MPC
Research Projects (2006-07)

Project Title

Agricultural Trucking Conference

University

North Dakota State University

Project Investigator

Kimberly Vachal, NDSU
kimberly.vachal@ndsu.edu

External Project Contact

Fletcher Hall, American Trucking Association

Project Objective

The goal of this project is to provide a forum for the presentation of ideas and an exchange of knowledge regarding agricultural trucking issues among a diverse audience to include industry, policy makers, academia, and public sector entities.

Project Abstract

Increasing pressures of global competition, rising energy prices in the world market and looming capacity issues in our nation's transportation system are some underlying market forces that continually affect operators and investments in agricultural trucking. Considering the growing reliance of U.S. agriculture on trucks in marketing their goods, it is important to be proactive in addressing issues to enhance the environment for the trucking industry to remain an economical and efficient mode of transportation for U.S. agriculture. The proposed conference will provide a venue for industry and public interest groups specifically interested in the role of truckingin the agricultural industry. It will encourage participants to discuss priority issues and bring forth ideas to strengthen the ability of the commercial truck industry as a partner in the future success of U.S. agriculture.

The trucking industry is a diverse and highly competitive industry with a broad spectrum of services, operations, markets, and interests. Although many issues are cross-cutting, within the agricultural trucking sector these have been identified as critical:

• Implications of farm and energy policy changes on domestic agricultural processing and the farm goods production geography for the agricultural trucking sector.
• Ensuring truck capacity to meet increasing demands for the agricultural industry.
• Role of energy costs and environmental issues in the trucking industry.
• Issues associated with driver recruitment, training, and retention.
• Affects of security concerns and requirements in agricultural goods transport.
• Importance of agricultural exemption in commercial agricultural transportation.

These issues provide focus in identifying partners, and for developing an appropriate forum and venue for the proposed agricultural trucking conference.

Task Descriptions

1. Form conference committee (July 2006)
2. Define conference scope, select venue, and identify activities (September 2006)
3. Finalize conference program and speakers (November 2006)
4. Organize and promote event (October 2006 to conference date)
5. Conduct conference (April 2007)
6. Public conference presentations and executive summary (June 2007)

Milestones, Dates

Starting Date: July 2006
Ending Date: June 2007

Yearly and Total Budget

$75,000

Student Involvement

None

Relationship to Other Research Projects

None

Technology Transfer Activities

Conference, presentations, publication, executive summary

Potential Benefits of the Project

Tangible Products - testimony and presentations available via electronic access; Event executive summary

Technology Transfer - Ideas exchange; issues exposure; Identify research needs

TRB Keywords

Trucking, Agriculture, Policy, Freight