Educators and global delegates get a riverboat tour of the Ag Coast of America

Some of the educators wo took part in the Ag Coast of America riverboat tour. [Photograph: St. Louis Regional Freightway]

The St. Louis Regional Freightway calls the 15-mile stretch of the Mississippi River anchored by St. Louis’s iconic Gateway Arch the Ag Coast of America, with the 16 barge-transfer facilities concentrated in a the stretch being able to handle more than 150 barges a day — the highest level of capacity anywhere along the Mississippi River.

On June 5, as part of FreightWeekSTL 2025, the Freightway hosted a riverboat cruise on a Gateway Arch Riverboat vessel to introduce educators, visiting delegates from Argentina and other regional business leaders to the Ag Coast of America.

The cruise highlighted key freight assets that position the St. Louis region as a thriving freight and logistics hub with global access, while also calling attention to the vast career opportunities in this important sector of the region’s economy. The curated tour provided an up-close look at critical elements of the region’s multimodal freight network, including roads and bridges; rail and barge facilities; multimodal freight transfer services; and the ports and infrastructure that have made this section of the Mississippi River the Ag Coast of America.

Approximately 50 educators participating in the Show-Me Careers summer externship program were among the guests on board.

The Show-Me Careers: Educator Experience is a week-long development program designed for educators, counselors, and administrators to gain firsthand insight into today’s career pathways and is a partnership between the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Regional Business Council, and the Missouri Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education

Dan Lester, senior vice president of business development at Ingram Infrastructure Group, highlighted barge and terminal roles. He touched on deckhand training programs and equipment operations, with starting wages around $25 per hour and potential six-figure salaries for boat pilots for those who advance with the company.

Adam Mahlandt, general manager of the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis (TRRA), emphasized high-paying entry-level railroad jobs ($75,000 to $100,000), strong benefits, and in-house training, while noting the demanding, all-weather nature of the work.

Brad Reinhardt, president of WEL St. Louis, a third-party logistics provider, discussed opportunities in the trucking industry, with local delivery drivers starting at $40,000 to $50,000 with a Class B license, and those with a Class A license to drive larger vehicles longer distances (age 21+) starting at $60,000 to $80,000. He said Walmart drivers can earn $120,000+. He also highlighted logistics roles such as freight booking and coordination, which start in the $40,000 to $50,000 range, and sales and manufacturing logistics roles, which start at $65,000 to $70,000 but usually require a college degree.

Across all sectors, Ag Coast tour speakers stressed the importance of adaptability, communication, and a willingness to learn, with many roles requiring no prior experience and offering on-the-job training. Tech skills, especially in AI and logistics systems, are increasingly valuable, with the industry welcoming both hands-on workers and those with strong people skills. Outdoor readiness and physical awareness are also helpful.

“When you talk about jobs, you talk about job creation, we’ve got a lot of opportunities,” said Lester.
Madison Avery, a family consumer science teacher at Pattonville High School, who was inspired by what she learned.

“Oh my gosh, it was so fun,” said Avery. “I did not know that St. Louis was a global logistics hub and I’ve lived here my whole life. It really opened up my eyes as an individual, which is really, really beneficial for all the access that I have to students looking to get a career.” said Avery.

“Now that I’m educated, I can further educate my students,” she added. “There are excellent paying jobs straight out of high school and the required training will be given to you.”

Brian Crouse, vice president of education for the Missouri Chamber, was enthusiastic about the impact the Ag Coast tour could have back in classrooms across the bi-state region.

“It was a great experience,” he said. “They got a chance to hear from industry about where the starting jobs are and where the potential to finish for that job could be.”

The Ag Coast cruise also was on the agenda for a group of delegates from Córdoba Province in Argentina whose trip to the St. Louis region was organized by The Yield Lab Institute and BioSTL, as part of the Cultivar initiative, to foster greater collaboration between St. Louis and South and Latin American agricultural and food-related companies and organizations. More than 30 people participated in the mission, including senior leaders and entrepreneurs from across Argentina’s ag-tech, bioenergy, food processing, and agri-finance sectors. The delegates learned about operations in the Ag Coast and the efficiencies it delivers.

“It’s great to see all these [grain] elevators and operations move such a huge number of grains over the river and how they maintain the river depth to keep the grains flowing. The farmers have a low cost,” said Manuel Ron, president of an innovation agency in Córdoba Province.

The Ag Coast Cruise is a signature event of FreightWeekSTL, which this yearwas hosted June 2 – 6 by the St. Louis Regional Freightway.

“The punch line on this is we are a global logistics hub,” said Mary Lamie, head of the St. Louis Regional Freightway. “We have a tremendous number of jobs in the transportation industry. With today’s program, we believe this is a really great opportunity to better connect classroom knowledge with business and industry applications.”