation Planning and Project Selection Processes explores...

Integrating Freight into Transportation Planning and Project-Selection Processes - December 19, 2007
The Transportation Research Board's (TRB) National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Web-Only Document 112: Integrating Freight into Transportation Planning and Project-Selection Processes documents the approach...

Freight Projects

Pennsylvania Governor Announces $10 Million Investment in Rail Freight - April 18, 2008
Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell announced the investment of $10.2 million in rail freight infrastructure. The 38 grants are part of PennDOT's rail freight assistance...

Fourteen Northern California Freight Projects Recommended for $825 million in State Funding - March 18, 2008
Fourteen Northern California freight projects have been recommended by California Transportation Commission staff for $825 million in state funding. The projects are competing for more...

The Office of Operations Launched a New Tolling and Pricing Program Web Site - March 18, 2008
Today the Office of Operations launched a new Tolling and Pricing Program Web site. In an effort to create a more user friendly experience when...

Buffalo's Potential for Becoming a Trade and Transportation Gateway - February 13, 2008
The Buffalo, NY region's role as a transportation gateway could strengthen with strategic investment in freight infrastructure according to a recent report commissioned by the...

Brookings report on American Infrastructure - January 30, 2008
A report on the status of the United States' transportation infrastructure.

Financing Freight Improvements Flyer - October 17, 2007
Financing Freight Improvements is a resource for states, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and others interested in financing freight transportation projects. Developed by Federal Highway Administration's...

New Publication: Financing Freight Improvements - July 03, 2007
This document includes descriptions of the funding and financing tools available for investing in freight transportation improvements. It has been designed to provide information to...

New Publication - Freight Info: Cost-Benefit Methodology - November 23, 2005
Freight Info: Cost-Benefit Methodology (Publication Number: FHWA-HOP-05-060)

Freight Transportation: Improvements and the Economy Report Now Available - July 12, 2004
Despite the wealth of information on transportation's contribution to the economy, debate continues on the linkages between transportation improvements and economic performance and the relative...

General Freight Resources

Washington State DOT Launches New Freight Web Site - February 13, 2008
The Washington State DOT's (WSDOT) Freight Systems Division has redesigned their web site in order to better communicate the purpose and direction of their office,...

ATA Releases Report - U.S. Freight Transportation Forecast to 2018 - January 28, 2008
The American Trucking Associations (ATA) has released a report that profiles the current state of the entire freight transportation industry and the likely economic events...

FHWA's Public Roads July/August 2007 Edition - September 18, 2007
The July/August 2007 edition of FHWA's periodical Public Roads focuses on the congestion problem and the U.S. DOT's Congestion Relief Initiative. Articles included in the...

Freight Glossary and Country Codes Now Available - May 24, 2004
To help bridge the language barrier between public and private freight planning stakeholders, FHWA has created a Freight Glossary and Acronym List for your use....

Meeting Proceedings and Presentations

Maryland Freight Summit - A presentation presented by Jeffrey F. Paniati. - September 21, 2007
The Maryland Department of Transportation hosted the Maryland Freight Summit in Annapolis on September 10, 2007. Participants included members of the freight community from all...

Presentations from the AASHTO/FHWA Freight Transportation Partnership II Meeting Now Available - April 05, 2007
The Freight Transportation Partnership II Meeting was held in Natchez, Mississippi February 13-16, 2007. The presentations from this meeting were given by representatives from the...

Position Description for a State-Level Freight Coordinator - November 22, 2005
FHWA reviewed existing position descriptions and incorporated the information from the AASHTO/FHWA Partnership Meeting in Columbus, Ohio into a "freight coordinator" position description that States...

The AASHTO-FHWA Freight Transportation Partnership - Synthesis Report - August 12, 2005
The American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO)-Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Freight Transportation Partnership - Synthesis of Findings from the AASHTO/FHWA Survey, Web Casts,...

