Methodology for Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions from Modal Shift of Long-Haul Freight Transport from Road to Electrified Rail Corridors

The proposed methodology applies to project activities that quantify GHG emission reductions from shifting long-haul freight transport from road-based heavy duty vehicles to energy-efficient, electrified rail systems. The approach applies to new or upgraded rail infrastructure – including initiatives like the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) – that demonstrably enable measurable and attributable modal shift along defined origin-destination routes.

On March 30, 2026, the development of this methodology was rejected per the VCS Methodology Development and Review Process (PDF) due to the following reasons:

• Available resources, including funding, Verra staff time, and external expertise, are limited.
• Does not satisfy the following criteria as fully as other methodology ideas:
  • are broadly applicable (i.e., cover the range of potential technologies, processes, and geographical regions that may apply to related projects);
• Complexity associated with methodology development