Freight Planning

FHWA Launches New Freight Planning Web Site

www.fhwa.dot.gov/freightplanning

The Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) Office of Planning, in partnership with the Office of Freight Management and Operations, recently updated its Freight Planning Web site (www.fhwa.dot.gov/freightplanning).

Our partners at State Departments of Transportation (DOTs), Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), and regional councils have told us freight transportation issues are elevating in importance, and the challenges and solutions they are confronting are complex.

“The number of commercial vehicles on our highways has grown considerably during the past 5-10 years. It is staggering to think freight tonnage moving on our system will increase by about 70 percent by 2020,” says Gloria Shepherd, Director of FHWA’s Office of Planning. “We must prepare now for this significant increase. Our stakeholders deserve accurate and current information and resources to help them do their jobs better.”

The Freight Planning Web site is designed to provide the information you need. As a key part of a larger scale Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) Program and Freight Professional Development (FPD) Program, the site provides a variety of resources to enable freight professionals to make informed decisions regarding freight transportation planning in their states and regions. The Web site serves as a virtual toolbox of guidance, successful/innovative practices, data, and program information. The following topics and information can be found on the site:

Talking Freight Seminar Series – These Web-conference seminars provide a convenient and no-cost way for transportation practitioners to broaden their freight knowledge base and develop new skills to help them do their jobs better. The Web page includes PowerPoint presentations and recordings of past seminars and information to register for upcoming seminars.
Freight Planning Peer Exchange Listserv – Provides a forum for over 500 public and private subscribers to share information on noteworthy practices and other resources for meeting metropolitan and statewide freight transportation planning needs.
Data Sources – Links to various transportation-related databases and statistical Web sites, as well as information on current research projects.
Freight Forecasting – Offers guidance on freight forecasting, as well as information on a variety of freight models being used and related studies being undertaken across the United States. Links are also provided to the GeoFreight Intermodal Display Tool and the Freight Analysis Framework.
Funding Programs – Provides information about eligible funding programs in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). Upon passage of a new highway bill, the site will be updated to reflect new laws and programs.
Publications and Videos – Presents an overview of various intermodal freight transportation topics and, more specifically, freight planning topics. Videos are captioned for accessibility.
Conferences and Meetings – Lists upcoming freight-related events and links to find further information about the events.
Freight Professional Development (FPD) Program – Provides a wealth of resources for freight professionals on a variety of freight-related topics. The FPD Program was developed to assist State DOT and MPO staffs gain the skills and knowledge necessary to meet the challenges arising from the increasing flow of freight on the nation’s transportation system (www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight/fpd).
Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) Program – Offers a wealth of resources for transportation planning professionals on a variety of planning-related topics. The TPCB Program was developed to assist State DOT and MPO officials and staffs to resolve increasingly complex issues related to transportation needs in their communities (www.planning.dot.gov).

We encourage you to visit the FHWA Freight Planning Web site. This site will be continuously updated as new resources are developed.

Eloise Freeman-Powell
Eloise.Freeman-Powell@fhwa.dot.gov
202-366-2068

Scott Johnson
Scott.Johnson@fhwa.dot.gov
202-366-9498

U.S. Department
of Transportation

Federal Highway
Administration

FHWA, Office of Planning and Office of Freight Management and Operations
400 7th Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20590
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/freightplanning, http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freight
Toll-free help-line 866-367-7487

FHWA-OP-04-023
EDL 13892

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