CAGTC gives Trump suggestions to improve U.S. multimodal freight network

The group sent a letter to the President-elect, praising his recognition of the need for infrastructure investment and making suggestions on how to improve the economic competitiveness of the nation’s multimodal freight network.    The leadership of the Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors (CAGTC) has sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump praising his recognition of the need for infrastructure investment and making suggestions on how to enhance the economic competitiveness of the U.S. multimodal freight network.
   The letter was signed by CAGTC President Leslie Blakely, Group Chairman Tim Lovain, and two board members – Alameda Corridor-East Construction Authority Director of Government and Community Relations Paul Hubler, and Port Tampa Bay President and CEO Paul Anderson.
   CAGTC is a group of more than 60 public and private organizations that focus on promoting freight infrastructure development and efficiency though public policy.
   “Congestion, including passenger car delay on roads shared with trucks, is estimated to cost $1 trillion annually, roughly seven percent of U.S. economic output. U.S. businesses pay an astounding $27 billion annually in extra freight transportation expenses due to shipping delays caused by system inefficiencies,” the CAGTC told Trump.
   “Dollar for dollar, investment in freight infrastructure is the optimal investment for economic growth,” the group said.
   CAGTC’s seven recommendations to Trump were to:
     • Prioritize investments in freight infrastructure;
     • Ensure freight formula funding is invested in freight infrastructure;
     • Establish a federal public-private sector freight advisory committee by either reestablishing the now-dissolved National Freight Advisory Committee, or creating a new entity that engages public and private sector stakeholders, to advise on priorities and projects that require federal attention and assistance;
     • Conduct a comprehensive needs assessment;
     • Administer FASTLANE, a competitive program created by the FAST Act, with a primary focus on freight;
     • Improve FASTLANE transparency;
     • And increase freight investment under the Department of Transportation’s TIGER program.
   “At least 18 percent of available funding in the first round of the (FASTLANE) program was awarded to what are clearly non-freight projects, and a total dollar amount to projects that may contain a limited direct benefit to freight movement is indiscernible from the limited award information provided by the USDOT,” CAGTC said.
   “In 2016, freight received only 26 percent of total funds available in the eighth round of TIGER, a transportation infrastructure competitive grant program. This share is the lowest since the program was established in 2009,” the group said.