Review of Freight Investment Decision-Making Proceses in the Public Sector

While private-sector firms must rigorously justify investment decisions to show that they contribute to corporate and community goals, public-sector transportation agency decisions must consider a much wider set of concerns. The economic impacts of public-sector investment decisions on the freight system can often be influenced by other issues, and it is important to develop a better understanding of the cause and effect relationships. The objective of this project is to recommend methods that public sector transportation agencies, at all levels of government, can use to consider system performance, freight movement, and economic impact issues in making rational investment decisions. Determining a project's return on investment is of particular interest. Case studies of individual projects should be conducted that show 1) how freight impacts were considered in the project selection process, 2) the freight and economic objectives of the project, 3) the eventual outcome of the project with regard to the impact on freight movement efficiency and productivity, and 4) how the project outcomes relate to the original project goals. The case studies should cover significant public programs that affect all surface freight modes. The report should 1) compile successful practices and lessons learned; 2) discuss procedures for identifying projects that are likely to generate the greatest economic return, nationally, or regionally; and 3) identify the need for and benefits from potential statutory, regulatory, and institutional changes. It will be especially important that this project make explicit how measures of system performance and factors and techniques to quantify benefits and costs were employed.

• Record URL:
  http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=1577
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contract to a Performing Organization has not yet been awarded.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Proposed
• Funding: $400000.00
• Contract Numbers:

  NCFRP 05

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Research and Innovative Technology Administration

  University Transportation Centers Program
  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  National Cooperative Freight Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC    20001
• Start Date: 20070703
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• Source Data: RiP Project 13665

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Decision making; Freight service; Freight traffic; Freight transportation; Investments; Public participation; Research projects
• Uncontrolled Terms: System performance
• Subject Areas: Finance; Freight Transportation; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01543772
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: National Cooperative Freight Research Program
• Contract Numbers: NCFRP 05
• Files: RIP
• Created Date: Nov 21 2014 1:05AM