VTrans Freight Study. Stakeholder Questionnaire Results April, 2006

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2 VTrans Freight Study Stakeholder Questionnaire Results April, 2006

3 Methodology 2,120 questionnaires mailed to large employers (more than 100 employees) and freight shippers (more than 20 employees) throughout the Commonwealth. 228 respondents returned questionnaires. Maximum statistical error of +/- 6.5% for the total sample of stakeholder questionnaires. Questionnaires were also mailed to freight stakeholder forum invitees. 27 freight stakeholder forum invitees returned questionnaires.

4 Mailed Questionnaire and Respondent Locations

5 10% of respondents are dissatisfied with the ability of Virginia s transportation system to deliver to their business location. How satisfied are you with the ability of Virginia s transportation system to get goods, products, or services to your business? Very Satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Overall 21% 68% 9% 1% Shippers 15% 70% 10% 5% Large Employers 24% 68% 8% 0% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

6 More than 1 in 4 shippers who responded to the questionnaire are not satisfied with the ability of the transportation system to get goods to customers. How satisfied are you with the ability of Virginia s transportation system to get goods, products, or services to your customers? Very Satisfied Satisfied Dissa tisfie d Ve ry Dissa tisfie d Overall 21% 62% 14% 3% Shippers 12% 63% 19% 7% Large Employers 25% 63% 12% 1% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

7 More than half of all respondents and two thirds of freight shippers are directly impacted by transportation issues. Are there specific transportation issues in your region of Virginia that directly impact your ability to send and receive goods and products? No Yes Overall 45% 55% Shipper 34% 66% Large Employer 50% 50% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

8 Responses indicate that transportation impacts are significantly worse in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia: Of all respondents within metropolitan areas, 77% directly impacted in Hampton Roads 67% cited congestion or construction delays 65% directly impacted in Northern Virginia 46% cited congestion or construction delays 44% in Roanoke Valley, 43% in Richmond and 40% Lynchburg reported direct transportation impacts

9 On time delivery of goods and services is the biggest challenge for freight stakeholders in Virginia: Please rank, in order of importance, the challenges you face in meeting your company s freight transportation/logistics needs (1 - most important, 8 - least important): Rank Avg. Challenge Rank Meeting on-time goals to satisfy customers 2.4 Issues affecting schedules (e.g. hours of service) 3.2 Safety 3.2 Issues affecting cost (e.g. tolls) 3.7 Transportation system connectivity issues 4.6 Transportation system issues related to accessibility (e.g. bridge clearances) 5.1 Transportation alternatives (e.g. truck, rail, air, water) 5.7

10 On both a regional and statewide basis, delays due to congestion, crashes, and roadwork are the most important freight transportation issues: Please rank, in order of importance, the freight transportation system issues listed below (1 most concerned, 11 least concerned): Rank Issue Avg. Rank Region / Statewide Congestion 2.8 / 2.6 Incidents (e.g. crashes, roadwork) 3.5 / 3.6 Local access for deliveries 4.7 / 4.9 Intersection / interchange constraints 5.0 / 5.3 Availability of route options 5.3 / Weight restrictions Truck-prohibited roads Truck parking (at rest areas) 5.7 / / / Height restrictions 7.3 / Rest area availability 7.4 / 7.3

11 More than one-third of all respondents and 41% of large employers indicate that non-truck modes are important. How important is it to you to move your goods, products, or services by a mode other than truck? Very Important Important Not Important Not important at all 37% Overall 19% 18% 34% 30% Shippers 15% 7% 25% 53% 41% Large Employers 19% 22% 37% 22% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

12 Approximately one quarter of all respondents either used or expressed interest in non-truck modes. 10.0% 9.0% 8.0% 7.0% 0.4% 3.1% 6.0% 5.0% 4.0% 3.0% 2.0% 1.0% 7.0% 5.7% 0.9% 4.4% 2.2% 3.9% 0.0% Air Rail Ports Unspecified Mode Currently Use Need / Would Consider 7% of respondents (15 of 228) indicated that they need better access to nontruck modes or that they would consider other modes if available. 16% (35 of 228) stated that truck freight is their only option.