Performance Measurement

Symposium Explores How To Keep Freight Moving - October 24, 2006
Link to article in the FHWA Research and Technology Transporter: September/October 2006 Issue

Improving the Reliability of Freight Travel - August 31, 2006
An article included in the FHWA Public Roads - July/August 2006 Issue.

Measuring Travel Time in Freight-Significant Corridors - May 24, 2005
American businesses and households depend on the reliable movement of goods. U.S. freight carriers moved over 15 billion tons worth more than $9 trillion in...

Reliability: Critical to Freight Transportation - February 04, 2005
Moving commerce efficiently on the Nation's highways is vital to the economy, and FHWA is doing its part to help make that happen. Link to...

Policy and Legislation

National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission's Working Papers Now Available - April 14, 2008
This series of technical issue papers relating to a broad array of relevant surface transportation topics was prepared for the Commission. The papers were not...

National Surface Transportation and Revenue Study Commission Releases its Report to Congress - January 24, 2008
This report, prepared by a specially convened Commission, was developed in response to the charge given under Section 1909 of the Safe Accountable, Flexible and...

Announcement of Application Procedure and Deadlines for the Truck Parking Initiative - November 20, 2007
Notice; solicitation of applications. (Federal Register: November 16, 2007)

Article: Freighted With Urgency - January 26, 2007
Link to article in the FHWA Public Roads January/February 2007 issue. USDOT looks to public and private stakeholders to collaborate on a national policy that...

Corridors Of The Future Program Applications Now Being Accepted - September 14, 2006
Federal Register: September 5, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 171) [DOCID:fr05se06-66] Corridors of the Future Program

Truck Parking Facilities Grant Applications Now Being Accepted - August 31, 2006
The FHWA is soliciting FY 2006 candidate grant applications from States for the Truck Parking Facilities Grant Program.

Draft Framework for a National Freight Policy - January 30, 2006
The Framework lays out vision and objectives and details strategies and tactics the Department and its partners can pursue to realize those objectives.

Guidance to States: Projects of National and Regional Significance, National Corridor Infrastructure Improvement Program, and Freight Intermodal Distribution Pilot Grant Program - January 12, 2006
These documents provide guidance to grant recipients for submitting project descriptions to FHWA to expedite the release of designated funds under SAFETEA-LU Sections 1301 (Projects...

Freight Provisions of Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), September 7, 2005 Web Cast - October 12, 2005
The Freight Provisions of SAFETEA-LU Web Cast Recording, September 7, 2005 and the Closed Captioning is now available.

Freight Provisions in Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), September 7, 2005 - September 20, 2005
Freight Provisions in SAFETEA-LU, September 7, 2005 Presentation

Professional Development/Training

Talking Freight Seminar, May 21, 2008 - April 18, 2008
Event: Supply Chains - Learn about supply chain operations and the impacts on transportation/planning.

Go! Magazine Focuses on Freight - January 08, 2008
Go! is a free online magazine geared towards teens and young adults that explores transportation issues and topics. The November/December 2007 issue focuses on freight...

Freight Peer-to-Peer Program Flyer - May 11, 2006
The Freight Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Program Flyer is now available. The P2P Program facilitates information sharing between public sector freight transportation professionals and provides technical assistance...

Updated List of Freight Training and Technical Assistance Opportunities Now Available - December 27, 2005
The Federal Highway Administration regularly works with its State and metropolitan planning customers to identify products needed to help them do their jobs better and...

Announcing a New Freight Course (FPD Flyer) "Multimodal Freight Forecasting in Transportation Planning" (3-day NHI course beginning in January 2005) - September 29, 2004
Uses of Multimodal Freight Forecasting in Transportation Planning (Course 139002) is offered through the National Highway Institute (NHI). The initial 10 course offerings are free...

New Freight Course--Multimodal Freight Forecasting in Transportation Planning - May 20, 2004
Offered through the National Highway Institute, the course discusses key factors that influence freight traffic and available data and tools used in forecasting freight traffic,...

