Blog
CEI Submits Comments to DOT on Aviation Consumer Protection Authority Modernization
Today, CEI submitted comments in response to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s notice of proposed rulemaking in the matter of Defining Unfair or Deceptive Practices.
Comment
CEI Comments to OST on ACPA NPRM
On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (“CEI”), I respectfully submit these comments in response to the Office of the Secretary of Transportation’s (“OST”) Notice…
Politico
Infrastructure Response to Coronavirus Full Steam Ahead
Politico cites Senior Fellow Marc Scribner on the prospect of a transportation infrastructure stimulus package: But the concept is already facing opposition from the right. “This…
Blog
House Democrats Dust off January Infrastructure Wish List as Faux-Response to Coronavirus Crisis
House Democrats announced a coronavirus infrastructure response as part of a “phase 4” relief bill. A transportation infrastructure stimulus package makes no sense as a…
Blog
New York Times Explains Foolishness of Trump’s General Motors Nationalization
Last Friday, President Trump nationalized General Motors, ordering the company to produce as many ventilators as HHS Secretary Alex Azar says is necessary to address…
News Release
Trump Wrongly Authorizes Defense Production Act Against General Motors in COVID-19 Response
President Trump today invoked the Defense Production Act to compel auto maker General Motors to start producing ventilators to combat the COVID-19 virus. Competitive Enterprise…
News Release
CEI Experts Blast Attempts to Politicize COVID-19 Relief Bill
While the nation suffers, Washington has descended into an unseemly squabble over the latest COVID-19 relief bill. Politicians from all quarters are attempting to expand…
Blog
Transportation Infrastructure Stimulus Is No Cure for Coronavirus Economic Slump
As we enter a new era of slapdash bailouts driven by a dangerous mix of panic, ignorance, and opportunism, we face a growing list of…
Reason Aviation Policy Newsletter
DOT Proposes Reforms to Aviation Consumer Protection Authority
In 1978, Congress enacted the Airline Deregulation Act, laying the basis for a greatly expanded, more competitive, and lower-priced airline industry. But in recent years,…
Blog
CEI Comments to FCC on Proposed Reallocation of 5.9 GHz Band
On March 9, CEI submitted comments to the FCC on its proposal to reallocate a portion of the 5.9 GHz band from Intelligent Transportation Systems…
Comment
CEI Comments on 5.9 to FCC
On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (“CEI”), we respectfully submit these comments in response to the Federal Communications Commission’s (“Commission”) Notice…
Blog
U.S. Department of Transportation Proposes Modernizing its Aviation Consumer Protection Authority
Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao announced a new proposed rule that would “align its definitions of unfairness and deception with the principles set forth by…
24/7 Customs Broker News
DHS Prohibits N.Y. Residents From Signing Up for Trusted Traveler Programs
24/7 Customs Broker News cites senior fellow Marc Scribner on the Department of Homeland Security’s recent decision: Marc Scribner, senior fellow at Washington think…
Study
CEI Letter Following HAV E&C hearing
On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), thank you for holding the hearing today, “Autonomous Vehicles: Promises and Challenges of Evolving Automotive Technologies.” We…
Blog
Department of Homeland Security’s “Trusted Traveler” Programs Now Privilege Mexican Nationals over U.S. Citizens from New York
Late yesterday, it was reported that the Department of Homeland Security has suspended entry of New Yorkers into four “trusted traveler” programs. Today, the department…
Blog
CEI Leads Coalition in Support of the Revamping American Infrastructure Act of 2020
Today, CEI was joined by 10 other organizations in a letter to members of the House of Representatives supporting the Revamping American Infrastructure Act of…
Blog
Year in Review 2019: Transportation
The Competitive Enterprise Institute had a busy year in the transportation policy trenches. We worked at the federal, state, and local levels on a variety…
Blog
CEI Leads Coalition to Congress Urging Close Oversight over Possible New Railroad Price Controls
Today, the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) led a group of scholars and advocates from 13 free market organizations urging Congress to exercise close oversight over…
Letters
CEI Leads Coalition Letter to Congress on STB Revenue Adequacy Hearing
Dear Chairmen Fischer and Lipinski, Ranking Members Duckworth and Crawford, and Members of the Subcommittees,…
Politico
The FCC Won’t Let 5.9 Be
Politico cites Senior Fellow Marc Scribner on the 5.9 GHz band: Who’s in favor? Some automakers, wireless and tech companies, and free market groups.