13 Non-truck modes are most highly valued by Hampton Roads stakeholders. Nearly half of Hampton Roads respondents indicated non-truck modes are either important or very important. Percentage of respondents indicating non-truck modes important or very important Hampton Roads 49% Richmond 32% Northern Virginia / Valley 30% Southwest Virginia 34% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

14 Nearly half of respondents indicate that there are freight policy and regulatory issues the Commonwealth should address. Are there policy, regulatory, or institutional issues that the Commonwealth should address to facilitate the movement of freight in Virginia? No Yes Overall 60% 40% Shippers 50% 50% Large Employers 64% 36% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

15 When asked for input on what the Commonwealth can do to facilitate freight movement, respondents identified the following policy, regulatory, and institutional issues: Issue Responses Reduce congestion 17 Change trucking regulations (hours of service, trailer length limitations, weight restrictions) 17 Improve VDOT efficiency / accountability 10 Increase safety / security 8 Eliminate excessive regulation 7 Increase government funding for infrastructure 6 Eliminate / do not introduce new tolls 6

16 When asked to identify other issues, delays and the need for infrastructure improvements remain the main concerns of respondents. Please identify other issues or concerns related to freight movement in and out of Virginia. Issue Responses Congestion / delays 30 Infrastructure improvements / funding 18 Regulatory Issues 10 Cost issues 10 Multimodal options 4 Safety / security 4 Truck parking / rest areas / scales 4

17 A significant number of respondents are interested in participating in stakeholder groups especially at the regional level. Percentage of respondents indicating interest in participation 40% 35% 34% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 21% 14% 24% 13% 13% 0% Large Employers Shippers Overall Regional Statewide

18 Conclusions Respondents indicate that meeting on-time goals to satisfy customers is their most important challenge. Virginia s overcrowded infrastructure is making it difficult to meet those goals, especially in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia. Freight transportation limitations and stakeholder concerns are especially evident in the Hampton Roads region. 77% of respondents in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area indicate their ability to send and receive goods is directly impacted by transportation issues. More than one third of stakeholders indicate that modes other than truck are important or very important.

19 Freight Stakeholder Forum Invitee Questionnaire Results and Comparisons to Statewide Study

20 Among freight forum invitees, respondents were four times more likely to express dissatisfaction with Virginia s transportation system. How satisfied are you with the ability of Virginia s transportation system to move goods, products, or services? 50% 45% Very Dissa tisfie d, 4% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Very Dissa tisfie d, 1% Dissa tisfie d 9% Statewide Questionnaire Dissa tisfie d 41% Stakeholder Forum Questionnaire Very Dissa tisfie d, 2% Dissa tisfie d 13% All Respondents

21 Freight forum invitees were also far more likely to indicate they are directly impacted by transportation issues. Are there specific transportation issues in your region of Virginia that directly impact your ability to send and receive goods and products? No Yes All Respondents 42% 58% Stakeholder Forum Questionnaire 13% 87% Statewide Questionnaire 45% 55% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

22 Forum respondents place a higher importance on safety and system connectivity issues. Please rank, in order of importance, the challenges you face in meeting your company s freight transportation/logistics needs (1 - most important, 8 - least important): Challenge Forum Invitee Rank Statewide Questionnaire Rank Safety 1 3 Meeting on-time goals to satisfy customers Transportation system connectivity issues Issues affecting cost (e.g. tolls) Issues affecting schedules (e.g. hours of service) Transportation alternatives (e.g. truck, rail, air, water) Transportation system issues related to accessibility (e.g. bridge clearances) 7 6

23 Both groups agree that congestion and incidents are the Commonwealth s most important freight transportation issues. Please rank, in order of importance, the freight transportation system issues listed below (1 most concerned, 11 least concerned): Issue Forum Invitee Rank Congestion 1 Statewide Questionnaire Rank Incidents (e.g. crashes, roadwork) 2 2 Weight restrictions 3 6 Intersection / interchange constraints 4 4 Availability of route options 5 5 Local access for deliveries 6 3 Truck-prohibited roads 7 7 Height Restrictions 8 9 Truck parking (at rest areas) 9 8 Rest area availability

24 Forum invitees highly value non-truck modes: Threequarters of forum invitee respondents feel non-truck modes are important or very important Percentage of respondents indicating non-truck modes are important or very important 80% 70% 60% Important 16% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Important 18% Very Important 19% Statewide Questionnaire Very Important 56% Stakeholder Forum Questionnaire Important 17% Very Important 22% All Respondents

25 Other facts and figures: Responses from forum invitees reinforce the findings that delays are the most pressing concern among stakeholders. Many respondents indicate that the freight infrastructure is not adequate to accommodate the present and future needs of the Commonwealth. The most frequent policy recommendations from forum invitee respondents are: More government funding is needed for freight transportation. Virginia needs to improve its multimodal capabilities and promote equity in the allocation of funds for various modes.