.:: FREIGHT ACADEMY ::.

A Sample Capstone Project Assignment

Your team manages all freight transportation for the State. Your duties include capital investments in public infrastructure, regulation and enforcement, operation of some facilities, and working with the economic development agency to retain and attract businesses.

The transport of retail products involves international, national, regional and local movements. Products may originate overseas and enter the U.S. by a port or airport and then be transported by rail and truck. Products also may originate at companies within your state and need to be shipped to customers expeditiously and cost effectively. Often, a substantial amount of truck traffic is involved in local deliveries to stores and restaurants.

Residents in your state expect to find a large array of products at reasonable prices at local stores, as well as receive deliveries at home. Efficient multimodal movement is crucial to retaining and attracting business operations. Manufacturing and distribution center operations employ thousands of residents.

Capstone Project

Develop a proactive strategic plan for retail movements in your state that:

Maintains and improves the freight operations needed to support retail movements, which considers that:

Multiple freight conveyances may be used – rail, truck, air cargo and waterborne movements may be part of the overall movements, meaning that multimodal, multi-agency and public and private sector considerations must be identified and addressed.
Origins and/or destinations could be outside your state, meaning that multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional alliances may be needed to address freight needs.

Recognizes that freight movement is primarily handled by private sector carriers that may have their own opinions on what is needed to improve or optimize public sector elements of the freight system.
Encourages manufacturing and distribution center operations to locate in your state, generating jobs and local tax revenues.
Balances concerns regarding local truck movements with the needs to serve stores and residences.
Considers emerging technologies and strategies, such as off-peak deliveries, quiet zones, etc.

Present this plan and answer questions on it at the two-day wrap up program. The presentation will include a 20- to 30-minute PowerPoint and 30 minutes of Q&A with an outside panel of public and private sector representatives. The team also will provide the strategic plan as a report of no more than 10 pages.