On July 20, 2011, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sponsored a free freight webinar “Engaging the Private Sector.” 

The first speaker, Suzann Rhodes (Wilbur Smith Assoc.), provided an overview of the webinar topic and mentioned FHWA’s A Guidebook for Engaging the Private Sector in Freight Transportation Planning, http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/freight_planning/guidebook/index.cfm

The second speaker, Nicole Katsikides (Maryland Dept. of Transportation or MDOT), stated that MDOT has an Office of Freight and Multimodalism and a Freight Stakeholder Advisory Committee (FSAC).  The state utilized the FSAC to set milk hauling policy related to enforcement of overweight vehicles.

The third speaker, Karen Schmidt, Executive Director of the State of Washington’s Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board, introduced that board to webinar attendees.  The Board, funded by trucking taxes, evaluates and helps fund projects which improve freight movement.  Through partnerships, the Board uses its funds to leverage funds of other agencies.

The fourth and final speaker, Liz DeRuchie (North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority or NJTPA), recounted how her agency, the 4th largest MPO in the nation, partnered with the local port authority and railroads—with all partners contributing funds—to achieve the retrofitting/replacement of diesel locomotives to improve air quality.