WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Transportation is seeking congressional authority to create a nationwide supply chain data-sharing platform that would connect ports, ocean carriers, railroads, trucking companies, and major retailers in an effort to reduce freight bottlenecks and lower transportation costs.
Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy unveiled the American Supply Chain Sovereignty Initiative, a proposal that would establish a high-visibility logistics dashboard linking key freight hubs, including the Port of Los Angeles, with participants across the supply chain.
The initiative’s success depends on legislation that the administration is asking Congress to include in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act. According to the department, the legislation would authorize USDOT to provide role-based access to specific supply chain data, creating a framework for information sharing among freight stakeholders.
The proposal is aimed at increasing visibility across freight networks, allowing transportation providers, shippers, retailers, and government agencies to identify congestion points and respond more quickly to disruptions.
“When it comes to our supply chains, time is money,” Duffy said. “Fewer delays mean lower costs throughout the entire supply chain.”
The department said a more transparent supply chain could accelerate cargo processing, improve freight movement, reduce logistics expenses, and strengthen coordination among transportation providers and major commercial users.
The initiative builds on the Department of Transportation’s Freight Logistics Optimization Works, or FLOW, program, a public-private effort launched to improve supply chain data sharing and freight network visibility.
USDOT also tied the proposal to broader efforts to modernize the nation’s freight transportation system, which spans nearly seven million miles of highways, rail corridors, waterways, pipelines, and other logistics infrastructure.
“The American Supply Chain Sovereignty Initiative will prevent bottlenecks, move freight faster, and deliver goods more affordably for the American people,” Duffy said.
The department did not provide a timeline for deployment of the proposed dashboard, which remains contingent on congressional approval of the requested legislative authority.
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