The Department of Transportation released its plan, the National Freight Strategic Plan, yesterday (Oct. 19, 2015) outlining what and how they thought needed to be done to move our industry forward in the face of many challenges. The plan says:
…the nation’s freight system faces a number of future challenges. Freight tonnage is expected to grow significantly over the next 30 years, transportation modes are underfunded, and there is difficulty in planning and implementing freight projects and coping with the technological revolution.
There also are challenges in improving transportation safety and security and competing on a global scale, according to the plan.
Transportation Secretary, Anthony Foxx, suggests in his blog that our industry will employ an additional 70 million workers over the next 30 years (currently we employ 44 million, according to his post), increase tonnage by 40% by 2040, and see vast increases in air freight, intermodal freight, and import/export ocean shipping.
Government plans do not succeed at the same rate as those put forth by the private sector, but I agree with Secretary Foxx that we (as a nation) need to move forward with infrastructure and funding plans so that when these changes start to materialize we are not playing catch-up.
Be informed. Check out the plan yourself, add comments; Secretary Foxx is actively seeking them. Contact your congressional representatives. Don’t leave the future of our industry up to the opinions of those who do not truly know it like we do.