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Not quite two months after forming Coalition for Rail-to-Rail Competition,
National Industrial Transportation League (NITL) and Alliance for Rail Competition (ARC) in late April decided to pull the plug on the coalition because the shipper organizations "simply couldn't work out an operational agreement that both groups could live with," says NITL President Edward Emmett.
"What it boils down to is that we're different groups with different strategies," he says.
Emmett believes a major sticking point was developing the coalition's lobbying strategy. Because that couldn't be worked out quickly, NITL and ARC officials determined it was best to discontinue the coalition at an early stage.
But NITL and ARC — as well as other shipper organizations, including American Chemistry Council, and National Grain and Feed Association — plan to continue working together on railroad reforms, albeit more informally.
"Some organizations say we're already a coalition," says Emmett.
Formed Feb. 27, Coalition for Rail-to-Rail Competition through its mission statement sought to foster unity among rail shippers on the issue of freedom and competitive choice; create a forum to build consensus on principles, strategy and direction; improve the effectiveness of rail customers in bringing about rail-to-rail competition; and create momentum for change.
— Jeff Stagl