TRB Committee on Trucking Industry Research (AT060)Skip Navigation

Mid-Year Meeting Minutes

Date: July 12, 2005, Tuesday
Time: 7:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Place: Boston Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center

Attendance

  • Members
    • Michael Belzer, Chair, Wayne State University
    • C. Randall Mullett, Vice-Chairman, CNF, Inc.
    • Brenda Lantz, Secretary, North Dakota State University
    • Elaine King, TRB Staff
    • Rebecca Brewster, ATRI
    • David Miller, Con-Way Central Express
    • John Siebert, OOIDA Foundation, Inc.
    • Pete Swan, Pennsylvania State University
    • Stephen Burks, University of Minnesota
    • Tina Casgar, US DOT
  • Friends
    • Dan Murray, ATRI
    • Jeff Short, ATRI
    • Paul Bingham, Global Insight
    • Mark Berndt, Wilbur Smith Associates
    • Leigh Boske, University of Texas
    • John Orr, Atlanta Regional Commission
    • Mary Brooks, Dalhousie University
    • Tom Maze, Iowa State University

Part 1: 7:30-9:30 a.m. - Cambridge I

  1. Agenda Distributed
  2. Self-Introductions - Distribution of Sign-In Sheet
  3. Review and Acceptance of January 2005 Meeting Minutes
    1. Discussion of the two subcommittees formed at the 2004 Summer Meeting
      1. Membership subcommittee - initial members included John Siebert as Chair, Rebecca Brewster, Mike Belzer, Don Osterberg, and a representative from Con-Way to be named later
      2. Problem Statements subcommittee - initial members included Mike Belzer, Dave Miller, Don Osterberg, John Siebert, Lee Husting, and Pete Swan
    2. Updates to the minutes include that Randy Mullett has completed the application for an extension of the task force until April 2006, and that Randy has been named Vice-Chairman of the Task Force.
  4. Discussion of Task Force Membership and ListServ
    1. ACTION: Mike will send out a reminder of how to post messages to the ListServ
    2. Mike suggested that attending members should post to the ListServ occasionally
    3. Discussion of rules regarding membership when achieve committee status
  5. Discussion of Application for Committee Status
    1. Important for the continuance of the group
    2. John Siebert suggested revising the Task Force mission to add the fact that the Task Force helps to educate TRB regarding industry
    3. What can TRB offer the industry? - There is a need to get TRB "out on the road," perhaps in association with State Trucking Associations
      1. Dan Murray emphasized the importance of this
      2. ACTION: Dave Miller volunteered to start a "letter-writing" campaign to industry - Elaine stated that there are no issues with completing this if it appears as if it is coming from the Task Force
    4. Process to achieve committee status (Randy Mullett)
      1. Opportunity to change the mission - Dave Miller agreed with John Siebert to add text regarding the value of the committee to TRB
        1. Discussion of benefit to state and federal government - issue of safety research (benefit to FMCSA) versus efficiency / productivity research (benefit to FHWA Freight offices)
      2. Identify where there are gaps and how we facilitate, and provide value
      3. Following format / content of previous applications
        1. Identify what has been accomplished, including co-sponsored TRB sessions with other committees
        2. Identify stakeholders and build credibility
          1. Bridge gap between industry versus academic language
          2. Right now the political process affects the research conducted - this group can help to change this - break down the barriers that may be keeping research from moving forward
          3. Bring in the shipper groups as another stakeholder
          4. Bring in members of association groups, not only the association employees
        3. Discussion of outreach activities for this meeting
          1. Dave Miller had composed a memo regarding "hot buttons," including pricing (tolls) discussion, personally visited with OOIDA, talked with all the presidents of various ATA groups - "pricing hook" was not enough
            1. Comment that "nothing happens" at TRB meetings
            2. Distrust of academic studies
              1. There is a need to analyze industry by segments
            3. Fear of releasing data
      4. Comment that "we have our own research group - ATRI"
      5. Afraid to "bare their souls" in front of the regulators (DOT)
        1. Dan Murray mentioned that "pricing" is not in the top five items of interest to the industry
        2. Rebecca Brewster mentioned that Randy's role as vice-chair will help build credibility
        3. Pete Swan discussed the need for "real" industry data for research in order to achieve realistic results
        4. Mark Berndt discussed the desire to change the relationship between industry and DOT (at state level)
        5. Rebecca Brewster discussed that ATRI had approached FMCSA to participate on their advisory board, and they declined to participate "officially" - This group is a more acceptable venue for them to participate
  6. Developing the Trucking Industry Research Agenda
    1. Idea of a TRB Circular on the Trucking Industry, which would include a "Glossary of Trucking Terms" for TRB and other stakeholders, with associated issues identified for each industry segment (John Siebert)
      1. ATRI has surveyed their members on top industry issues
      2. Industry has glossary that they give to new employees
      3. First page should be simple supply chain diagram (Tina Casgar)
      4. Have freight logistics dictionary (Mark Berndt)
      5. First audience should be other TRB committees
      6. Will be indicated in committee application as work in progress
      7. ACTION: Dan Murray and Dave Miller will draft an outline by September 1st
      8. Idea to complete the Circular by the January meeting
    2. Innovative financing / pricing (tolls) issues
  7. Possible Joint Sessions with other Committees for January 2006 TRB Meeting
    1. Mark Berndt discussed a possible joint session with the Truck Size and Weight Committee
      1. Tom Maze will coordinate for Task Force
    2. Pete Swan discussed a joint session with the Freight Transportation Economics and Regulation committee regarding cost pass-throughs in trucking
      1. Pete Swan will coordinate for Task Force
    3. Mike Belzer stated that there are plans for a joint session with the Truck and Bus Safety committee
      1. Hours-of-service
      2. John Siebert will coordinate for Task Force
    4. Possible joint session with the International Trade and Transportation Committee (Mary Brooks)
      1. Different regulations
      2. Border delays
      3. How trucking issues affect trade
      4. Drill-down to a specific issue (Dan Murray)
      5. Interest from Truck Size and Weight Committee as well (Mark Berndt)
      6. Jeff Short will coordinate for the Task Force
    5. Possible joint session on tolls with the Urban Freight Transportation Committee
      1. Mike Belzer and/or Randy will coordinate for Task Force
    6. Elaine reiterated that if you have too many sponsors for a session, it becomes a "scheduling nightmare."
    7. ACTION: All session details are due by September 30 (entered into online annual meeting planning system-AMP).

