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.