Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States faced unprecedented supply chain challenges that garnered both national and global attention. Although the nation has moved beyond the acute crisis, there remains a sustained commitment from both the freight industry and the federal government to enhance supply chains and prevent similar disruptions in the future.
Over the past few years, Congress and the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) have undertaken various initiatives aimed at improving supply chains. In 2022, USDOT initiated the Freight Logistics Optimization Works information exchange to facilitate data sharing among industry stakeholders. Additionally, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure conducted hearings to examine supply chain challenges and identify areas needing attention.
A pivotal effort to bolster supply chains was mandated in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), enacted in November 2021, which contained provisions crucial to the freight industry. Besides increasing funding for key USDOT grant programs with freight eligibility, such as the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects (INFRA) program and the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program, the BIL directed the establishment of the Office of Multimodal Freight Infrastructure and Policy (Freight Office).
While the Federal Highway Administration has long overseen freight matters focused on highway transportation, the inclusion of the Freight Office in the BIL signifies the recognition of the need for specialized attention to the multifaceted nature of the freight system and its link to the U.S. economy. Given the multimodal nature of freight, the Freight Office will bridge the gap between USDOT’s modal agencies and serve as a dedicated resource for the industry, which is crucial for stakeholders to benefit from the historic BIL funding.
As stipulated by the BIL, the Freight Office is charged with executing the national multimodal freight policy, administering multimodal freight grant programs, facilitating information exchange on freight issues, conducting research to enhance multimodal freight mobility, assisting states and cities in developing supply chain expertise, and ensuring coordination with other federal agencies. The BIL mandates the Freight Office to be led by an Assistant Secretary for Multimodal Freight, nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
This November marks two years since the BIL’s enactment, yet the Freight Office still lacks appointed leadership, a policymaking framework, and an official organizational structure. Furthermore, USDOT has not added a section to its website dedicated to the Freight Office, including program descriptions, eligibility requirements, and other information as directed by the BIL.
On August 30, the Freight Stakeholders Coalition, a group of associations representing various stakeholders in the freight industry, sent a letter to USDOT Secretary Buttigieg urging the Department to expedite the establishment of the Freight Office and the appointment of its leadership. Sixteen industry stakeholders endorsed the letter, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors, Consumer Brands Association, and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
The letter expressed concerns about the limited progress in establishing the Freight Office, emphasizing its crucial role in long-term multimodal freight planning and interagency coordination on supply chain policy. The stakeholders emphasized that without proper leadership, interagency coordination occurs ad-hoc, impacting efficiency and decision-making in these tasks.