The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration cordially invites you to take part in two upcoming Regional Intermodal Freight Technology Working Group (IFTWG) meetings, to be held in Los Angeles on November 29 and Seattle on December 1. Invitation letters for both meetings are attached, as well as agendas and registration forms.

The IFTWG is a public-private cooperative forum aimed at identifying technology solutions to challenges facing the intermodal freight transportation community. The IFTWG will be conducting interactive collaboration events in six locations around the country. These meetings will accomplish several important objectives:

· Identify local, regional and corridor-wide freight efficiency challenges and explore potential technology-based solutions;

· Identify champions and next steps for advancing potential demonstration projects;

· Share and capture information and freight community user needs relative to the Freight Advanced Traveler Information System (FRATIS) initiative.

By promoting collaboration among freight transportation providers, public agencies, shippers, and technology developers, the IFTWG draws on a wealth of experience and knowledge to identify creative, forward-thinking concepts, and turn them into practical pilot demonstrations. The IFTWG has sponsored several highly successful projects, including the Kansas City Cross-Town Improvement Project, and the Electronic Freight Management project, and served as the development forum for the FRATIS initiative—DOT’s focal point for advanced freight technology development.

The active participation of motor carriers, ocean carriers, railroads, metropolitan and regional planning organizations, State departments of transportation, shippers, receivers, warehouse and distribution centers, logistics providers, and technology developers is essential to the success of the group. Your participation in this meeting will ensure we hear from all stakeholders to understand needs and then facilitate collaborative solutions.

The attached draft agendas provide information about each meeting’s activities, which include several interactive sessions using a tool called ThinkTank®. This tool will allow us to capture important input from you and your colleagues regarding local, regional and corridor needs and challenges, and freight improvement priorities. In order to make full use of this tool, we are asking all attendees to bring a laptop computer with WiFi capability, and a web browser installed. If you do not have access to a laptop, we will provide other means for you to offer input at the meeting.

Also attached is a registration form. Since space is limited and lunch will be provided, it is essential that attendees submit this form to [log in to unmask] no later than Tuesday, November 22 for the Los Angeles meeting and Thursday November 24 for the Seattle meeting. Any questions you may have regarding the event can be directed to Mr. Randy Butler at 202-366-9215, or e-mail [log in to unmask].

In the event that you are unable to attend in person, we are making provisions to allow you to participate “virtually” through an on-line Web session.