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Earlier this year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) transitioned management of the Damage Prevention and Loading Services (DP&LS) group from Railinc to the Transportation Technology Center Inc. (TTCI) in Pueblo, Colo. Railinc and TTCI are AAR subsidiaries.

DP&LS' products and services are a better fit under TTCI's organization, AAR officials determined.

The DP&LS group, which is headquartered in Cary, N.C., conducts testing for railroads, shippers and suppliers, and develops publications on industry-accepted rules and standards for loading box cars and intermodal equipment. In July, the group assumed administrative responsibility for Open Top Loading Rules (OTLR) and began working directly with the industry's OTLR committee on testing, approval and publication of open top loading and securement methods.

The DP&LS group also is focused on preventing damage to motor vehicles shipped by rail, maintaining rules for interline settlement of freight claims, and coordinating an annual educational conference on damage prevention and freight loading topics.