U.S. freight railroads are projected to spend an estimated $22bn to maintain and upgrade the nation's private rail network in 2017, according to the rail industry's trade group, the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Optimism among America's small businesses soared in December by the most since 1980 as expectations about the economy's prospects improved dramatically in the aftermath of the presidential election.

North American shippers are experiencing seismic shifts in the global supply chain, as customer demand and increased complexity raise the threat of enterprise risk. Supply lines grow longer and competition increases daily, says Rick Brumett, VP of client solutions at Transportation Insight, a multi-modal logistics provider.