Transportation's Role in Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions ...

Transportation’s Role in Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Volume 2
investigated by various ports—often for economic development reasons—but is
hampered by the fact that such systems currently are not cost-competitive with harbor
truck drayage. Furthermore, the railroads have been slow to embrace short-haul service
because the trains would take up valuable time slots on the rail corridors, thus adversely
impacting their more lucrative long-haul services. There also are community concerns
about grade crossing impacts along the routes to the proposed inland ports. The
feasibility of these systems will depend on solving many problems at once, including
identifying a viable market segment, resolving the differential cost structure of trucking
versus rail, providing adequate track capacity, and mitigating impacts in communities.
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