Completed Research

CIFTS provided assistance to the U.S. Department of Transportation by preparing a report outlining the status of the U.S. freight transportation system. The report was developed to serve as the introductory chapter of the National Intermodal Transportation System Improvement Plan (NITSIP). The need for this plan was contained in the SAFETEA-LU legislation.

The report was co-authored by Jimmy Dobbins, Vanderbilt University, John Macgowan, Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, and Martin Lipinski, University of Memphis.

The report contains numerous charts, graphs, and illustrations detailing the status of all major modes of freight transportation including air, highway, rail, water, and pipeline showing major freight flows , terminals, and gateways. 

A copy of the report can be viewed here.