Movers and shakers help and hurt sector.

• Position: Transportation

What a start. The January 2003 crash of a US Airways Express commuter plane in Charlotte, killing all 21 aboard, set a gloomy tone for airports in a year when war and terrorism spooked fliers. It fell to the ports, railroads and trucking companies to pick up the slack in North Carolina's transportation sector.

Charlotte/Douglas International Airport had just weathered one bad year, with 2002 passenger traffic declining in the wake of terror attacks and the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of Alexandria, Va.-based US Airways, its largest tenant. Then it was dealt a bigger blow last year: war in Iraq. "It was devastating for air traffic," says Aviation Director Jerry Orr. Through October, passenger boardings were down 4% from 2002.

Offsetting the slump in Charlotte were some positive developments. Daily departures rose from 527 in 2002 to 546. US Airways emerged from bankruptcy in March. The airline announced more direct flights to the Caribbean. Lufthansa, the German airline, will begin flights to Munich this spring.

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At Raleigh-Durham International, boardings were down nearly 9% through October, but they were up 2% at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro. "I think we've got some attractive fares that are working for us," says Ted Johnson, the airport executive director. Northwest Airlines, Delta and AirTran added Triad flights. The airport began taking bids in the fall for construction of the $350 million FedEx Express cargo hub.

The world tensions that hurt flying helped business at the state ports. Cargo from Morehead City and Wilmington increased 5% to 3.8 million tons in the fiscal year that ended June 30, partly due to military shipments. Also, completion of an animal-feed storage dock at Wilmington resulted in record import volumes of soy meal and other grains.

On the highways, North Carolina Trucking Association President Charles Diehl says increased retail sales and manufacturing are benefiting his industry. "With people buying more things, people make more things, which means we have more to haul." Tonnage was up an estimated 3%.

As for moving people, the Triangle Transportation Authority inched closer to starting its regional rail system. The 35-mile commuter-rail system will link Raleigh, Cary, Research Triangle Park and Durham. The state will fund 25% of the $813 million project. The remainder...