Nashville, TN — RJ Gibson, Director of Government Affairs and Advocacy of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry, discusses federal rail policy and freight rail mandates in a July 21 op-ed for The Tennessean. 
“Tennessee’s reputation as a top state for business is heavily supported by its freight rail network. New regulations could negatively impact Tennessee’s manufacturing sector and major logistics hubs like Memphis.”
He argues that proposed federal rail mandates could increase costs across the supply chain and threaten the efficiency that has helped make Tennessee a leading state for business.
“As lawmakers debate that legislation, they should be careful not to replace the flexibility that has driven freight rail’s success with prescriptive federal mandates that could make the network less efficient and more expensive to operate.”
Gibson writes that policymakers should consider the broader impacts of rail policy on the state’s transportation network and economy.
“Any conversation about rail policy or rail safety should consider how changes in one mode affect the entire transportation network, including highway capacity, infrastructure investment needs and transportation costs throughout the economy.”
