DOT Focuses on Strategic Investments in Provide Chain
Polly Trottenberg by Noël Fletcher/Transport Matters.
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WASHINGTON — Shifting from previous years’ actions to handle the pandemic, Division of Transportation leaders need to make strategic federal investments in infrastructure initiatives to extend provide chain resiliency and improve the U.S. financial system on the planet.
These sentiments had been shared by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg throughout separate addresses March 29 on the 2023 American Affiliation of Port Authorities Legislative Summit.
Buttigieg, in a video message, instructed the gathering “the work that we’re doing collectively to beat the pandemic-driven provide chain disruptions is making an infinite influence.” He spoke after AAPA named USDOT as Port Particular person of the 12 months.
He cited DOT’s funding final yr of greater than $703 million to fund 41 initiatives in 22 states by means of the Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Growth Program (PIDP) as examples of port enhancements.
Opening the MainStage program of the AAPA Legislative Summit, Chris Connor, our affiliation’s President & CEO. He said, “AAPA is main the cost with Congress, and the Administration to drive coverage to attain and preserve ‘Sturdy Ports, Sturdy America’” pic.twitter.com/Sd5O74gzPU
— AAPA (@AAPA_Seaports) March 28, 2023
“We’ve got made good progress on points that have an effect on folks profoundly. I’m proud to play a job in supporting, funding and reinforcing America’s ports,” Buttigieg stated, including that extra work is required “to maintain items shifting easily and to maintain the worth of products down, and we’re not letting up with that work.”
He reminded port officers about an April 28 deadline to use for a share of $662 million of PIDP funds in fiscal yr 2023 grants that additionally will enhance ports by strengthening provide chains with near- and long-term advantages.
“We are going to quickly be opening a $160 million spherical for a brand new [DOT] program to scale back truck emissions at ports, together with decreasing truck idle, which can profit drivers in addition to port staff and neighboring communities,” Buttigieg stated.
He famous DOT serves as a steward in persevering with to construct the Freight Logistics Optimization Works (FLOW program) for correct and helpful details about items motion in U.S. provide chains. (FLOW is a authorities/business partnership to trade data between provide chain stakeholders throughout the nation that gives future and near-time intermodal freight data for cargo actions all through the provision chain. Individuals embody marine and floor transportation carriers, terminal operators and warehouses.)
Andrew Petrisin by Noël Fletcher/Transport Matters.
“I urge you to proceed to work carefully with us to assist profit from this second when the well-deserved nationwide consideration on provide chains is being matched by a well-deserved nationwide funding in our provide chain infrastructure,” Buttigieg stated. “The work we’re doing collectively will profit not simply the communities the place your ports are positioned, however companies and households throughout the nation for many years to come back.”
Trottenberg stated her workplace is specializing in choices about long-term strategic investments in infrastructure initiatives that may final for many years.
“We’re actually reworking the extent of funding we’re making,” Trottenberg remarked. “We’ve got a multiplicity of applications and we’re very excited to get these {dollars} out the door.”
She stated DOT goals to make sure its federal investments “are going to extend the throughput of products and strengthen the resiliency of the provision chain, create good-paying jobs and spur home manufacturing,” whereas additionally bettering the surroundings.
“Now’s our likelihood to ship, now could be our likelihood to indicate that we will strengthen our provide chain, we will create jobs, we will spur home manufacturing, we may also help this nation retain its financial world competitiveness,” Trottenberg stated.
One other growth at DOT is the creation of the Workplace of Multimodal Freight now being organized inside Buttigieg’s workplace, revealed Andrew Petrisin, DOT provide chain adviser, who’s heading the brand new group.
Its focus might be on “the financial vitality of the nation,” famous Petrisin, who additionally spoke on the convention.
The brand new workplace, which has been working with state freight advisory committees, will take a look at multimodal freight points as a nationwide system with world implications. Amongst its capabilities might be to assemble knowledge, conduct analysis and supply a venue for state freight stakeholders to talk with Buttigieg.
Petrisin stated having a freight workplace for the primary time throughout the Workplace of the Secretary of Transportation will assist set up nationwide freight insurance policies and turn into a key conduit for all the assorted authorities and personal sector transportation modes throughout the provide chain.
