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Georgia Freight

The goal of the Department  is to use a strategic approach to provide well-planned transportation investments to accommodate freight growth and logistics needs statewide.

Freight Train

Freight and Logistics Plan

Freight & Logistics Plan

View: Final Report | Action Plan

Freight in all forms must travel efficiently and effectively across Georgia’s transportation network. To ensure that Georgia’s transportation system is in balance with the demand for freight and logistics, GDOT and its partners developed Georgia’s first comprehensive, statewide freight and logistics plan. 

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Importance of Freight

Freight and logistics demand is a critical component in Georgia’s economy. As described in the Governor’s Task Force on Freight & Logistics Final Report, the logistics industry in Georgia makes up 18 percent of the State’s gross state product (GSP). There are 5,000 companies providing logistics services. These companies employ 110,000 Georgians and generate over $50 billion in sales annually. Additionally, there are over 30,000 companies in Georgia that rely on the logistics industry to move goods through supply chains. These companies employ over 700,000 people and generate over a half trillion dollars of annual revenue.

Facts About Freight and Logistics

The importance of freight and logistics supply is demonstrated by the high levels of goods movement activity using the freight infrastructure for each mode.

  • Trucks account for over 12 percent of the vehicle miles traveled on the State’s highways. There are a total of 22 freight railroads in the State operating on over 4,500 miles of track.
  • The two east coast Class I railroads both use their Atlanta intermodal yards as major transfer facilities for their networks.
  • In 2007, the Port of Savannah was the fastest growing port in the nation, and recently became the third largest port in the U.S. The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the 11th busiest cargo airport in the nation and the busiest in terms of passenger transportation.
  • In March 2010 the Georgia Ports Authority has recorded four consecutive months of double-digit growth through its ports.  Tonnage for March 2010 was 25 percent above the year before and container volumes were up 33% in March 2010 relative to March 2009.