News Release
CEI Praises FCC for Breaking Impasse on 5.9 GHz Spectrum Band
Today, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) regarding the 5.9 GHz band of spectrum. For the last…
Blog
Remembering Transportation Economist Shirley Ybarra
On November 10th, longtime CEI friend Shirley Ybarra passed away. Shirley was an accomplished transportation economist and a leading thinker on innovative transportation infrastructure finance…
Vehicle Fleet Service
Washington D.C. Debates Speed Limiters and Platooning
Fleet Industry News cites CEI’s report by Senior Fellow Marc Scribner on vehicle platooning: A new report issued by the Competitive Enterprise Institute…
Comment
CEI Comments on FMCSA HOS NPRM
On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (“CEI”), I respectfully submit these comments in response to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (“FMCSA”) Notice of…
Blog
CEI Leads Coalition Letter Supporting Airport Financing Reform
Today CEI led a coalition letter in support of H.R. 3791, the “Investing in America: Rebuilding America’s Airport Infrastructure Act,” the bipartisan airport financing reform legislation…
FleetOwner
Trucking exec cautions Congress against more tolling
FleetOwner discusses Senior Fellow Marc Scribner’s recent congressional testimony on congestion management. The members of the subcommittee were all in agreement that something…
E&E News
AVs are coming. Will they hurt the climate?
E&E News quotes Senior Fellow Marc Scribner on the prospects of federal automated vehicle legislation. So far, Congress has fallen short of agreeing…
Blog
Federal Highway Administration to Rescind Outdated Patent Rules
The Federal Highway Administration announced it will rescind its World War I-era regulation governing the use of patented and proprietary materials in federal-aid highway projects.
The Journal of The James Madison Institute
How Florida Hit the Gas on Self-Driving Car Development
Orlando, Florida was not widely known to the public as a hub of automotive innovation. But in July, more than 1,000 researchers and developers joined…
Comment
Marc Scribner Testimony before the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Chair Norton, Ranking Member Davis, and Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for giving me the opportunity to testify before you today. My name is…
Blog
Unleash Markets to Reduce Traffic Congestion
Congestion is a persistent and growing problem facing America’s road networks. The challenge facing policy makers is how to address this growing problem. Given that…
Comment
CEI Comments on NHTSA ADS-DV ANPRM
On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (“CEI”), I respectfully submit these comments in response to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (“NHTSA”) Advance Notice…
Reason
Truck Platooning Is Making Progress
Reason cites CEI’s paper by Marc Scribner on automated vehicle platooning: Platooning is still not allowed in the majority of states. Last month…
Blog
Modernizing Passenger Facility Charge Can Promote Airport Investment, Reduce Federal Spending
The passenger facility charge (PFC) is a local airport user fee that serves as an important revenue tool with less federal meddling than its primary…
News Release
Report: Congress Should Let Airports Make Infrastructure Decisions, Eliminate Cap on Passenger Facility Charge
A new Competitive Enterprise Institute report argues airport authorities nationwide should be empowered to make their own decisions about how best to finance infrastructure improvements.
