Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced the members of the National Freight Advisory Committee, which will provide advice and recommendations aimed at improving the national freight transportation system.
Carriers and Shippers Among Those Named to DOT Freight Committee
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced the members of the National Freight Advisory Committee, which will provide advice and recommendations aimed at improving the national freight transportation system.
The Advisory Committee is made up of 47 voting members from outside the Department of Transportation. The Deputy Secretary and Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy, as well as representatives from other federal agencies with freight-related obligations will serve as ex-officio members. Members come with various perspectives on freight transportation and represent various modes of transportation, geographic regions, and policy areas. Freight customers and providers, labor representatives, safety experts and government entities are all represented as well.
Members will serve two-year terms and meet at least three times per year. The first NFAC meeting is scheduled for June 25 at the Department of Transportation and will include an overview of MAP-21 Freight provisions and preliminary identification of NFAC activities. The meeting is open to the public. Information regarding the meeting will be available in the Federal Register.
The U.S. Department of Transportation solicited nominations in February. LaHood selected members with input from the MAP-21 Freight Implementation Team as well as the Freight Policy Council, an internal body of DOT leadership created to facilitate cross-modal implementation of freight provisions in the recently signed surface transportation bill, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, or MAP-21.
MAP-21 established a national freight policy and called for the creation of a National Freight Strategic Plan. The Advisory Committee will provide recommendations to the Secretary of Transportation on how DOT can improve its freight transportation policies and programs.
The National Freight Advisory Committee members are:
Stephen Alterman, Cargo Airline Association
Gregory A. Ballard, City of Indianapolis
Kevin L. Brubaker, Environmental Law & Policy Center
Jeffrey Burns, Parents Against Tired Truckers and Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways
Terry Button, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association
Anne Canby, OneRail
Joan Claybrook, Public Citizen
Kristin Decas, Port of Hueneme
Mortimer L. Downey III, CAGTC
John H. Eaves, Fulton County
John E. Fenton, Patriot Rail Corp
Karen Flynn, Arkema Inc.
Carlos A. Gimenez, Miami-Dade County
Genevieve Giuliano, University of Southern California Sol Price School of Public Policy
John Thomas Gray II, Association of American Railroads
Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge, Lambert International Airport
Brad Hildebrand, Cargill Inc.
Stacey D. Hodge, New York City Department of Transportation
James P. Hoffa, International Brotherhood of Teamsters
José Holguín-Veras, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Jack Holmes, UPS Freight
Richard Inclima, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division of the Teamster Rail Conference
Frances Lee Inman, Majestic Realty Co.
Randell Iwasaki, Contra Costa Transportation Authority
Michael Jewell, Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association, AFL-CIO
Paul R. Kelly, A & S Service Group
Paul C. LaMarre III, Port of Monroe
Michelle Livingstone, The Home Depot
Bonnie Lowenthal, State of California
Andrew S. Lynn, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
C. Randal Mullett, Con-way Inc.
Rosa Navejar, The Rios Group
Michael Nutter, City of Philadelphia
Gary A. Palmer, True Value Company
Craig Philip, Ingram Barge Company
John Previsich, SMART – Transportation Division
William Roberson, Nucor Steel – Berkeley
Christopher T. Rodgers, Douglas County, National Association of Counties
Mark Andrew Savage, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance/Colorado State Patrol
Karen Schmidt, Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board
Ann Schneider, Illinois DOT
Ricky D. Smith, Department of Port Control, Cleveland Airport
Mike Tooley, Montana DOT
Peter G. Vigue, Cianbro Companies
Michael C. Walton, University of Texas Austin
A.C. Warton, City of Memphis
Leonard Waterworth, Port of Houston Authority
More Fleet Management

ATA’s Spear Warns Fuel Prices, Trade Policy, and Global Conflict Could Stall Trucking Recovery
Speaking at the TMC Annual Meeting in Nashville, ATA President Chris Spear said trucking faces mounting pressure from rising fuel prices, geopolitical instability, and uncertainty around trade policy.
Read More →
New Entrants, Chameleon Carriers, and Safety: Is It Too Easy to Start a Trucking Company?
More than 100,000 new trucking companies enter the industry each year, but regulators manage to audit only a fraction of them. That churn creates opportunities for inexperienced startups — and for “chameleon carriers” that shut down after safety violations and reappear under new identities. Read more from Deborah Lockridge in this commentary.
Read More →
Fleet Managers Invited to Apply for Exclusive HDT Exchange Event
HDTX is an intimate event that connects heavy-duty trucking fleet managers with industry suppliers through small-group discussions, educational sessions, and structured one-on-one meetings.
Read More →
DAT Launches iPhone Widget to Help Owner-Operators Find Loads Faster
New DAT One feature shows top-paying loads directly on an iPhone’s home screen, helping carriers react faster to spot-market opportunities.
Read More →
Optimal Dynamics Launches AI System to Help Carriers Choose Better Freight
Optimal Dynamics says its new Scale platform uses AI agents and optimization to help carriers find and secure freight that improves network balance and profitability.
Read More →
DAT: Flatbed Demand Climbs as Van and Reefer Rates Soften
DAT Freight & Analytics data shows tightening flatbed capacity, easing produce markets, and softening van and reefer rates.
Read More →
Run on Less “Messy Middle” Data Shows Multiple Paths Forward for Truck Powertrains [Watch]
NACFE's Run on Less - Messy Middle project demonstrates the power of data in helping to guide the future of alternative fuels and powertrains for heavy-duty trucks.
Read More →
Federal Court Lets NYC Congestion Pricing Continue
A federal court ruling allows New York City’s congestion pricing program to continue, leaving truck tolls in place for fleets delivering into Manhattan.
Read More →
Fontaine Modification Launches Real-Time Truck Modification Tracking Portal
Fontaine Modification has introduced a new customer portal designed to give fleets real-time visibility into the truck modification process, addressing one of the most common questions fleet managers face: “Where’s my truck?”
Read More →
FTR: Trucking Conditions Index Climbs to Highest Level Since 2022
Strong freight rates, rising volumes and tighter capacity push trucking conditions higher, though diesel prices could temper gains in the near term, FTR cautions.
Read More →
