Ohio Rail Development Commission

What Ohio Rail Development Commission does

The Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) is a state government agency established in 1981 under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4981 and operating as a component of the Ohio Department of Transportation. It functions as Ohio's primary non-regulatory representative to the railroad sector, administering grants and loans for rail projects with economic development or safety benefits. Funding flows from state appropriations and federal pass-throughs (notably $16.25 million from the Federal Railroad Administration in September 2023 and the $100 million Ohio Grade Crossing Elimination Program announced in 2023), and is awarded through a formal Salesforce-based online application process with decisions rendered at bimonthly public commission meetings.

The Commission's core product surface spans grant administration, planning artifacts, and published rail data. Operational products include the State Rail Plan (2025 edition), the Highway-Rail Grade Crossing State Action Plan, the Ohio Railroad Information System database (maintained jointly with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio), the Rail Crossing Community Impact Index on ArcGIS StoryMaps, and printable/online railroad maps. Notably, in 2026 the Commission received NEPA Assignment Authority from the Federal Railroad Administration, granting ORDC and ODOT the ability to assume federal environmental protection responsibilities and conduct environmental reviews for in-state rail projects, materially shortening approval timelines. The Commission is governed by a 15-member body, including 11 commissioners representing manufacturers, freight rail, organized labor, infrastructure finance, and the general public, plus non-voting legislative members.

ORDC's "business model" is that of a public-sector grantmaking and loan-providing body, not a commercial enterprise. No fees are charged to applicants or recipients. Recent activity indicates sustained scale: in March 2026 the Commission approved nearly $3.9 million in grants supporting projects with total expected investment exceeding $66 million, including $1.75 million for a $46.5 million Indiana & Ohio Railway/WESTCO double-stack intermodal upgrade, and supported a $313 million Autokiniton manufacturing expansion in Bellevue alongside JobsOhio, the Regional Growth Partnership, and the Erie County Port Authority. Customers served are concentrated inside Ohio and span Class I-III freight railroads, Ohio manufacturers requiring rail access, county engineers, and agricultural operations requiring commodity rail shipping.

Name

Ohio Rail Development Commission

Legal name

Ohio Rail Development Commission

Website

https://rail.ohio.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Ohio Rail Development Commission is a state agency under the Ohio Department of Transportation that awards grants and loans for freight rail infrastructure and grade-crossing safety projects across Ohio, serving railroads, manufacturers, county engineers, and agricultural shippers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rail Infrastructure Public Financing

NAICS

Support Activities for Rail Transportation (4882), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Rail Infrastructure Authorities (Track, Stations, Grade Crossings) (BPAIALAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Stations, Platforms & Depot/Yard Construction (IMAFAFAD), Rail Stations & Rail-Adjacent Infrastructure Interfaces (Platforms, Access, Depot Connections) (TLAJADAJ), Environmental Permitting & Impact Assessment (EIA/NEPA) (BPAIAMAK), Rail Signaling & Train Control Infrastructure (Interlockings, ETCS/CBTC Wayside) (TLAJADAB)

Keywords

• Rail infrastructure grants
• Freight rail financing
• Grade crossing safety
• State rail planning
• Railroad economic development

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. State Rail Development Grants: The Commission provides grant funding to support rail infrastructure projects across Ohio, including rail rehabilitation, upgrades, and grade separations. Funding comes from state appropriations and is awarded to projects that demonstrate economic development or safety benefits.
2. Loans for Rail Projects: The Commission also provides loan financing alongside grants for qualifying rail development projects, offering below-market financing options to support rail infrastructure improvements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) is a state government agency that administers grant and loan funding programs for railroad infrastructure and safety projects across Ohio. It supports freight rail capacity improvements, grade crossing safety upgrades, and rail-related economic development through formal application and commission approval processes, while also publishing planning documents and maintaining rail data and mapping tools.

