Congestion Reduction

We all loathe getting stuck in traffic - commuters and truck drivers alike. But what is the solution?

Railroad freight companies currently sell themselves as the answer to our congestion woes by removing trucks from the road; but the realities of a significant mode shift from truck to rail is a different story.

Don't misunderstand. Truckers are themselves the freight railroads' largest customers. Trucking companies place containers and trailers on trains whenever it is economically advantageous and meets the service demands of their customers.

But problems with accessibility and efficiency inhibit freight rail's ability to effectively haul consumer goods. Freight rail can access only 20 percent of U.S communities and even in those communities the vast majority of businesses do not have an on-site rail yard.  Trucks are essential to complete deliveries.

Moreover, shifts of cargo between freight rail and trucks add time to the supply chain that manufacturers, hospitals, and retailers sometimes cannot afford. Businesses prefer trucks because they can rely on the on-time, quick deliveries of inventory. This is why trucks deliver nearly 100 percent of consumer goods; the majority of freight rail tonnage consists of bulk commodities such as coal.

In addition, increasing freight train traffic in cities is the last thing commuters need. Just talk to someone that has been stuck at a railroad crossing while a mile-long freight train creeps by.

A newsletter recently published a story about officials in California having to issue citations to railroad employees for blocking roads at rail crossings for extended periods.

ATA believes that focusing infrastructure investment dollars on increasing highway capacity around our nation's worst bottlenecks will best alleviate traffic congestion. Reducing congestion will improve our daily commutes, the flow of freight, and help our environment. Check out www.trucksdeliver.org for more.