OTTAWA — Promoting the transfer of freight from highways to rail and waterways is becoming a focal point of the Obama administration’s DOT.

This week, DOT Deputy Secretary John Porcari told senators that the department prefers that goods be shipped on waterways and rail as much as possible, utilizing trucks only for final delivery.

“…in our goods movement hierarchy – where we want to keep goods movement on water as long as possible, and then on rail as long as possible and truck it for the last miles – it’s a big step forward,” said Porcari.

Those comments echoed remarks by DOT Secretary Roy LaHood, who said last week that a key aspect of the administration’s “livability program” is to get “gas-guzzling” trucks off the road.

On his blog, LaHood said that the so-called Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery Discretionary Grant Program, would be geared toward transferring freight to marine and rail.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance acknowledges that “greening fleets is the most efficient way to reduce GHG emissions,” but the carrier group is concerned that policy makers “continue to focus on the old standby” of modal shift away from trucks.

CTA points to studies that debunk modal shifting as having significant net environmental benefits.

“CTA continues to work to educate government officials at all levels of the numerous efforts the trucking community has made to reduce GHG emissions, and other policy steps that can and should be taken to further reduce trucking’s impact on the environment.”