New Freight Course--Integrating Freight in the Transportation Planning Process - March 30, 2004
Offered through the National Highway Institute, the course discusses issues that hinder freight from being fully incorporated in the planning process and identifies key resources...

Rail

Freight Rail Industry Surging Due to Global Factors - April 22, 2008
The freight rail industry is in the midst of its largest building boom in nearly a century, due to rising fuel costs for trucks and...

Atlanta Freight Study Recommends Investment in Rail Network - April 18, 2008
The recently released Atlanta Regional Freight Mobility Plan includes several recommendations for managing the projected increase in freight in Atlanta and the resulting increase in...

Interest in Local Rail Freight Growing in Pennsylvania Town - March 25, 2008
A proposed ethanol plant in Indian Orchard, Pennsylvania has the potential to bring increased rail service, which town officials hope will also help bring in...

California Freight Study Shows Freight and Commuter Trains Can Share Tracks - March 13, 2008
A study conducted by the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) agency found that freight and commuter trains can co-exist on tracks running through Sonoma and...

CSX Transportation Provides Carbon Calculator - February 13, 2008
CSX Transportation has developed an online carbon calculator, which quickly calculates the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions savings of specific rail shipments, providing comparative data among...

Pennsylvania Governor Announces $20 Million Investment in Rail Freight - January 25, 2008
This investment will help seven railroads and five businesses undergo rail-freight improvement projects, stimulate economic development and reduce traffic congestion. The investment comes from grants...

Security

US Prepares to Extend Test of its Secure Freight Initiative to Four More Countries - March 21, 2008
After successful trials in three locations the US is planning to extend its Secure Freight Initiative to Hong Kong, Singapore, Oman, and Korea. The initiative...

Freight Security Awareness Training CD Now Available - September 05, 2006
The Freight Security Awareness Training CD is now available for ordering.

Size and Weight

Commercial Motor Vehicle Size and Weight Enforcement in Europe - August 09, 2007
Commercial Motor Vehicle Size and Weight Enforcement in Europe (Publication Number: FHWA-PL-07-002)

Now Available: Bridge Formula Weights Calculator - November 03, 2006
The on-line Bridge Formula Weights Calculator provides a convenient way to determine the maximum allowable weight that any set of axles on a motor vehicle...

Hurricane Katrina Recovery - September 01, 2005
For Information On Moving Oversize / Overweight Commercial Vehicles In Support Of Hurricane Katrina Recovery.

Oversize and Overweight Load Permit Information - January 11, 2005
Need information on obtaining an oversize and overweight load management permit? The Oversize and Overweight Load Permit Information web page is now available.

Technology

New Publication: Freight Technology Assessment Tool User Guide - July 24, 2007
The Freight Technology Assessment Tool (FTAT) helps public and private organizations and individuals evaluate the effect that a technology, or group of technologies, has on...

New Publication: The Electronic Freight Management Initiative - June 22, 2006
The Electronic Freight Management (EFM) initiative is a U.S. Department of Transportation-sponsored research effort that partners with freight-related industries to improve the operating efficiency, safety,...

New Publication - Freight Info: Electronic Freight Management - September 23, 2005
Freight Info: Electronic Freight Management (Publication Number: FHWA-HOP-05-059)

New Publication - Freight Technology Story - July 12, 2005
The Freight Technology Story provides information about the state of the art and the adoption of effective technologies by the freight industry and its customers.

Border Information Flow Architecture Initiative Recorded Web Conference Is Now Available - January 06, 2005
The recording of the Border Information Flow Architecture Initiative Web Conference is now available.

Universal Electronic Freight Manifest Initiative Overview Now Available - July 15, 2004
The Universal Electronic Freight Manifest Initiative builds on the Electronic Supply Chain Manifest (ESCM) project and, depending on test results and industry adoption, could be...