Study
Modernizing the Passenger Facility Charge to Increase Airport Investment, Reduce Federal Spending, and Save Travelers Money
The passenger facility charge (PFC) is a congressionally authorized, federally regulated local airport user fee. The PFC exists alongside the Airport Improvement Program (AIP), a…
Morning Transportation
Surface Bill Lands in the Senate
POLITICO‘s Morning Transportation cites Senior Fellow Marc Scribner on highway funding legislation in the Senate. VMT pilot: The bill would authorize $12.5 million per…
Roll Call
Road Bill Would Hike Spending by 25 Percent, Speed Permits And Add Climate Title
Roll Call cites Senior Fellow Marc Scribner on highway funding legislation in the Senate. “Given that Congress has already bailed out the Trust…
Blog
CEI Leads Coalition in Support of Bipartisan Passenger Facility Charge Reform
Today, the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) sent a letter to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee leadership supporting the bipartisan H.R. 3791, Investing in America: Rebuilding…
News Release
Senate Highway Bill Seeks Fiscally Irresponsible Spending Hikes
Today the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works released their much-anticipated draft bill on federal highway funding, with markup scheduled for Tuesday. CEI transportation…
Blog
Uniform Law Commission Can Improve Uniform Automated Operation of Vehicles Act
After two years of work, last week the Uniform Law Commission (ULC) published its model state legislation on automated vehicles. By and large, ULC’s Uniform…
Robotics & Automation
Public Policy Group Calls for Updating of Laws to Enable Driverless Truck Platooning
Robotics & Automation cites Senior Fellow Marc Scribner But these gains can only happen if states update old laws against following too closely,…
Heavy Duty Trucking
Closing The Gap: Legislatures Urged to Address Truck Platooning Laws
Heavy Duty Trucking cites Senior Fellow Marc Scribner’s fourth annual report on state barriers to vehicle platooning. Despite some OEMs backing away, truck…
Politico, Morning Transportation
Boeing Gets a Lashing
POLITICO’s Morning Transportation cites Senior Fellow Marc Scribner’s fourth annual report on state barriers to vehicle platooning. PLATOONING TECH HINDERED BY STATE LAWS: States…
Trucks.com
Peloton Outlines Human/Robotic Team Truck Driving Strategy
Trucks.com cites Senior Fellow Marc Scribner’s fourth annual report on state barriers to vehicle platooning. The Competitive Enterprise Institute report said platooning is…
News Release
CEI Applauds Reps. Massie, Blumenauer for Introducing Bipartisan Airport Modernization Legislation
Today, Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) introduced the Investing in America: Rebuilding America’s Airport Infrastructure Act of 2019. The bill would eliminate…
Blog
CEI Releases ‘Authorizing Automated Vehicle Platooning, 2019 Edition’
CEI has released my fourth annual report on state barriers to vehicle platooning, “Authorizing Automated Vehicle Platooning: A Guide for State Legislators, 2019 Edition” (read the 2018…
News Release
Report: Updating State Laws to Enable Truck Platooning Offers Safety, Economic, and Environmental Benefits
New automated vehicle technology will help freight truck companies transport consumer goods in a more fuel-efficient way, reducing transportation costs and emissions and boosting highway…
Study
Authorizing Automated Vehicle Platooning, 2019 Edition
Automated vehicles have captured the public’s imagination in recent years following successful on-road demonstrations by developers such as Waymo (its parent company, Alphabet, also owns…
Blog
Surface Transportation Board Delays Consideration of Regulatory Reform Petition
Yesterday, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) published a decision on a March 2019 rulemaking petition from the Association from American Railroads (AAR). The AAR petition…
Trucks.com
Infrastructure Funding Looks Dead Until at Least 2020
Trucks.com cites Senior Fellow Marc Scribner on highway funding. “We have been skeptical since the beginning,” Marc Scribner, senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise…
Transportation Today
IBTTA Agrees With Infrastructure Report on Tolling
Transportation Today cites Senior Fellow Marc Scribner’s recent report, Transforming Surface Transportation Reauthorization: A 21st Century Approach to Address America’s Greatest Infrastructure Challenge. The International…
International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association
IBTTA Applauds Competitive Enterprise Institute Report Calling On Lawmakers To Remove Restrictions On Interstate Tolling
The International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association cites CEI’s report on transportation infrastructure, authored by Senior Fellow Marc Scribner. Today, Patrick D. Jones, Executive…
Politico, Morning Transportation
Date Set For Next House Hearing on Boeing
Politico‘s Morning Transportation cites Senior Fellow Marc Scribner’s infrastructure report. Even more ideas: Meanwhile, Marc Scribner of the Competitive Enterprise Institute on Monday urged lawmakers to…
Blog
Congress Should Authorize Longer Trailers When Reforming National Highway Policy
In 1982, when Congress designated the National Network—the approximately 200,000 miles of truck corridors that crisscross the U.S.—it also set a 28.5-foot minimum limit on tandem…
Blog
Remove Government Barriers to Promote Efficient Highway Investment
Today the Competitive Enterprise Institute released my new report, “Transforming Surface Transportation Reauthorization: A 21st Century Approach to Address America’s Greatest Infrastructure Challenge.” In it, I…
News Release
Report: Congress Needs a 21st Century Approach to Infrastructure Needs
Raising the federal fuel tax won’t adequately and fairly pay for future roadway infrastructure needs, argues a new Competitive Enterprise Institute report released today.
