• Wisconsin Freight Rail Customer Alliance
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Wisconsin Freight Rail Customer Alliance

The Customers First Coalition leads an alliance called the Wisconsin Freight Rail Customer Alliance (WI FRCA). The Wisconsin Freight Rail Customer Alliance is an alliance of Wisconsin’s freight rail shippers advocating for freight rail market fairness to ensure that unreasonable shipping costs are not passed on to their customers. This alliance includes Wisconsin businesses and organizations that represent Wisconsin’s major economic sectors including:

  • Electric utilities
  • Forest and paper companies
  • Chemical companies
  • Agricultural producers
  • Foundry and cast metal industry
  • Consumer organizations

Deregulation of the freight rail industry in the 1980’s led to intense consolidation of the major railroads in the United States, dropping the number of railroads from over forty to seven. Four of the major railroads handle 90 percent of the nation’s traffic. Reduced rail competition costs Wisconsin businesses and consumers a great deal of money each year. Some Wisconsin electricity producers report that rail costs have increased by over 100 percent over the last few years, increasing electricity rates on homeowners, farmers, and businesses.

Businesses in many areas of Wisconsin are served by only a single railroad for at least some portion of their shipment. The loss of competitive transportation options and an outdated regulatory structure has led to the unrestrained use of market power by the railroads. Shippers have experienced not only steep cost increases to transport products, but unreliable service as well.

WI FRCA participants: Alliant Energy, American Chemistry Council, Chippewa Valley Bean, Dairyland Power Cooperative, Domtar, Erco Worldwide, IBEW Local 2150, Leicht Transfer and Storage, Madison Gas & Electric, Manitowoc Grey Iron, Midwest Food Processors Association, Municipal Electric Utilities of Wisconsin, Omnova Solutions Inc., Packaging Corporation of America , WEC Energy Group, WI Electric Cooperative Association, Wisconsin Agri-Business Association, Wisconsin Cast Metals Association, Wisconsin Central Group, Wisconsin Corn Growers Assoc. / WI Biofuels Assoc., Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, Wisconsin Industrial Energy Group, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, Wisconsin Paper Council, Wisconsin Public Service Corp., Wisconsin Utilities Association, and WPPI Energy.

WI FRCA supports national efforts to improve our nation’s freight rail transportation policies. The Freight Rail Customer Alliance is a strong advocate for Federal policies that restore fairness to the freight rail marketplace.

Customers First

Issue advocacy non-profit dedicated to the interests of power customers of all sizes, with a focus on ensuring safe, reliable power at stable and affordable costs.

Location

10 E Doty Street, Suite 800
Madison, WI 53703

Contact Us

Phone: (608) 286-0784
Fax: (608) 286-6174
Email: cfc@customersfirst.org

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