The Port Performance Freight Statistics Working Group has been created in accordance with Section 6018 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act (P.L. 114-94; Dec. 4, 2015; 129 Stat. 1312). The Working Group supports development of the newly-established Port Performance Freight Statistics Program, managed by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). The goal of the program is “to provide nationally consistent measures of performance” of the nation’s largest ports, and to report annually to Congress on port capacity and throughput.

The Working Group is established in the FAST Act to provide recommendations to the BTS Director on matters related to port performance measures; to identify a standard for port data; to specify standards for consistent port performance measures; to recommend statistics for measuring port capacity and throughput; and to develop a process to collect timely and consistent data.

The FAST Act designates the members of the Working Group, and sets a due date for recommendations of December 4, 2016.

Upcoming Working Group Meetings

• November 18, 2016

Working Group Background:

• Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act or "FAST Act"
• Port Performance Freight Statistics Working Group - Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) database

Working Group Charter and Membership List:

• Port Performance Freight Statistics Working Group Charter
• Port Performance Freight Statistics Working Group Membership List (June 2016)

Working Group Status:

The next meeting of the Working Group will be on Friday, November 18, 2016 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Eastern Standard Time at U.S. Department of Transportation Headquarters in Washington, DC (please see the first Federal Register notice below for additional details).

Federal Register Notices

• Port Performance Freight Statistics Working Group: notice of public meeting and public comment period on draft work plan (October 3, 2016)
• Port Performance Freight Statistics Working Group: Notice Of Public Meetings (link is external) (August 22, 2016)
• Port Performance Freight Statistics Working Group: Notice of Public Meeting (June 14, 2016)
• Port Performance Freight Statistics Working Group; Notice of Establishment of Port Performance Freight Statistics Working Group and Solicitation of Nominations for Membership (February 23, 2016)

Past Working Group Meetings

• October 21, 2016
  • Agenda
• September 23, 2016
  • Agenda
    • Draft Work Plan (PDF)
    • Port List Recommendations (PPT)
    • Waterborne Commerce Statistical Center (PPT)
    • Port Performance Metrics (PPT)
  • Public Comments
    • Edward Wykind, Transportation Trade Division, AFL-CIO (PDF)

• July 15, 2016
  • Agenda
    1. Welcome and Guidance for Recommendations (PDF)
    2. Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act (PDF)
    3. Overview of key definitions (PDF)
    4. Overview of current measures and available data (PDF)
  • Meeting Minutes
  • Public Comments
    1. Don Berchoff, TruWeather Solutions (PDF)
    2. Multi Association Letter on Port Performance Metrics to the Department of Transportation (PDF)
    3. Val Noronha, Digital Geographic (PDF)
    4. Jennifer M. Safavian, Retail Industry Leaders Association (PDF)
    5. Consolidated Responses to 3Qs from Working Group Members (PDF)

Frequently Asked Questions:

• Will BTS consider suggestions for port performance measures from others not represented by the Port Performance Freight Statistics Working Group?
  • Yes, BTS welcomes any interested party not represented on the Working Group to submit their suggestions at any time to portstatistics@bts.gov. In addition, BTS will publish Federal Register notices before each Working Group meeting, which will solicit public comments.
• Will BTS consider parties not represented on the Working Group or listed in the FAST Act as possible “subject matter experts” (SME) openings or to serve on a subcommittee? 
  • BTS has not yet determined how best to incorporate SME input. One option is for BTS as the Designated Federal Official (DFO) to contract with a well-regarded group in the field to gather and analyze inputs; a second is to establish topic-specific subcommittees to the Working Group (requires Working Group action); a third is a mix of the two. Establishment and scope of subcommittees are at the discretion of the Working Group; subcommittees, if established, report to the Working Group, not to BTS.
• How should individuals interested in submitting feedback as subject matter experts (SMEs) communicate their interest to BTS?  
  • BTS, in consultation with the Port Performance Freight Statistics Working Group, will decide which SMEs may be necessary for the Working Group to communicate with in developing its recommendations.