The recent transportation bill, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, or MAP-21, signed by President Obama in July, established a national freight policy and called for the creation of a National Freight Strategic Plan. U.S. DOT's Freight Policy Council will implement the key freight provisions of the legislation.

The council will be chaired by Deputy Transportation Secretary John Porcari and will include DOT leadership from highways, rail, ports and airports and economic and policy experts from across the Administration. The freight and logistics industries, consumers and other stakeholders will also play an advisory role and states will be asked to offer proposals for improving the freight system in their region.