Rail Customer Coalition

featured image

Rebuilding America Starts with Freight Rail Reform

Freight rail is a cornerstone of America’s supply chain – connecting our manufacturers, farmers, and energy producers with businesses and consumers across the country.

The rail industry is undergoing a major transformation, and outdated federal policies are holding back our ability to compete. Bringing jobs back home, rebuilding American manufacturing, and reducing dependence on foreign imports requires a freight rail system that puts U.S. producers first.

The Rail Customer Coalition (RCC) firmly believes that America needs more rail competition, not less. At a time when policymakers are working to grow manufacturing, unleash energy dominance, secure supply chains, and fight inflation, we must not allow further unbridled railroad consolidation and monopolies to undermine that progress.

Merger Madness

In one of the most dramatic consolidations in U.S. transportation history, the number of Class I railroads serving the nation has plunged by over 70% in recent decades thanks to a massive wave of rail mergers.

The proposed Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger threatens to supercharge rail consolidation—choking off competition and leaving U.S. producers with even fewer options to move goods efficiently and affordably. Policymakers must act before this deal locks in monopoly power across key freight corridors and puts our nation’s economy and supply chains in jeopardy.

Learn more

Smart Solutions

Small and large businesses, transportation experts, and American voters agree reform is needed.

The STB should adopt these policy reforms to help get freight rail back to work for American businesses and consumers:

  • Increase Rail-to-Rail Competition

    Remove regulatory barriers to competitive rail service by updating the Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) reciprocal switching rules.

  • Fight Monopoly Pricing

    Develop an economic model to measure how much more rail shippers must pay when they lack competitive transportation options.

  • Pass the Reliable Rail Service Act

    Clarify the railroads’ common carrier obligation to provide service in line with customer needs.

Latest Tweets

See More

Resources

  • Issue Brief

    Issue Brief: Rail Merger 101 – Why UP-NS Deal is Bad for America

  • Letters

    Letter: Rail Customer Coalition to the Surface Transportation Board Regarding Proposed Merger

  • Analysis

    Analysis: Proposed Merger Between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern Railroads

  • Analysis

    Analysis: Rail Rates Climb Higher as Competition Gets More Scarce

  • Webpage

    Book: “The Little Engine That Couldn’t” sheds light on pressing need for freight rail reform

  • Issue Brief

    Issue Brief: Support the Reliable Rail Service Act

  • Issue Brief

    Issue Brief: Staggers Rail Act

  • Issue Brief

    Issue Brief: Precision Scheduled Railroading

  • Issue Brief

    Issue Brief: Rail Service Failures

See More

About

The The Rail Customer Coalition (RCC) is a large collection of trade associations representing a broad cross-section of manufacturing, agricultural, and energy industries that depend on the railroads to deliver reliable and affordable service so they can remain competitive in a global market. Their members are essential to a healthy U.S. economy, with operations and employees throughout the country – collectively providing more than 7 million jobs and producing more than $4.8 trillion in economic output.

RCC members are major transportation stakeholders and the largest users of freight rail. They account for more than half of the total volume of cargo shipped by rail and generate more than three-quarters of the revenues collected by the railroads.

Full Member List

Contact Us

If you have a question or a comment about freight rail reform, please contact us: