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In November 1998, the Subcommittee on Transportation Research and Development (R&D) of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) released the first Federal Transportation Technology Plan. This plan presents initial implementation strategies for the private-public partnerships identified in the 1997 NSTC Transportation Science and Technology Strategy. Among these partnerships, that on "Enhanced Goods and Freight Movement at Domestic and International Gateways" addresses the need for more flexible, efficient, and seamless freight transportation systems. The partnership has three key goals: (1) improve freight mobility at land borders and ports; (2) ensure the diffusion of freight information technologies and networks; and (3) expedite the global flow of goods.

The gateways partnership promotes an integrated freight R&D and investment policy and private-public collaboration on large-scale investment projects. This strategic plan outlines the partnership’s outcome goals, investment strategies, and anticipated impacts for ports and intermodal terminals. Together with a companion document for border gateways, this plan provides a framework for a comprehensive R&D investment strategy for freight transportation.

Opportunities and Challenges

The U.S. economy has benefited from the surge in global trade in three ways: (1) the growth in national income; (2) the emergence of new markets; and (3) the decline in the cost of goods. Furthermore, global outsourcing has intensified the economic gains from trade and fostered greater demand for innovative freight technologies.

Yet, this increase in trade also creates significant challenges. Threats to the transportation system’s ability to meet the needs of trading partners warrant a strong Federal role in promoting a technology-intensive freight infrastructure. These threats include:

Outcome Goals

This partnership promotes national goals for economic growth and trade competitiveness by achieving four key outcome goals. These outcome goals, along with investment strategies, anticipated impacts, and critical elements, are as follows:

Outcome Goal 1: Ensure adequate throughput and intermodal capacity at the Nation’s ports and other intermodal freight facilities.

Investment Strategy: Partner with State, local, and private agencies; port authorities; and intermodal service providers to improve network capacity by deploying advanced technologies that increase gate throughput, expedite cargo and container clearance time, and enhance navigation efficiency and information transparency at ports and intermodal facilities.

Impacts: Reduced operating costs, increased door-to-door cargo delivery speeds, and improved service.

Critical Elements: Automatic equipment identification, Global Positioning System location identification devices, and positive train control.

Outcome Goal 2: Promote advanced multi-modal terminals and consolidated cargo- handling hubs and feeder facilities.

Investment Strategy: Partner with State and local agencies and private carriers to leverage investment in multi-beneficiary intermodal terminals and freight corridors through mechanisms for cost-sharing and pooling resources.

Impacts: Reduced operating costs and congestion through economies of scale allowing the consolidation of large volumes of cargo in a single facility.

Critical Elements: Real-time supply-chain management systems and innovative financing mechanisms.

Outcome Goal 3: Support the development and diffusion of next-generation freight transportation technologies.

Investment Strategy: Accelerate the diffusion of existing marine, rail, and dual-use defense technologies through outreach and training efforts that make the technologies readily available to a larger group of users.

Impacts: Enhanced safety, efficiency, and capacity, with subsequent spillover benefits through growth in national income and productivity.

Critical Elements: Bi-modal rail equipment (such as the Iron Highway) and innovative container-handling devices.

Outcome Goal 4: Support interagency efforts to coordinate the development of standard technology protocols, shared information systems, and joint-use military facilities.

Investment Strategy: Provide Federal leadership to develop standard protocols for technology applications, remove institutional barriers to joint use of defense technologies, and formulate interagency strategies to arrive at a globally optimal freight network.

Impacts: More efficient resource use, cost-cutting opportunities for the freight industry, and economic growth through greater diffusion of dual-use technologies.

Critical Elements: Shared information and databases, including a one-stop shopping process for all Federal clearance permits required for international cargo.

Implementation

This partnership relies on a three-pronged strategy for implementation: (1) technology development; (2) technology deployment and diffusion; and (3) technology dissemination and outreach.

Technology development involves the identification of enabling technologies that enhance the management of existing resources and generate the greatest benefits for end-users, such as local freight investment planning agencies and small- and medium-sized carriers and shippers.

Technology deployment efforts promote technology applications at terminals and freight facilities through the identification of incentive grants and opportunities for strategic alliances.

Finally, technology dissemination involves the development of a clearinghouse for information on industry best practices and the identification of areas where Federal leadership is needed to overcome institutional barriers to innovation, for example, the establishment of standards or joint use of military facilities.

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