Project number: NCST-TO-036

Funding source: Caltrans

Contract number:

Funding amount: $25,000

Performance Period: 1/26/2017 to 7/15/2017

Link to report: https://ncst.ucdavis.edu/project/framework-developing-economic-competitiveness-measures-california-sustainable-freight

Project Description

This project develops a framework for identifying and selecting appropriate measures of economic competitiveness in support of implementation of Action 6 of the California Sustainable Freight Action Plan (CSFAP). Action 6 calls for industry stakeholder working groups to identify a target or targets and deploy strategies that consider commercial viability and promote the competitiveness of California's statewide and local freight transport system. Also to develop economic growth and competitiveness metrics, models, and other tools and data to analyze benefits and impacts of actions, including costs, and develop and implement a suite of quantitative metrics to track progress in order to ensure that the impacts of actions on economic growth and competitiveness are considered throughout the development and implementation process.

The CSFAP identifies three targets: system efficiency, transition to zero emission technology, and increased competitiveness and economic growth. Specific targets were identified for system efficiency and zero emission technology, but not for competitiveness and economic growth. Per the CSFAP, the concept of economic competitiveness was too vague and complicated to be able to generate a specific target by the planned submission deadline of July 2016. Instead, the target is to be established via research and collaboration with the freight stakeholder community.

The Appendixes of this paper include CSFAP Economic Competitiveness and Workforce Development Workshop Presentation, Workshop Notes, and Meeting Presentation. The consultant study will generate the economic competitiveness measures and targets.