Appendix B: Freight Performance Measures

The Minnesota State Freight Plan uses a performance-based planning approach. It includes a review of national freight plan guidance, national freight plan goals, and a review of peer state efforts at developing goals and performance measures.

Components of Performance-Based Planning

• Goals: A goal is a broad statement that describes a desired result or end state. Goals are typically supported by specific objectives.
• Objectives: The result to be achieved. Objectives are more specific than goals and there are often multiple objectives for each goal.
• Performance Measures: A way to quantify progress towards goals.

Multimodal Transportation Goals and Objectives

The State Freight Plan supports the goals identified in the Minnesota Statewide Multimodal Transportation Plan (SMTP). The SMTP is Minnesota’s highest level policy plan for transportation. It is a 20-year plan based on the Minnesota GO Vision for a transportation system that maximizes the health of people, the environment, and economy.

Performance-Based Planning Cycle

State Freight Plan Objectives

• Improve Freight System Safety
• Reduce Freight’s Impact on the Environment
• Minimize Disparate Freight Impacts to Underserved or Overburdened Communities
• Preserve and Improve Minnesota’s Freight Infrastructure
• Improve Freight Mobility, Velocity, and Reliability
• Consideration of All Freight Modes in Planning and Design
• Increase Freight System Resiliency
• Strategically Invest in New Freight Infrastructure
• Support and Grow Minnesota’s Freight Industries

How are Freight Performance Measures Used?

• Description. Describe the effect of an investment, program, or policy.
• Evaluation. Assess progress and determine problems or barriers.
• Accountability. Set targets for specific staff or programs and measure performance.
• Decision-support. Support the most sustainable outcomes.
• Communication. Explain to partners what was achieved.

Freight Performance Measurement

The practice of consistently evaluating performance is vital to achieving Minnesota’s identified goals. MnDOT staff regularly measure outcomes and results, which generates reliable data on the effectiveness and efficiency of investments, policies, and programs. By doing this, MnDOT staff maintain an effective methodology for quantifying goals and objectives and communicating progress toward their attainment.

1. Identifying Performance Objectives
2. Selecting Performance Measures
3. Collecting and Analyzing Data
4. Reporting and Communicating Performance

State Freight Plan Performance Measures