As the American economy grows, so does the volume of freight. Expanding supply chains, just-in-time deliveries, and increasing competition means freight demand has grown faster than the population. Over 50 million tons of freight move across the U.S. transportation network every day on truck, train, barge, pipeline, and plane, with each mode responsible for carrying different goods in an interrelated network. Federal grant programs aim to target funding to freight bottlenecks and intermodal connectors while also supporting experiments in drone delivery. At the local level, policymakers are placing emphasis on managing curb space, reducing emissions, and more efficiently using space to deliver packages, food, and other essentials.

high price of gas and diesel

Regional Variations in Fuel Prices and Impacts of Diesel Export Ban

Sep 25, 2026 | Rebecca Higgins
Calls for a ban on diesel exports are informed by the regional variation in fuel prices and particularly the high...

WRDA Moves Closer to Enactment

Sep 18, 2026 | Rebecca Higgins
House passage of a Water Resources Development Act sends the bill to the Senate, where Senators are working to pass...

UP/NS Merger Update: STB Establishes Procedural Timeline While UP and CN Reach Operating Agreements

Aug 28, 2026 | Sohail Husain
The STB has set a procedural schedule for the $85 billion Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger, just as UP reached new...

House Armed Services and T&I Members Discuss Upstream Efforts to Revitalize Maritime Industrial Base

Apr 24, 2026 | Grace Truslow
During a joint hearing, members discussed how to close the gap between existing US shipbuilding capacity and Administrative desires to...

Transportation in the News: Shaping and Covering the Stories

Apr 23, 2026 | Karen Price
The webinar will explore how the media covers transportation policies, programs, projects, and major incidents. Panelists will…

The Legal Question of Tolling Hormuz

Apr 10, 2026 | Rebecca Higgins
As Iran seeks to formalize its authority to impose tolls on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the legal basis...

Making More Visible the Often-Invisible Inland Waterways

Mar 31, 2026 | Deb Calhoun
Telling the story of the inland waterways can help convey their national significance to everyday consumers and other beneficiaries of...

SCOTUS Discusses the Extent of Freight Broker Liabilities

Mar 20, 2026 | Grace Truslow
During oral arguments for Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC SCOTUS deliberated whether freight brokers be can held liable for...

T&I Moves CDL Bill on Partisan Vote

Mar 20, 2026 | Rebecca Higgins
The House T&I Committee marked up a standalone bill addressing English language requirements for CDL holders and limiting the eligibility...

House Judiciary Committee Meets to Discuss Antitrust Exemption in Maritime Shipping

Mar 20, 2026 | Sohail Husain
The US House Judiciary Committee met on Tuesday to discuss the state of maritime shipping and the impacts of the...

Senate Committee Explores Diesel Engine Emission Controls

Mar 13, 2026 | Rebecca Higgins
The EPW Committee hearing addressed a bill that would waive compliance with certain NOx standards for trucks in Alaska and...

Tracking Transportation Impacts from Military Engagement in Iran

Mar 6, 2026 | Rebecca Higgins
March 6, 2026 - Fuel prices and airspace rerouting are the initial transportation effects of war with Iran.

Op-Ed: When Investing in Infrastructure, Invest in Freight

The lesson from the 2019 Infrastructure Week is that throwing money at the problem is not enough. Panel discussions, speeches, and presentations this week did not dwell on the proposed multi trillion dollar funding amount but focused rightly on what the goals and objectives of a federal investment…