Joint meeting with Pricing Outreach Sub-committee
1:45-3:30 p.m. - Waterfront 3

  1. Agenda Distributed
  2. Overview (Lee Munnich, Chair)
    1. Goal is to have a better understanding of the trucking-related issues in order to make better decisions / policy recommendations
    2. How can future research help in answering questions / resolving issues
  3. Comments from "Pricer" (Robert Poole) versus "Trucker" (Randy Mullett) Viewpoints
    1. Handouts distributed
  4. Discussion of difference between pricing and tolling
    1. Definition of congestion pricing?
      1. Band-aid?
    2. Need to talk about capacity
    3. Is there an assumption that if you pay more, you will get a less crowded facility?
    4. LTL industry - operate 24 hours/day - their timing is fixed, and little room for adjustment
  5. Segments of the Trucking Industry
    1. Private
    2. For-Hire
      1. Parcel
      2. LTL ($4.50/mile)
      3. TL ($1.40/mile)
    3. Small (owner-operator) versus large (company)
  6. Discussion of Georgia study
    1. Available at www.gmta.org
    2. Brought in many various groups of stakeholders to determine whether there is a value point where truckers will use a toll road?
    3. Conclusion: Truck-only lanes are the only benefit - up to 20% greater relief realized than HOT or HOV
    4. Voluntary basis
    5. Studied impact of tolls on businesses located on toll roads
    6. Discussed a potential monthly subscription process for tolling
  7. General Discussion
    1. Choice between tax or toll
      1. Industry would choose tax - mostly because easier to pass on - shippers recognize fuel tax as a legitimate cost
    2. Hours-of-service issues
    3. Truckers paid primarily per mile, not on a time-basis
    4. Issue of carrying hazardous materials - restricted from certain roads
    5. Truckers simply want to get what they pay for
  8. Ideas for Research
    1. Excess cost of fuel / total costs under congested conditions
    2. Lessons learned in Europe and Japan to free up road space for trucks by controlling use of passenger cars (better management of transportation corridors)
    3. Collect quantitative information regarding benefits for the truckers of paying tolls
    4. Study of flat trucker toll and varying passenger cars toll
    5. Idea of paying for car only lanes
    6. What other trucking market structures might be more reasonable
    7. Relative contribution of congestion from trucks versus cars
    8. Study of truckers impact on cars versus cars impact on truckers - what measures need to be put into effect to control demand
    9. Applicability of analysis in Georgia study to other areas
    10. Impacts of compensation systems / structures on congestion
    11. Optimal location of roads
    12. Efficiency of toll methods passed on to shippers
    13. One-day workshop with "pricers" and "truckers" - broaden participation by other segments of the industry
    14. Evaluate the extent to which industrial relations issues may affect congestion. Industrial relations here refers to the nexus of institutions and labor economics that may have a strong influence on shipper and consignee locational decisions as well as shipper and consignee modal strategic considerations. Does the absence of stable industrial relations institutions in the ports and in intermodal operations lead to a market failure that exacerbates congestion and creates an artificial demand for new and expanded infrastructure?

Part 2: 4:00-6:00 p.m. - Cambridge I

  1. Committee Status Application
    1. Include the official Task Force Scope: The task force is concerned with a broad range of issues related to the trucking industry that require a multidisciplinary approach to developing a research agenda. The task force will focus its efforts on cross-cutting industry issues, such as business economics, operations, logistics, shipper/carrier/consignee issues, and labor market and human resource issues. Through cooperative efforts with other relevant TRB committees and outreach and education efforts to the trucking industry and to public sector agency officials, the task force will develop a trucking research agenda.
    2. Input regarding the strategic plan and mission
      1. Inclusion of public sector considerations in addition to industry
      2. Include representatives from TAC
        1. Discussion of considering allowing company membership (instead of individual)
    3. ACTION: Members to get letters of support to include in the application
    4. ACTION: Complete application before January 2006 - initial package due by December 1st
  2. Trucking Industry Research Agenda
    1. Identify gaps in current research base
    2. Cooperative
    3. Failures in labor markets
    4. Issues associated with rates
    5. Entry into and exit from owner-operator market - affect on pricing in the overall industry
Required Plug-ins

Transportation Research Board
Committee on Trucking Industry Research (AT060)