Any new federal surface transportation bill that emerges from the committee of lawmakers conferencing on the measure should include provisions establishing a national policy for freight movement, a group of organizations invested in the shipping and retail industries said Thursday.
    The Freight Stakeholders Coalition, which was form to press lawmakers to consider freight issues in the proposed highway bill, called on lawmakers on the 47-member transportation conference committee to include a 10-point freight policy that was adopted by Senate in its compromise version of the highway bill.
    The policy calls for the federal government to spend $2 billion on improving freight mobility.
    The members of the freight coalition [include, among others] the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA); American Trucking Association; Intermodal Association of North America; Waterfront Coalition and the World Shipping Council.

(source:Longshore & Shipping News)