§70101 — Title 49 Transportation | U.S. Code

Summary

Requires the United States to keep the National Multimodal Freight Network in good shape and make it better so the country can compete in the global economy and meet 10 goals. Those goals include finding ways to boost economic competitiveness, cut congestion and bottlenecks, raise productivity, improve safety, security, efficiency, and resiliency, keep the network in good repair, use new technology, make freight movement more reliable and efficient, improve short- and long-distance goods movement (including rural areas and links to ports and airports), help States plan across borders, and reduce environmental harm — all without placing extra burdens on State or local governments. The Assistant Secretary for Multimodal Freight must run and carry out this policy. The Assistant Secretary must implement sections 70102 and 70103, help coordinate freight planning across modes, and look for ways agencies can share data to support freight planning.

Title 49, §70101

Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)It is the policy of the United States to maintain and improve the condition and performance of the National Multimodal Freight Network established under section 70103 to ensure that the Network provides a foundation for the United States to compete in the global economy and achieve the goals described in subsection (b).

(b)The goals of the national multimodal freight policy are—

(1)to identify infrastructure improvements, policies, and operational innovations that—

(A)strengthen the contribution of the National Multimodal Freight Network to the economic competitiveness of the United States;

(B)reduce congestion and eliminate bottlenecks on the National Multimodal Freight Network; and

(C)increase productivity, particularly for domestic industries and businesses that create high-value jobs;

(2)to improve the safety, security, efficiency, and resiliency of multimodal freight transportation;

(3)to achieve and maintain a state of good repair on the National Multimodal Freight Network;

(4)to use innovation and advanced technology to improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of the National Multimodal Freight Network;

(5)to improve the economic efficiency and productivity of the National Multimodal Freight Network;

(6)to improve the reliability of freight transportation;

(7)to improve the short- and long-distance movement of goods that—

(A)travel across rural areas between population centers;

(B)travel between rural areas and population centers; and

(C)travel from the Nation’s ports, airports, and gateways to the National Multimodal Freight Network;

(8)to improve the flexibility of States to support multi-State corridor planning and the creation of multi-State organizations to increase the ability of States to address multimodal freight connectivity;

(9)to reduce the adverse environmental impacts of freight movement on the National Multimodal Freight Network; and

(10)to pursue the goals described in this subsection in a manner that is not burdensome to State and local governments.

(c)The Assistant Secretary for Multimodal Freight, who shall be responsible for the oversight and implementation of the national multimodal freight policy, shall—

(1)carry out section 70102 and 70103;

(2)assist with the coordination of modal freight planning; and

(3)identify interagency data sharing opportunities to promote freight planning and coordination.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 70101 was transferred and renumbered as section 50901 of Title 51, National and Commercial Space Programs.

Amendments

2021—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 117–58 substituted “Assistant Secretary for Multimodal Freight” for “Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy” in introductory provisions.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 1, 2015, see section 1003 of Pub. L. 114–94, set out as an

Effective Date

of 2015 Amendment note under section 5313 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

§70101 National Multimodal Freight Policy

Summary

Title 49, §70101

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Amendments

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Effective Date

Citations & Metadata