Study
Transforming Surface Transportation Reauthorization
The United States Interstate Highway System serves as the backbone of American commerce and personal travel. Funded as a pay-as-you-go basis largely through federal excise…
Blog
Federal Railroad Administration Withdraws Proposed ‘Featherbedding’ Train Crew Rule
Today, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) released a draft notice indicating that it will be withdrawing a 2016 proposed rule that would have required trains…
Comment
CEI Letter for the Record to Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on Auto Safety Hearing
Blog
Focus Ride-Hailing Policy on Consumer Benefits, Not Protecting Competitors
As we pointed out last year when New York City attacked Uber, Lyft, and other ride-hailing firms by imposing an interim supply cap, politicians fighting…
Blog
Bloomberg Reporter Justin Bachman Gets Duped by TripAdvisor Front Group
I wrote back in November 2018 of the false, scurrilous, ad hominem attacks on Competitive Enterprise Institute Adjunct Fellow Fran Smith’s appointment as consumer representative…
Blog
CEI Leads Free-Market Coalition to Dispel Passenger Facility Charge Myths
Today, CEI and seven other free-market organizations sent a letter to members of Congress aimed at dispelling myths circulating about the airport passenger facility charge…
Blog
CEI Leads Coalition Urging Surface Transportation Board to Withdraw Proposed Switching Rule
Today, the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) led a coalition of 20 other free market organizations urging the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to withdraw a harmful…
Eno Transportation Weekly
Airport Investments Discussed in House Transportation and Infrastructure Hearing
Eno Transportation Weekly cited Senior Fellow Marc Scribner’s testimony on infastructure funding. Compromise arose both in the sense of considering a variety of revenue…
AASHTO Journal
House Ways and Means Committee Holds Infrastructure Funding Hearing
AASHTO Journal cited Senior Fellow Marc Scribner’s testimony at the House Ways and Means Committee hearing on infrastructure funding. In the future, Marc Scribner, a…
MarketWatch
Key Republican Raises Alarm About Hiking Corporate Taxes to Pay for Infrastructure Overhaul
MarketWatch cited Senior Fellow Marc Scribner on infrastructure spending. “There are very real infrastructure needs in the U.S., but they are not uniform…
Roll Call
5 Ways Congress May Try to Fix the Highway Trust Fund
Roll Call cited Senior Fellow Marc Scribner on mass transit. Marc Scribner of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, who will testify at Wednesday’s Ways…
Bloomberg BNA
Talking Cars Speaking Different Tongues May Make FCC Pick Winner
Bloomberg BNA cited Senior Fellow Marc Scribner on the NCTA’s request to allow unlicensed use of 5.9 GHz airwaves for Wi-Fi calls. Potential…
Federal News Network
Audio: Automatic Vehicles: Safer Than Humans?
Senior Fellow Marc Scribner joins the Federal News Network to discuss how automated vehicles will reduce the number of injuries and property damage caused by accidents…
Spokesman
Spokane Airport Executive Lobbies Congress for ‘User Fee’ Increase to $8.50 to Finance Improvements
Spokesman cited Senior Fellow Marc Scribner’s participation in a hearing before the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Krauter was joined at…
Comment
CEI Comments to the Surface Transportation Board in Support of AAR Petition
On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (“CEI”), I respectfully submit these comments to the Surface Transportation Board (“STB”) in support of Association of American…
Blog
Department of Transportation Should Rescind Crew-Size ‘Featherbedding’ Proposal
Unions in the railroad industry have a long history of “featherbedding,” the pejorative term for the practice of creating pointless make-work jobs. Most infamous was…
Blog
User Fees, Rather than Tax Dollars, Can Promote Airport Efficiency and Lower Airfares
This morning, I testified before the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives at a hearing titled, “The Cost of Doing…
Comment
Marc Scribner Testimony Before the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure U.S. House of Representatives
Chairman DeFazio, Ranking Member Graves, and Members of the Committee, thank you for giving me the opportunity to testify before you today. My name is…
C-SPAN
VIDEO: Marc Scribner Testifies Before House Ways and Means Committee
Senior Fellow Marc Scribner testifies before House Ways and Means Committee to discuss the nation's infrastructure needs.
