NITL Convenes 2013 National Policy Meetings

The National Industrial Transportation League is taking its acclaimed spring policy program outside Washington, D.C., to the greater Chicago area on May 23-24 to convene the nation’s leading decision-makers from industry and government to explore the key challenges confronting the freight transportation industry.

Structured around the NITL’s major standing modal committees, the program offers a comprehensive agenda of urgent and emergent issues that are equally critical for NITL members and non-members alike. Industry professionals concerned with maritime, highway and railroad transportation issues will engage on these critical issues:

• Maritime: Trans-Pacific Trade/The Impacts of the Merger of the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement and Westbound Transportation Stabilization Agreement; ILA-USMX Contract Overview; Managing Risk and Rate Volatility; the Food Safety Act; the Maritime Labor Convention; and the Water Resources Development Act.
• Highway: Implementing the New Hours of Service Rule; Truck Productivity/Truck Size and Weight; CSA; Chassis Pools and Chassis Fleet Management; the Supreme Court’s Review of the Port of Los Angeles Dray Truck Driver Restrictions; and the Economic Outlook for the Trucking Industry.
• Railroad: Captive Shippers and Rail Reform Legislation; Current Regulatory Issues Before the U.S. Surface Transportation Board, including the NITL Petition for Rulemaking to Adopt Revised Competitive Switching Rules; Chicago’s CREATE project; and the Fuel Surcharge Antitrust Class Action.

In addition to our confirmed special guest speakers, Rep. Peter Roskam, R-Ill., and Mike Card, chairman of the American Trucking Associations, our other presenters will include:

• Karyn Booth, general counsel, the National Industrial Transportation League and partner and chair of Thompson Hine LLP’s transportation practice.
• Dave Briggs, senior manager of container freight derivatives at TSC Container Freight.
• Brian Conrad, executive administrator, Transpacific Stabilization Agreement.
• Larry Gross, senior consultant, FTR Consulting Group.
• John C. Runyan, executive director, Coalition for Truck Productivity.
• Jeff Sciver, CREATE program director, Chicago Department of Transportation.
• Prasad Sharma, general counsel, American Trucking Associations.
• Bob Szabo, executive director and counsel, Consumers United for Rail Equity.
• Curtis Whalen, executive director of the American Trucking Associations’ Intermodal Motor Carriers Conference.

“The League’s annual ‘policy forum’ in Washington set the standard for ‘best in class,’ NITL President and CEO Bruce Carlton said. “This year we are getting away from DC and taking the forum to Chicago where we have added more topics centered on industry issues. We are using our familiar Committee structure to organize the meetings to cover ocean, railroad and highway

transportation issues. But all freight transportation professionals are welcome to attend and participate fully in this outstanding program.”

For more information including details on the program, registration, and hotel information, click here, go to www.nitl.org.

Founded in 1907, the National Industrial Transportation League is the United States’ oldest and largest freight transportation organization, representing more than 500 member companies. The NITL’s mission is to advance the views of shippers on freight

transportation issues and enhance their professional development. NITL’s members are responsible for making freight transportation decisions using all modes in both the United States and internationally.