Freight Academy Capstone Projects

1. Freight Academy Capstone Projects A presentation for FHWA Talking Freight December 19, 2012

2. Agenda • Segment One • The Freight Academy • The Capstone Project • Segment Two • Capstone Highlight: Port Access • Segment Three • The Capstone Project in the Real World • Questions and Discussion

3. Segment One Freight Academy & Capstone Projects Overview

4. Why a “Freight Academy” • Large increases in freight movements • Dynamic changes in the goods movement industry • Need to understand freight as integral part of transportation industry • Increasing need to align freight policies and operations with community goals • Need to train mid-level staff to step in as experienced staff retire • Need to encourage/facilitate cross-jurisdictional collaboration/networking – within I-95 region/nationally

5. Freight Academy Goals • Offer a unique, hands-on educational experience • Promote freight movement as a single, integrated system • Link professional development to agency development • Build upon FHWA, AASHTO and other freight professional development programs and university programs to add to suite of available opportunities for transportation staff • Educate professionals on the most recent technological and industry trends in goods movement • Establish a common terminology and on-going dialogue about freight • Involve private sector freight executives in instruction – create interaction and understanding of industry perspective • Build peer relationships across agencies and jurisdictions – create relationships between agencies and between public/private sector

6. Builds on Established Concepts/Methods for Training • Undergraduate and graduate training programs • Executive programs • Professional Development Programs such as FHWA/NHI Freight Capacity Building Courses • Intended to add value/opportunity

7. Freight Academy Concept:An Immersion Program • Pre-Immersion Assignment • Pre-Reading materials provided • Participant develops Freight Profile of their region • FHWA Class: Integrating Freight into the Transportation Planning Process • Six Day Immersion • Covers shippers/freight system customers and all elements involved in goods movement • “Classroom” instructors/lectures predominantly private sector • Field visits with on-site briefings • Capstone Project Completion

8. Intense Immersion Week

9. Macy’s Distribution Center FedEx Air Cargo Facility Maher Terminal Auto-processing Terminal Hall’s Refrigerated Distribution Center Hyundai Distribution Center Coca-Cola Distribution Center Sample Field Visits

10. Instructor/Lecture Sessions • Senior executives from public and private agencies act as instructors • Panels of speakers are selected to provide interesting dialogue • Participants enjoy ample time for Q&A

11. Capstone Project Concept • Emulates a best practice in the programs identified to date • Expands experience with situations likely to arise while managing freight in a public organization • Gains public and private sector perspectives of freight movements • Builds team and leadership skills

12. Capstone Project Approach • I-95 Coalition provides hypothetical problem statements • Freight Academy participants indicate their top 3 choices during the pre-immersion phase • Used as one means of assigning participants to project teams • Teams of 5 to 7 participants work on the projects during and after the immersion phase of the Academy • Executive Mentor Panels comprised of public/private sector senior staff receive project summary papers and oral presentation by Capstone team in role play exercise and provide feedback/critique to team

13. Freight Academy Website • Utilized to provide information on program, upcoming academies, outputs such as capstones • Longer term – seek to make it a resource area for F/A graduates freightacademy.org

14. Freight Academy Graduates90 Graduates Representing 46 Agencies Note: Some agencies have had multiple attendees at the three Academies held to date Quebec and New Brunswick Multiple agencies in DC (dDOT, FHWA, MARAD, FMCSA, FTA, MWCOG)

15. Segment Two Capstone Project Highlight

16. Port of Capstone Bay Expansion & Access Study • Task: • Study possibilities for growth & associated access issues at fictional port in preparation for post-Panamax era • Determine state’s ability to increase cargo volumes & jobs at port

17. Port of Capstone Bay Expansion & Access Study • Capstone Team: • Diverse backgrounds • Freight • Rail • Ports • Transportation Planning • Project Management • Regionally diverse • Canada • Washington State • Florida • Georgia • NC • NYC

18. Port of Capstone Bay Expansion & Access Study • Process: • Defined port background/context • Identified key strategic areas & current trends • Outlined strategies • Selected recommendations • Recommended community outreach strategies Bay Capstone Expansion

19. Port of Capstone Bay Expansion & Access Study • Defined Port Background/Context • Capstone Bay • Mid-Atlantic region • Urban • Pop. = 630,000+ • East Coast economic engine • $45 Billion/year • Post-Panamax expansion is key for growth • 5 existing terminals • Various operations • Breakbulk • Container • Wheeled • RO/RO • Oversize/Overweight • Cruise ships • 21 Cranes • 16 Post-Panamax • Diversified Commodities

20. Port of Capstone Bay Expansion & Access Study • Defined Port Background/Context • Imports/Exports • Top Commodities • Cargo Capacity • Port Depth • Air Draft • Highway & Rail Connectivity • Warehouses & Cargo Service Providers

21. Port of Capstone Bay Expansion & Access Study • Identified Key Strategic Areas & Current Trends • Port Productivity • Modify port operations to improve productivity & access • Harbor Improvement • Make harbor improvements to enhance waterside access • Multi-modal Connections • Improve multi-modal connections to enhance landside access

22. Port of Capstone Bay Expansion & Access Study • Outlined Strategies • Identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, & challenges • Investigated potential environmental benefits & challenges

23. Port of Capstone Bay Expansion & Access Study • Selected Recommendations • Determined most suitable strategies based on: • Feasibility of implementation • Potential for success • Overall benefit • Relative cost • Acceptability

24. Port of Capstone Bay Expansion & Access Study • Recommended Community Outreach Strategies • Goals were to engage, inform, & gather input from: • Local residents • Private sector businesses/industries • Port operators • Municipalities/local government

25. Segment Three Capstone Project in the Real World

26. Capstone Projects in the Real World • Task: Freight Resiliency • develop a plan for addressing the infrastructure needs, and a longer term policy that, if adopted, could reduce the opportunities for a major disruption in service due to weather or other event

27. Capstone Projects in the Real World • Team Member Composition • State Department of Transportation (2) • City/Municipality Department of Transportation (1) • Regional Transportation Authority (1) • Port Authority (1) • Metropolitan Planning Organization/MPO (1)

28. Capstone Projects in the Real World • Needs and opportunities • Unfamiliar topic • Approach from varying disciplines: planning, policy, operations • Scheduling and work flow conflicts • Breaking the 80/20 rule

29. Capstone Projects in the Real World • Achievements and Realizations • Applied lessons from Freight Academy • Cross awareness from varying disciplines • Strengthened project organizational and management skills

30. Capstone Projects in the Real World • Insight • Capstone Project benefits are many • Success depends on team work • Mimics agency and organization environments

31. Questions?www.freightacademy.org