Product overview

The Ohio Rail Development Commission is a state government agency that does not offer a unified software product but rather provides a portfolio of services and tools focused on rail infrastructure development and safety. The Commission's offerings include grant and loan programs for railroad projects (administered via an online application portal), planning documents (State Rail Plan, Highway-Rail Grade Crossing State Action Plan), data and mapping tools (Online Rail Mapping Tool, Ohio Railroad Information System, Rail Crossing Community Impact Index), and safety reporting mechanisms (emergency reporting, blocked crossing reporting via FRA, complaints to PUCO). The primary channels are informational web pages, downloadable PDFs, and online forms—not a traditional SaaS platform with integrated modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Grant & Loan Application Program Online application system for railroad infrastructure and safety projects seeking state grant or loan funding, administered through Salesforce and reviewed at bimonthly commission meetings. For railroads, manufacturers, county engineers, and other eligible applicants in Ohio.
• Ohio Grade Crossing Elimination Program $100 million state program announced by Governor DeWine to help eliminate dangerous railroad crossings across Ohio through grade separations and related safety improvements.
• State Rail Plan Comprehensive review and planning document for Ohio's rail system, including the 2025 edition with executive summary and amendments, published as a publicly available resource.
• Highway-Rail Grade Crossing State Action Plan State action plan documenting Ohio's short- and long-term strategies to improve safety at railroad crossings, published as a downloadable PDF document.
• Railroad Maps & Data Tools Printable state map outlining major rail lines, an online web-based mapping tool for exploring rail lines in Ohio, the Ohio Railroad Information System database, and the Rail Crossing Community Impact Index (RCCII) built on ArcGIS StoryMaps.
• Railroad Crossing Safety Reporting Public service tools for reporting railroad crossing emergencies, blocked crossings via the FRA system, and non-emergency complaints to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.
• Awarded Development & Freight Projects Database Publicly browsable database of awarded rail development projects, including rail rehabilitation, upgrades, and grade separations supporting freight rail infrastructure across Ohio.
• Awarded Safety Projects Database Publicly browsable database of awarded rail safety projects upgrading and updating warning lights, gates, and other crossing safety infrastructure across Ohio.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approved $3.9 million in grants supporting $66+ million total investment (March 2026)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• JobsOhiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 March 2026JobsOhio is a private nonprofit corporation that serves as the state's primary economic development organization. They partnered with ORDC to support the $313 million Autokiniton expansion in Bellevue, Ohio, contributing to job creation and industrial development in the state.
• Regional Growth PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 March 2026Regional Growth Partnership serves as the economic development organization for Northwest Ohio. They jointly supported the Autokiniton expansion project with JobsOhio and Erie County Port Authority, delivering economic development incentives and coordination.
• Erie County Port AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 March 2026Erie County Port Authority delivered an estimated $835,000 in savings through a capital lease program to support the Autokiniton expansion. They serve as a local government partner coordinating port and rail access improvements.
• Indiana & Ohio RailwaycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2026The Commission approved $1.75 million in state assistance for a $46.5 million rail upgrade along the Indiana & Ohio Railway/WESTCO line to enable double-stack intermodal container clearance, improving freight capacity across the corridor.
• Federal Railroad AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Federal Railroad Administration granted ODOT and ORDC authority to assume its environmental protection responsibilities (NEPA Assignment Authority), enabling streamlined environmental review for rail projects.
• Ohio Department of TransportationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerORDC operates as part of the Ohio Department of Transportation, providing integrated coordination with statewide transportation planning and infrastructure programs.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• New York State Department of Transportation (Rail): NYSDOT administers state rail funding for freight rail preservation and crossing safety programs. Like ORDC, it supports short-line and regional railroads with rehabilitation grants and partners with public authorities on rail access.
• Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation: Virginia's state rail agency administers grants and manages rail planning for freight and passenger corridors, structurally parallel to ORDC's role in Ohio. Both channel state/federal funds to rail infrastructure, crossing projects, and economic development.
• Indiana Department of Transportation (Rail Office): INDOT's Rail Office manages state-level rail planning and grant programs for Indiana, an Ohio border state with overlapping Class II/III rail network. Provides direct geographic and economic competition for rail-dependent industrial site selection.
• Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (Bureau of Rail Freight): PennDOT's rail program funds freight rail preservation, grade crossing upgrades, and rail infrastructure improvements in Pennsylvania. Mirrors ORDC's grant/loan financing model and crossing safety focus in an adjacent Midwest/Mid-Atlantic state.
• California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA): CalSTA coordinates California rail policy and administers state funding for rail capital projects, including freight and high-speed programs. Plays the same state-level coordinating and funding role for rail that ORDC does for Ohio.
• North Carolina Department of Transportation Rail Division: NCDOT's Rail Division administers state rail planning and administers the State Rail Plan, grant programs, and crossing safety initiatives. Comparable to ORDC's mandate for statewide rail coordination, planning documents, and grant administration.
• Texas Department of Transportation Rail Division: TxDOT's Rail Division plans, funds, and oversees freight and passenger rail projects across Texas. Like ORDC, it manages state appropriations for rail rehabilitation, crossing improvements, and intermodal infrastructure.
• Illinois Commerce Commission (Transportation Division): ICC oversees rail safety, crossing programs, and rail infrastructure funding in Illinois. ORDC's closest non-OH peer in scope and function given both states' heavy freight rail tonnage and industrial rail dependence.

Others

• JobsOhio: JobsOhio is Ohio's private nonprofit economic development organization that co-invests with ORDC on industrial expansions requiring rail access. Not a competitor but a strategic co-funder that expands ORDC's effective project capacity.

Broad incumbents

• Federal Railroad Administration (FRA): FRA is the federal regulator that delegated NEPA Assignment Authority to ORDC and administers the federal grant pipeline ORDC accesses. Acts as both upstream overseer and funder, structurally a broader-level counterpart rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ohio-rail-development-commission

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ohio Rail Development Commission