Modal Heads of State Call Cease-fire

ATLANTA — The stage appeared set for a knock-down, drag-out fight as representatives of trucking, railroads and ports were lined up to talk about the usually volatile issue of increasing productivity.

Instead, the modal heads of state — American Trucking Associations President Walter B. McCormick Jr., Association of American Railroads President Ed Hamberger and American Association of Port Authorities President Kurt Nagle — focused on what can be done to increase freight hauling capacity.

While peace reigned overall, divisions over truck sizes and weights, the road-worthiness of intermodal containers and hours-of-service reform surfaced during the session, held at the annual International Intermodal Expo at the Georgia World Congress Center.

ATA’s push to hold rail and ocean carriers responsible for the safety of intermodal containers, for instance, drew a defiant response from Hamberger, who said it is a trucker’s responsibility to inspect equipment when it is tendered to him.

“To hold us responsible for the next five days when that equipment is on the road is not fair,” Hamberger said.

McCormick responded that the issue is one of safety, and the federal government needs to act to protect intermodal truckers from unfair practices.

“The idea of issuing equipment that is defective without any liability is wrong,” he said.

Each of the panelists agreed it was important to invest in new facilities to accommodate the growing demand for freight hauling.

With world trade projected to double or triple in the next decade, Nagle said increasing productivity at existing facilities and adding new, flexible port operations are urgent priorities.

Ports will spend $7.7 billion in the next five years to modernize and expand, he said.

“We must view this as a system,” he said. “We must work to improve connectivity and capacity.”

For the full story, see the April 26 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.