Freight Movement

Promote cooperation among freight movement interests and develop an intermodal freight movement plan with improvements to air, highway, port and rails systems.

Policy Background
The maritime facilities of the Delaware River comprise one of the largest freshwater shipping complexes in the world, handling the second largest volume of international tonnage on the East Coast. These facilities are strategically located in the middle of a metropolitan corridor, which extends from Boston to Norfolk, closer to more major cities that any port on the Atlantic seaboard. The Port's public and private facilities on both sides of the Delaware River provide numerous distribution options to the world's shippers. The volume of cargo imported and exported from the shipping facilities is a measure of the economic vitality of the Delaware Valley. Increased port activity is a sign of a strong economy and a healthy intermodal freight system

Measurement
This indicator measures the amount of freight being imported and exported from the Port of Philadelphia and Camden (PPC) including both general and bulk cargo. Historically bulk cargo such as petroleum products, chemicals, coal, and other earth minerals, have comprised the majority of freight tonnage passing through the region's ports. Although still smaller in overall tonnage as compared to bulk cargo, general cargo products like iron and steel, electronic goods, and fruit command a higher value in the world marketplace. Port data is provided by PPC, updated annually, and will be compared over time.

Results
Port freight at PPC saw a slight increase of 1.8% in tonnage from 1990 to 1998. Between 1990 and 1998, bulk tonnage, such as coal, petroleum and fertilizer, decreased by just 1.5%. However, general tonnage, such as electronic equipment, fruit and automobiles increased by 36.8%.

Policy Background
Air cargo comprises a smaller percentage of regional freight than goods transported by rail or ship. The importance of Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to the regional freight system is primarily for high-value, time-sensitive cargoes and commodities.

Measurement
This indicator measures the amount of domestic and international cargo traveling through PHL which consist of on-loaded and off-loaded cargoes. Air cargo data is supplied by PHL and is updated annually.

Results
Air tonnage at PHL has greatly increased between 1990 and 1998. PHL reports that flights are carrying 94.4% more air cargo tons in 1998 than in 1990. According to the Division of Aviation Records at PHL, this increase is primarily due to both United Parcel Service (UPS) and U.S. Airways establishing international cargo hubs at PHL within the past six years

Policy Background
Freight movement by truck allows smaller and local shippers "door-to-door" access to the regional freight network by permitting local firms to get their products quickly to market. Trucks provide the widest freight coverage in the Delaware Valley in addition to having a significant impact on intermodal transfers. Increased truck traffic may be indicative of an enhanced regional economy, but also impacts upon congestion in the region.

Measurement
This indicator measures the change in truck movements and provides one assessment of the health of the regional on-road freight network. Data are based upon movements along the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Turnpike regional interchanges and truck crossings on the Ben Franklin, Betsy Ross, Commodore Barry, Walt Whitman, Trenton-Morrisville, New Hope-Lambertville, Tacony-Palmyra, and Burlington-Bristol bridges. Data are provided on an annual basis from the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, New Jersey Turnpike Authority, Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA), Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission (DRJTBC) and the Burlington County Bridge Commission (BCBC). These measures will be compared overtime.

Results
Regional truck traffic increased from 14.0 million movements in 1995 to 16.4 million movements in 1998. The greatest increases during this period occurred along the DRJTBC bridges (Trenton-Morrisville and New Hope-Lambertville) and DRPA bridges (Ben Franklin, Betsy Ross, Commodore Barry and Walt Whitman). This increase follows a decline on the DRJTBC bridges between 1990 and 1995. Truck movements also increased on the New Jersey and Pennsylvania Turnpikes during this same period. BCBC bridges (Tacony-Palmyra and Burlington-Bristol) saw a decline during this same period. According to the BCBC, this was due in part to return truck traffic from New Jersey to Pennsylvania utilizing DRPA bridges located closer to their points of destination.