Freight Analysis Framework

Freight Analysis Framework

The Freight Analysis Framework is a multimodal data model and analytical tool used to estimate freight flows across the United States, including cross-border connections to Canada and Mexico. It supports planning activities by agencies such as the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, and regional authorities like the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, providing synthesized freight flow estimates for highways, railroads, waterways, and air cargo. The framework integrates freight movement attributes to inform programs related to the Interstate Highway System, the North American Free Trade Agreement, and modal operators including Union Pacific Railroad and UPS Airlines.

Overview

The Framework produces consistent estimates of commodity flows between origins and destinations, disaggregated by mode and commodity classification, for national, regional, and corridor analysis relevant to entities such as the U.S. Census Bureau, the United States Geological Survey, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the Port of Los Angeles. Outputs align with classification systems like the North American Industry Classification System and the Harmonized System to allow interoperability with datasets maintained by the U.S. International Trade Commission and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. The product supports infrastructure programs including the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act and initiatives by metropolitan planning organizations such as the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.

Methodology and Data Sources

The Framework synthesizes administrative and survey data from sources including the U.S. Census Bureau's Commodity Flow Survey, the Surface Transportation Board's waybill samples, the Office of Management and Budget's regional definitions, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials inventories, and carrier reports from operators like BNSF Railway, Norfolk Southern Railway, and Maersk Line. It applies freight assignment and mode-split algorithms developed with inputs from academic centers such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, and uses geographic systems like the National Highway Planning Network and the North American Railroad Network to route flows. The model maps commodity codes from the Harmonized System and the Standard Classification of Transported Goods into tonnage and value, then allocates flows to infrastructure elements including segments of the Interstate Highway System, terminals at the Port of Houston, and nodes at Chicago Union Station.

Applications and Uses

Planners and analysts at the Federal Highway Administration, state departments of transportation such as the California Department of Transportation and the Texas Department of Transportation, regional MPOs including the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council, and private firms like Avery Dennison and FedEx Corporation use Framework outputs for freight corridor planning, investment prioritization, environmental analysis for National Environmental Policy Act studies, and resilience assessments tied to events like Hurricane Katrina and supply chain disruptions observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Framework informs port expansion projects at the Port of Long Beach and intermodal terminal planning for operators including CSX Transportation and Kansas City Southern Railway, and supports modeling efforts in research programs at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Transportation Research Board.

Limitations and Criticisms

Critics from academic groups at institutions like the University of California, Berkeley, policy organizations such as the Brookings Institution, and industry stakeholders including the American Trucking Associations point to limitations in temporal resolution, sensitivity to waybill sample bias from the Surface Transportation Board, and challenges in capturing last-mile movements for firms like Amazon (company). Analysts note potential mismatches when aligning Framework outputs with trade statistics published by the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. International Trade Commission, and concerns about proprietary constraints when commercial carriers such as Union Pacific Railroad and air cargo operators decline to share granular origin-destination data. Environmental groups referencing cases at the Los Angeles Port Complex and researchers studying emissions impacts using inventories from the Environmental Protection Agency call for higher spatial granularity and more frequent updates.

Development and Updates

The Framework has evolved through coordinated efforts involving the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the Federal Highway Administration, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and research partners including the National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education and the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center. Major releases in 2002, 2007, 2012, and 2017 expanded commodity detail and mode resolution, while a 2022 update incorporated improved valuation methods and cross-border flows reflecting post‑North American Free Trade Agreement adjustments and supply chain shifts linked to events such as the Global Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. Ongoing development engages stakeholders including state DOTs, MPOs, port authorities like the Georgia Ports Authority, Class I railroads, and trade associations such as the Association of American Railroads to refine methodologies and extend interoperability with datasets maintained by the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and international partners in Canada and Mexico.

Category:Transportation planning