WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board today (Sept. 5) announced the schedule for those who will testify in its upcoming hearing on growth in the freight rail industry, and adjusted the starting time for each day of Sept. 16-17 hearing to 9 a.m. ET — a half-hour earlier than the original schedule.
The hearing will be held at board headquarters at 395 E Street S.W. in Washington. It will be carried live on the Board’s YouTube channel.
Twelve groups, or panels, of speakers are set to participate — six each day. The list of railroads and other organizations taking part had been announced last month [see “Participants line up to bend STB’s ear …,” Trains News Wire, Aug. 15, 2024].
The panels on Monday, Sept. 16, will include:
— Four representatives of analyst and consulting organizations, allotted a total of 62 minutes;
— John Brooks, CPKC executive vice president and chief marketing officer (10 minutes), and Kenny Rocker, Union Pacific executive vice president, marketing and sales (10 minutes);
— Three representatives of labor unions (35 minutes total);
— Tom Williams and Jill Mulligan, BNSF executive vice presidents (20 minutes), and four representatives of Canadian National Railway (20 minutes);
— Five representatives of member railroads of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, along with Sarah G. Yurasko, ALSRRA senior vice president, law and general counsel
— Representatives of four industry supply groups (the Railway Supply Institute; Hoffman Supply Chain Advisors, Solutionary Rail; CNJ Rail Corp. and Railroad Restorations), 20 minutes total.
Scheduled on Tuesday, Sept. 17, are:
— Representatives of the National Industrial Transportation League, National Grain and Feed Association, and Private Railcar Food and Beverage Association (40 minutes);
— Representatives of six shippers or shipper organizations (39 minutes);
— CSX Transportation CEO Joe Hinrichs and Chief Commerical Officer Kevin Boon (30 minutes) and Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw (30 minutes);
— Representatives of chemical industry organizations the American Chemistry Council, the Alliance for Chemical Distribution, and the Fertilizer Institute (30 minutes total);
— Association of American Railroads CEO Ian Jefferies and chief economist Rand Ghayad (20 minutes);
— Representatives of Parallel Systems and Highroad Consulting (10 minutes).
Full details all speakers are available in this board decision, which also includes information for those interested in attending in person.
This is not just silly, it’s government silly.
As in: OK. explain the Union Pacific’s marketing plans for growth. You’ve got 10 minutes to do so.