The Upper Midwest Freight Corridor Study developed out of meetings of freight transportation stakeholders in the Upper Midwest/Great Lakes region. The study is a first step in moving toward greater cooperation among the states in the region to address freight. This paper reports the findings of the first stage of the study, where the research team brought together freight stakeholders from the public and private sectors. This first stage was a one-day workshop in which participants took an enthusiastic part in sharing information and ideas. This workshop, along with a review of the literature and national data, produced many tangible products. Among these are a better understanding of the perspectives of the participants, the data required and available for freight studies, and the issues that must be dealt with in a regional freight effort.