GoRail unites rail stakeholders with community leaders and the public in support of rail solutions to tomorrow’s transportation challenges. GoRail believes that every additional ton of freight moving by rail instead of over our congested highways means more jobs and a stronger economy, less pollution and cleaner skies, and greater fuel efficiency and clearer roads ahead.
GoRail was founded on the principle that “all politics is local” and that direct input from constituents is the best way communicate with Members of Congress. Some of the most astute Washington observers have long noted that most issues on the government’s to-do list come not from the top or from DC lobbyists, but from the “broad middle” outside the Beltway. GoRail provides a forum for concerned Americans to make it clear to Members of Congress that the rail policy decisions they make on Capitol Hill have real impacts back home in their communities: on local jobs and economic development, air quality and roadway congestion, and overall quality of life.
Freight volumes have been forecast to grow approximately 92 percent by 2035 and many highways are already stretched beyond capacity. The nation faces a complex freight mobility challenge and it is essential that non-highway options are available to keep goods moving.
Freight rail is an excellent alternative. Shipping more freight by rail saves taxpayers money, promotes cleaner air and greater fuel efficiency, improves safety, and lessens worsening highway congestion.
GoRail’s mission is based principally on recommendations from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), which represents state departments of transportation. AASHTO calls for increased investment in freight rail infrastructure to help relieve pressure on the nation’s roadways. AASHTO found that relatively small public investments in new rail capacity would yield tremendous public benefits. This would add to the already large investments that railroads themselves make in our nation’s freight rail infrastructure.
GoRail actively builds public support for our mission among influential community and business leaders. Since 2004, over 4,000 local, county and state government officials, and business, academic, and community leaders in 30 states have joined with us in engaging policy makers in Washington on the importance of freight rail to our economy and our quality of life.