National Freight Strategy Framework

Section V. Closing

In our view, the final Plan should be a document that offers specific information to help further the activities of States, State Freight Advisory Committees, the private sector, MPOs, citizen groups and elected officials to understand and plan for a new era of freight. While this document is not a specific roadmap of projects and initiatives, it offers the perspective of the DOT as lessons learned in the evolution of our freight programs and technical assistance over the last eight years of this Administration. Critically, it also synthesizes the input gleaned from hundreds of hours and hundreds of engaged citizens, business leaders, practitioners, operators and planners, among others, as to what works, what doesn't work, and what future we should collectively work to achieve in the future Freight Economy. We acknowledge that the Final Plan will be the responsibility of the next Administration to produce and that the strategies and ideas proposed here are suggestions to inform the development of that document. Nonetheless, we believe that by building on the vision articulated here, the U.S. freight transportation system would be well-provisioned with research results, data, training, tools, technologies, best practices, guidelines and resources to make strategic investments that will elevate the efficiency, safety, environmental and economic benefits of goods movement for a strong and resilient future.