Air travel and rail transport were early examples of deregulation bringing huge benefits to consumers and industries. Yet automobility, air travel, and freight rail, are increasingly threatened with further regulation that will reduce their ability to transport goods and people. CEI opposes these attacks by arguing for greater freedom in mobility and opposing perverse transportation industry regulations.
Transportation Issue Areas
Featured Posts
The American Spectator
Will California Hobble the US Railroad Industry?
CEI’s Patricia Patnode is cited in Reason on the EPA’s imposition of regulation: As Patricia Patnode of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, which signed the…
Blog
This week in ridiculous regulations: train crews and airport concessions
Our colleague R.J. Smith passed away. R.J. coined the term “free-market environmentalism,” ran CEI’s private conservation efforts for many years, and was a valued…
Daily Caller
Here’s Why It Could Take Longer To Rebuild The Baltimore Bridge Than The Whole Transcontinental Railroad
CEI’s Ryan Young is cited in Daily Caller about the length of time it is going to take to rebuild the Balitmore bridge: “If…
Search Posts
Blog
CEI Submits Comments on Proposed Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications Mandate
Last week, CEI and a coalition of free-market organizations sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao asking her to temporarily suspend the current…
The Hill
Norquist Warns GOP: Don’t Link Taxes, Infrastructure
The Hill discusses with Marc Scribner coupling President Trump’s infrastructure plan with tax reform. Coupling Trump’s rebuilding plan with tax reform will only…
Comment
CEI Comments to NHTSA on Vehicle to Vehicle Communications
View Full Document as PDF On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (“CEI”), I respectfully submit these comments in response to the…
Blog
Want Better Airline Service? Deregulate to Enhance Competition
If American consumers wish to enjoy improved service quality in air travel, they should demand that Congress repeal 90 years of anti-competitive federal law.
Politico
The Complicated Status of Trump, Congress and Infrastructure
Politico’s Morning Transportation highlights CEI’s legal challenge of the Department of Transportation’s ban on electronic cigarette usage on airplanes. HOLY SMOKES: With the…
Letters
CEI Leads Coalition Letter Urging Department of Transportation to Suspend Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications Rulemaking
View Full Document as PDF Dear Secretary Chao: We write to you today to express our concern about a pending rulemaking before…
Blog
White House Reiterates Support for Air Traffic Control Reform
It’s time for members of Congress to set aside their petty differences and get to work on something truly transformative.
The Hill
Judge rail industry by performance, not processes
The Hill speaks with Marc Scribner on performance-based regulation as an alternative to inflexible standards for freight rail. As one example, the agency…
Blog
Transportation Safety Best Ensured by Performance Goals, Not Micromanaging
Transportation safety is a top priority in America, whether it’s passenger travel by air, rail, or vehicle or moving commercial freight where it needs to…
News Release
Report: Transportation Safety Gains Held Back By Red Tape
Transportation safety is a top priority, but future safety gains are held back by government red tape that stifles innovation and improvement, according to a…
Daily Caller
Report: Google Forced To Put Mirrors On Self-Driving Cars
The Daily Caller speaks with Marc Scribner on regulators improving transportation safety with safety performance goals rather than stifling red tape. Self-driving autos…
Politico
Trump signs order to end ‘crushing attack’ of Obama climate legacy
Politico discusses with Myron Ebell President Trump’s executive order to reverse some of the Obama administration’s climate change policies. But Trump has not ordered…
Study
Toward Performance-Based Transportation Safety Regulation
View Full Document as PDF Businesses and entrepreneurs have long complained about having to comply with unnecessarily rigid regulations that stress adherence…
The Hill
Trump jumps into air traffic control fight
The Hill discusses air traffic control reform with Marc Scribner. Another way Trump could be helpful, according to advocates of the spinoff plan,…
Wall Street Journal
For a Cost of Only $16 per Californian . . .
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.) writes that the U.S. Department of Transportation’s decision to defer a $647 million federal grant for Caltrain electrification was “foolhardy”…
Blog
White House Budget Embraces Air Traffic Control Reform
The Trump administration proposes a 12.7 percent decrease in Department of Transportation spending. The most important cut is the administration’s embrace of air traffic control…
News Release
Trump White House Transportation Budget Earns CEI Praise on Air Traffic Control Reform
The White House this morning released its 2018 budget blueprint, which features a 12.7 percent decrease in Department of Transportation spending and reforms to the…
Blog
California’s Proposed Autonomous Vehicle Rules Could Be Improved
The California Department of Motor Vehicles published its proposed testing and deployment rules for automated vehicles.
Blog
Right and Wrong on Air Traffic Control Reform
Objections to privatizing the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Air Traffic Organization contradict conservative principles or else have previously been debunked.
Blog
Improve Infrastructure Projects with Financing and Regulatory Reform
Financing and regulatory reform can help public and private investors get the most bang for their buck out of major new infrastructure projects.
Politico
What now for infrastructure?: Nope, he’s not done
Politico’s Morning Transportation highlights Marc Scribner’s comments on a passenger facility charge bill. On top of all that, DeFazio introduced a bill Wednesday…
Blog
Reps. DeFazio, Massie Introduce Smart Financing Legislation for Airports
New legislation from Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Peter DeFazio (D-OR) would improve the ability of airports to finance improvements to their facilities.
