The Des Moines Area MPO spent years planning for a new transload facility, which has strengthened the connection between the region\u2019s trucking and rail freight networks. Today, the transload facility is open and being operated by Des Moines Industrial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Greater Des Moines is among few metros in the country to be served by three national (Class 1) and one regional (Class 2) rail carriers, with freight networks stretching from coast to coast and the Mexican and Canadian borders. Only about 25 percent of U.S. shippers have direct access to more than one Class 1 railroad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But until recently, there was limited connects between the robust rail network and the state\u2019s vast farm-to-market network of roads and highways served by the trucking industry. In fact, there was only\u00a0one transload facility where freight could be transferred between rail cars and semitrucks, and it is served by a single rail carrier, a so-called \u201ccaptive\u201d facility without competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The new transload facility is \u201cnon-captive,\u201d served by multiple rail carriers, thereby increasing the capacity of rail freight and encouraging competition among rail carriers.\u00a0This has the potential to significantly lower shipping costs and provide a significant boost to the regional economy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The establishment of the transload facility was made possible by an $11.2 million Better Utilizing Infrastructure to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant that was secured by the Des Moines Area MPO. The MPO also helped secure a $1.7 million interest-free loan for the project from the Iowa Department of Transportation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n