About the Freight Academy

The Freight Academy is a unique, comprehensive immersion program, developed by the Eastern Transportation Coalition for public agency personnel, focused on goods movement. The goal of this nationally recognized and attended program is to ensure current and future public-sector decisions and investments are made with an understanding of the comprehensive supply chain.  Freight Academy students, represent personnel from federal, and state Departments of Transportation, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Port and Toll Authorities, and other transportation related entities whose work impacts goods movement. Attendees are exposed to the innermost workings of the goods movement system, including marine terminals, distribution centers of major corporations, air cargo, trucking, and rail operations. The intense curriculum combines effective learning mediums to maximize the educational experience and convey the breadth of the goods movement supply chain. The immersion week includes extensive field visits, senior private sector executives who serve as instructors in an interactive setting, and a facilitated group project work.  Prior to attending the Academy, participants complete background readings and a freight profile assignment for a required capstone project. Capstone group projects require intense cooperative work throughout the week and collaborative work following the program, which furthers professional capacity building and promotes peer exchange. Each Capstone group completes a final report and results are presented to a Mentor Review Panel comprised of transportation agency and freight stakeholder senior staff and executives

Today, the 221 Graduates of the Freight Academy include members of metropolitan planning organizations (MPO), departments of transportation, port authorities, toll/turnpike authorities, economic development agencies, transportation associations, Canadian provincial transportation agencies and Federal agencies – including FHWA, FMCSA, and MARAD from within the Coalition region and nationally. These transportation professionals, represent a broad geographic area and are applying the learning from this unique experience to all segments of transportation – i.e., planning, management, and operations – and across all modes of transportation – highway, rail, aviation, and marine.

More information on the Freight Academy can be found at www.freightacademy.org

  • Field Trip!

    Freight Academy participants visit key freight operations sites.

  • Freight Operations

    Freight Academy participants see key freight operations first-hand.

  • Unique Experience

    The Freight Academy is a unique total immersion program with both classroom instruction and field site visits.

  • Distribution

    Freight Academy site visits include major distribution centers.

Program Objectives Participants Nomination Process Scholarships

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.

The Freight Academy is designed for mid-level freight professionals in the public sector whose existing or future responsibilities include freight-related planning and decision-making. It should be noted that participation is not limited to those within the Coalition states. Participants from all geographic regions are encouraged to apply.

Any student who is interested in participating in the Freight Academy must be nominated by a public agency. The nomination form will be reviewed and the student will be informed if he/she has been accepted. The schedule for the application process can be found on the Freight Academy website.

The Eastern Transportation Coalition has funding available to provide a limited number of scholarships to employees of Coalition member agencies. If you would like to be considered for one of the scholarships available, you will need to complete and return the nomination form and check Coalition Scholarship under payment options. Scholarships will cover tuition and room/board; participants are responsible for their own travel costs. Nominees selected will be from a variety of Coalition members and states, and represent a variety of freight related responsibilities.