[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 135 (Monday, July 15, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57497-57498]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-15452]
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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD
[Docket No. EP 775]
Growth in the Freight Rail Industry
AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.
ACTION: Notice of public hearing.
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SUMMARY: The Surface Transportation Board (Board) will hold a public
hearing on September 16 and 17, 2024, to gather information about
recent trends and strategies for growth in the freight rail industry.
The Board requests the attendance of executive-level officials from the
BNSF Railway Company, Canadian National Railway Company, Canadian
Pacific Kansas City Limited, CSX Transportation, Inc., Norfolk Southern
Railway Company, and Union Pacific Railroad Company (collectively,
``Class I railroads''). The Board also invites and welcomes testimony
from industry analysts, other rail carriers, rail customers, rail
suppliers, labor organizations, and other interested parties who can
contribute to the Board's understanding of how the industry has grown
and intends to grow in the future.
DATES: The hearing will be held on September 16 and 17, 2024, beginning
at 9:30 a.m. ET each day, in the Hearing Room of the Board's
headquarters and will be open for public observation. The hearing will
also be available for public viewing on YouTube. Any person wishing to
speak at the hearing must file with the Board a notice of intent to
participate (identifying the party, proposed speaker, and amount of
time requested) no later than August 14, 2024. In addition, written
testimony from hearing participants, and written comments by any other
interested persons, must be submitted by August 16, 2024
ADDRESSES: The hearing will be held in the Hearing Room of the Board's
headquarters, located at 395 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20423-0001.
All filings must be submitted via e-filing on the Board's website at
www.stb.gov under the docket for EP 775, or in writing addressed to 395
E Street SW, Washington, DC 20423-0001. Filings will be posted to the
Board's website and need not be served on the other hearing
participants, written commenters, or any other party to the proceeding.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jonathon Binet at (202) 245-0368. If
you require an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act,
please call (202) 245-0245.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Freight rail is critically important to the
nation's economy, and the Board has an interest in the health and
growth of the industry and the need for rail customers to move their
goods efficiently and reliably. On the subject of freight rail industry
growth, while the Board recognizes that some shifts in volume may not
be primarily within the control of rail carriers, the Board has
observed that over the past ten years carload volumes have not grown,
and have in fact decreased.\1\ The Board wishes to explore how industry
participants are strategizing and innovating to reverse this recent
trend and achieve freight rail growth. For example, the Board is
interested in the Class I railroads' short-, medium-, and long-term
growth strategies, including investments, across traffic types. The
Board would also like the perspective of short line railroads, who can
present evidence of their own growth strategies. The Board is also
interested in shippers' plans or desire for future use of rail, factors
that may affect their shipment decisions, and what rail carriers are
doing and can do to increase shippers' use of rail. This hearing
presents a chance to discuss the opportunities for growth in the
freight rail industry, as well as the challenges and effects associated
with a failure to grow.
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\1\ See Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Rail Freight
Carloads, https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/RAILFRTCARLOADSD11
(last updated June 12, 2024) (data collected by U.S. Dep't of
Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics).
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The Board will hold a public hearing to explore these topics on
September 16 and 17, 2024, beginning at 9:30 a.m. ET each day, at its
headquarters in Washington, DC. In addition to requesting the
attendance of executive-level officials from the Class I railroads, the
Board invites and welcomes testimony from industry analysts, other rail
carriers, rail customers, rail suppliers, labor organizations, and
other interested parties. Participation at the hearing will be limited
to those who file notices of intent to participate, and the
[[Page 57498]]
Board will, in a subsequent decision, provide time limits for each
speaker.
Board Releases and Transcript Availability: Decisions and notices
of the Board, including this notice, are available on the Board's
website at www.stb.gov. The Board will issue a separate notice
containing the schedule of appearances. A transcript of the hearing
will be posted on the Board's website once it is available.
It is ordered:
1. A public hearing will be held on September 16 and 17, 2024,
beginning at 9:30 a.m. ET each day, in the Hearing Room of the Board's
headquarters, located at 395 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20423-0001.
2. By August 14, 2024, any person wishing to speak at the hearing
shall file with the Board a notice of intent to participate identifying
the party, the proposed speaker(s), and the amount of time requested.
3. Written testimony from hearing participants and written comments
from any other interested persons must be filed by August 16, 2024.
4. Filings will be posted to the Board's website and need not be
served on any hearing participants or other commenters.
5. This decision is effective on its service date.
6. This decision will be published in the Federal Register.
By the Board, Scott M. Zimmerman, Acting Director, Office of
Proceedings.
Tammy Lowery,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2024-15452 Filed 7-12-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P