Blog
Higher Taxes, Wasteful Spending Not Solutions to Infrastructure Problems
In recent years, there have been increasing calls to raise federal fuel excise tax rates in order to address what many have called an infrastructure…
Comment
Marc Scribner Testimony Before the Committee on Ways and Means U.S. House of Representatives
Chairman Neal, Ranking Member Brady, and Members of the Committee, thank you for giving me the opportunity to testify before you today. My name is…
Comment
Letter for the Record to the Senate Finance Committee on Senate Bill 252
Dear Chair Kelley and distinguished members of the Senate Finance Committee: Thank you for the opportunity to supplement the record of your hearing on Senate…
Trucks.com
Real-World Value of Truck Platooning Questioned as Support Wanes
Trucks.com cited Senior Fellow Marc Scribner on automated platooning. The Competitive Enterprise Institute shows 17 states have approved platooning in some form, according…
The Washington Examiner
Pressure to Get Self-Driving Cars on the Road
The Washington Examiner cited Senior Fellow Marc Scribner on the AV START Act. Marc Scribner, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, was…
Trucks.com
Truck-Only State Tolls Roil Industry That Favors Fuel-Tax Hike
Trucks.com cites CEI Senior Fellow Marc Scribner on alternatives to fuel tax increases: A mileage-based user fee and unlimited private activity bonds for…
Blog
Conservative Criticisms of Passenger Facility Charge Again Miss Mark
Our friends at the National Taxpayers Union (NTU) recently sent a letter to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in advance of a hearing…
GCN Tech
What’s Next for V2X Spectrum?
As the partial government shutdown began in late December, the Department of Transportation published a request for comments on how DOT should approach vehicle-to-everything communications. V2X refers…
Comment
CEI Comments to OST on Vehicle-to-Everything Communications
View Full Document as PDF Introduction On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (“CEI”), I respectfully submit these comments in response to…
Freight Waves
User Fee Plan Enters 2019 Highway Funding Debate
Freight Waves cited CEI’s coalition letter led by Senior Fellow Marc Scribner: The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), a Washington, D.C.-based libertarian think…
Blog
CEI Leads Coalition in Support of Nationwide Road Usage Charge Pilot Program
Today, the Competitive Enterprise Institute sent a letter to Congress urging members to preserve and strengthen the users-pay/users-benefit highway funding principle and to establish a…
Blog
Would a TSA Strike Force an End to the Shutdown?
As the current partial federal government shutdown drags on and many federal employees continue to go without pay, some pundits have suggested that one way…
Blog
Eliminate Obsolete Patented and Proprietary Products Regulation
Today, I submitted comments to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on behalf of CEI in response to a notice of proposed rulemaking on promoting innovation in…
Comment
CEI Comments on FHWA on Patented and Proprietary Products
View Full Document as PDF Introduction On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (“CEI”), I respectfully submit these comments in response to…
Blog
Year in Review 2018: Transportation Policy
CEI had a busy year in the transportation policy trenches. We worked at the federal, state, and local levels on a variety of projects. Below…
Comment
CEI Comments to NHTSA on Adaptive Driving Beam NPRM
On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (“CEI”), I respectfully submit these comments in response to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (“NHTSA”) Notice of Proposed…
Blog
American Association for Justice Places Trial Lawyer Interests over Saving Lives
The bipartisan AV START Act would create the first national highly automated vehicle regulatory framework in the U.S. This legislation is necessary to speed deployment…
Politico
Morning Transportation
Politico cited CEI Senior Fellow Marc Scribner on Uber’s AV program. The logic behind the pipeline: Snatching up Beuse was widely hailed as a good…
Comment
CEI Comments on Automated Vehicles 3.0 Guidance
View Full Document as PDF Introduction On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (“CEI”), I respectfully submit these comments in response to…
Politico
Leadership Change-Ups At FAA
Politico cited CEI’s Senior Fellow Marc Scribner on CEI’s adjunct fellow Frances Smith appointment to DOT. CONSUMER RETORT: The Competitive Enterprise Institute shot back…
Blog
Cathy Chase’s AV START Act Flip-Flop
Cathy Chase, now the president of the lobby group Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, was previously a strong supporter of the Senate’s bipartisan AV…
Blog
Rubberstamping Regulations Is Not Consumer Protection
Earlier this week, Tribune Publishing’s syndicated travel writer Ed Perkins criticized the appointment of CEI’s Fran Smith to the newly reconstituted Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory…
Comment
CEI Comments on NHTSA AV Pilot Program
On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (“CEI”), I respectfully submit these comments in response to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (“NHTSA”) Advance Notice…
Blog
CEI Comments on Possible Federal Automated Vehicle Pilot Program
Today, the Competitive Enterprise Institute submitted comments to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in response to its advance notice of proposed rulemaking on…