Rail - the left-out service alternative

The trucking industry faces a number of issues as it tries to meet growing demand for services. Trucking services are stifled by three factors: (1) strict enforcement of hours of service requirements which preclude carriers from meeting scheduled appointments; (2) over-the-road driver shortages; and (3) the absence of tort reform or federal preemption to trump nuclear judgments which reach upstream to shippers and brokers. However, rail may be an alternative for a growing number of commodities. This article examines the viability of rail services for the wine industry.