Frank Harder has been in the freight transportation business since 1979, initially working for Conrail and later for Pennsylvania Truck Lines (PTL). Mr. Harder has been a consultant since 1992 when he founded Intermodal Management, Inc. (IMI), one of The Tioga Group’s predecessor firms. He specializes in surface freight transportation markets, operations, economics, and technologies with an emphasis on intermodal applications. Major bodies of work include: Landside Access to Ports – Mr. Harder has conducted several studies for ports, stevedores, and government agencies with the broad goal of improving rail and motor carrier access to marine ports. These projects typically involve evaluation of the current institutions and infrastructure with identification of related opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact.   Railroad Industry – Mr. Harder has provided intermodal rail consulting services to CSX, BNSF, CN, and several regional and short line railroads. Some specific topics have included intermodal terminal efficiency and cost, intermodal yield management, and new terminal development. In addition Mr. Harder has completed numerous rail related projects for industry suppliers, shippers, and government agencies.   Industrial Development – Mr. Harder has assisted private and public clients in the development of public/private partnerships for the purpose of developing large freight infrastructure projects.   Expert Witness – Mr. Harder has served as an expert witness is several cases, most often dealing with the surface freight transportation commercial and operational practices. Mr. Harder served five years as an Air Force officer. He is a former chairman of the Transportation Research Board’s (TRB) Committee on Intermodal Freight Transport. He is also a former member of American Association of Railroad's Intermodal Productivity Task Force, the TRB's Study Committee on Landside Access to U.S. Ports, and the TRB’s Intermodal Terminal Design Committee. His work has been published in several trade journals and he is a frequent presenter at industry trade shows and meetings. Mr. Harder received BS in Physics in 1972 and a MBA with a concentration in Transportation and Logistics in 1979 from the University of Minnesota.