The executive board of the Alliance for Rail Competition (ARC) met in Washington, D.C.  to establish its federal work plan for 2014.  The organization expressed its appreciation of House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster’s announcement regarding his committee’s intention to move a comprehensive transportation reauthorization bill through the House Transportation Committee before August.

ARC is a diverse group of shippers and industry trade associations that formally organized in March of 1997 in response to growing concerns over deteriorating rail service.  Members of ARC are captive shippers that do not have access to the benefits of the Staggers Rail Act of 1980.  They include a broad cross-section of industry segments, including: agriculture; coal consumers; consumer and industrial products; chemicals; minerals and petrochemicals.

ARC directed its staff to expand the organization’s efforts to develop with the rail shipper community an enhanced legislative plan and to work for congressional approval.  In addition, the board committed to continue the organization’s activities before the Surface Transportation Board (STB).

ARC will be inviting the larger rail shipper community to meet together as soon as possible to galvanize consensus support for a legislative action plan and to preserve a united shipper front.