News Release
CEI Comments on President Trump’s Joint-Session Address to Congress
On February 28, 2017, President Donald J. Trump addressed a joint session of Congress. His speech reviewed the new administration’s recent initiatives and announced ways in which the White…
Washington Post
Last night, conservatives gave up on conservatism
The Washington Post discusses President Trump’s policy proposals from his address to a joint session of Congress with CEI President Kent Lassman. The…
Blog
Trump’s Address a Mixed Bag on Transportation and Infrastructure
President Trump's address to a joint session of Congress, delivering a speech outlining many of his administration’s policy priorities and presenting a mixed bag for…
Blog
Policy Background on Trump’s Joint-Session Address to Congress
Here are five areas where the administration has the opportunity to implement valuable and much-needed reforms for the American people.
Blog
EPA Urged to Reconsider Last-Minute Obama Mileage Rules
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers petitioned Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt this week to re-evaluate greenhouse gas emission standards for new cars that were…
Inside Unmanned Systems
Nevada Bill Calls for Legalization of Self-Driving Cars
Inside Unmanned Systems discusses with Marc Scribner a proposed bill in Nevada that updates existing state traffic laws that would spur driverless vehicle testing. …
The Hill
Groups revive debate over passenger fees for airport upgrades
The Hill discusses the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) with Marc Scribner. But funding offsets for infrastructure upgrades have long remained elusive. The PFC…
Reason.com
Bad News: The Government Wants to ‘Help’ Driverless Car Companies
Reason.com discusses with Marc Scribner the U.S. Department of Transportation’s proposed rules on vehicle-to-vehicle communication. Plus, as Competitive Enterprise Institute researcher Marc Scribner…
Blog
Five Regulatory Heartbreaks on Valentine’s Day
Tomorrow we celebrate our significant other by showering them with affection and chocolate—but is government regulation getting in the way of your date night?…
Bloomberg BNA
Regulatory Chill May Pivot Connected Vehicle Tech’s Course
Bloomberg BNA discusses Department of Transportation’s proposed rule on vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology with Marc Scribner. “It sounded a lot better 10, 15 years ago…
Blog
Responding to More Distortions of Air Traffic Control Reform
Free-market transportation researchers strongly support the air traffic control reform.
Blog
Trump Not Bound by Obama Volkswagen Settlement with EPA
The judicial settlement which was reached between Volkswagen and the U.S. Department of Justice last October infringes on President Trump’s Article II authority.
Blog
White House Should Revisit Volkswagen Settlement with EPA
A coalition of free-market groups ask President Trump to investigate the VW emissions settlement with the EPA.
Bloomberg BNA
Will Border Wall Bring Construction Jobs?
Bloomberg BNA discusses with Marc Scribner Trump’s executive order to construct a physical border. Trump signed an executive order indicating that it is…
Blog
Senate Democrats Cite Bogus Jobs Figures on ‘Infrastructure’ Plan
Senate Democrats unveiled a $1 trillion infrastructure blueprint, claiming the eventual legislation would create 15 million jobs over 10 years. The plan stretches the meaning…
News Release
Senate Democrats Offer High Cost, Low Value Spending Spree on Infrastructure
Competitive Enterprise Institute transportation expert Marc Scribner says the problem with the new Senate Democrat plan on infrastructure spending is that it’s focused on expensive…
Blog
Obama Highway Administration Released Troubling Vehicle Communications Guidance
Last Thursday, the outgoing Obama Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released its long-awaited guidance document on the deployment of vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications.
Blog
Wasteful Spending, Minimum Wage Hike Fuel California Budget Deficit
California’s projected budget deficit is rising, but that could have been avoided by curtailing wasteful spending.
Blog
Transportation Inspector General: FAA Not Prepared for Major Airspace Disruptions
The Federal Aviation Administration’s airspace modernization efforts, known as NextGen, are woefully lacking.
News Release
CEI Supports Trump Transportation Secretary Nominee Elaine Chao
Today, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a nomination hearing for President-elect Donald Trump’s Secretary of the Department of Transportation nominee, Elaine…
DC Velocity
For Elaine Chao, the easy part begins and ends tomorrow
DC Velocity discusses Elaine Chao’s nomination for Department of Transportation Secretary with Marc Scribner. Cost-benefit analysis will be the order of the day…
Real Clear Policy
Don’t Re-Regulate the Railroads
Real Clear Policy discusses policy on the railroad industry with Marc Scribner. Marc Scribner of the Competitive Enterprise Institute neatly summarized the implications…
Blog
115th Congress Should Halt Government Assault on Freight Rail
Forced reciprocal switching has been a goal for coal, petrochemical, and agriculture shippers for decades, but regulators have generally made it extremely difficult.
Blog
TSA Deserves a Lump of Coal
The TSA’s widely unpopular body scanners lead many would-be air travelers to take to the much more dangerous highways instead, where some number of them…
Blog
RealClear Radio Hour: City Extortion and Cities’ Heroine
In this episode of RealClear Radio Hour, Brian Hodges discusses West Hollywood’s extortion of local developers and Robert Kanigel shares stories of Great American Cities…
One News Now
Trump’s transportation pick in for a ride
One News Now discusses President-elect Trump’s pick for secretary of transportation with Marc Scribner. “No one really knows where that money is going…
Cato At Liberty
The Feds Want to Track Your Car
Cato At Liberty highlights a quote by Marc Scribner on regulating vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology. While the risks of mandatory V2V systems are significant,…
Wall Street Journal
Uber’s Clash With Regulators Moves to Self-Driving Cars
The Wall Street Journal discusses Uber’s use of self-driving cars in San Fransisco with Marc Scribner. “This is right out of the playbook…