Program Description
The Freight Academy program was developed based upon the models of successful training programs in freight and other related fields throughout the United States. It consists of three components: pre-program review and assignment, a one-week immersion program, and a group Capstone project which is continued after the academy to further promote peer exchange. The Capstone Project findings are reviewed by mentor panels comprised of senior executives of The Eastern Transportation Coalition member organizations and past Freight Academy graduates.
Pre-Program Review and Assignment
Participants will be provided with a packet of background information related to the topics covered during the course of the Immersion Week program. The Immersion Week curriculum is based on the assumption that all participants have been exposed to freight topics and issues, and have a solid understanding of the information provided in the pre-program packet.
In the weeks leading up to the Freight Academy Immersion Week, each participant will be asked to create a freight profile of their region, using a template to be provided. The purpose of this assignment is to encourage participants to think specifically about the issues that their region is facing and be able to consider the information they are gathering throughout the week in this context. Participants will submit their freight profile on the first day of the Immersion Week.
Immersion Week Program
The total immersion program includes the following mix of activities:
Formal Classroom Training
Formal classroom training, including lectures and panel discussions, will cover each of the major modes and players, including: shippers, ports, trucks, distribution centers, rail, and airports. These sessions will be taught by a group of experienced public sector agency staff and private sector professionals who will share firsthand knowledge of trends and issues relating to freight planning, policy and operations. The classroom sessions will be a mix of lecture and interactive discussions. The learning objectives will be provided at the beginning of each session, and reviewed with participants at the end.
Field Visits
During the course of the Immersion Week, participants will have the opportunity to visit a wide range of freight-related facilities. These will include a retail distribution center, a port terminal site, a cross dock location, a shipper distribution center, and an airport. Before each visit participants will learn from shippers/receivers/operators of facilities about daily operations, trends, issues, and other freight system impacts and issues. Participants will be expected to incorporate observations from these visits into their Capstone projects.
Capstone Project
During the Immersion Week: Participants will be assigned to a capstone project group (of 5 to 6 participants), and presented with a project assignment. Capstone projects will focus on topics such as freight bottlenecks, economic development, port access, and freight and environmental sustainability. The assignment will require integration of the material gathered throughout the Immersion Week through classroom sessions and field visits. It is up to each team to formulate questions, identify the needed information, and obtain information from the sources offered during the immersion portion of the Freight Academy. Time for team meetings has been included in the program. View a sample capstone project.
After the Immersion Program: Teams will continue to communicate and work on the capstone project during the months following the Immersion Program. Teams are expected to submit a written capstone report and presentation.
Program Fee: The Freight Academy fees for 2027 will be published soon.
Program Objectives
Upon completion of the Freight Academy, participants will be able to:
- Describe the factors and components of an integrated freight system as they relate to the economy, local communities, the environment, and public and private freight stakeholders;
- Describe recent and future freight trends impacting the transportation system;
- Demonstrate knowledge of the technical tools of freight movement and operations and the conditions under which they can be effectively applied and managed;
- Effectively advocate the importance of a freight focus within their agencies; and
- Feel confident working with partner agencies and freight stakeholders to improve freight efficiencies and conditions in their region.
In addition, participants will have the opportunity to develop relationships with peers from other jurisdictions, meet private and public sector leaders from the industry, and build teamwork and leadership skills