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
National Review
J. D. Vance’s One-Track Mind for Railroad Regulation
Ohio senator and GOP vice-presidential nominee J. D. Vance has something of a soft spot for unions, as evidenced by his co-sponsorship of the…
Blog
Free the Economy podcast: Paying for mass transit with Marc Scribner
In this week’s episode we cover California’s minimum wage for fast-food workers, overturning the FCC’s universal service fee, and pushing back on…
Capitol Matters
East Palestine Report: Congress Should Rethink Its Reaction
In almost a decade working for the British Department for Transport, no officials impressed me as much as the accident investigators. They were dedicated experts who…
Search Posts
News Release
Stringent Government Rules Can Turn Deadly
Study
The Flexibility Solution
Full Document Available in PDF America has not done enough to protect the networks of…
Study
First, Do No Harm to Motorists
Sam Kazman explores why Congress should focus its attention not on making C.A.F.E. standards more stringent, but on scrapping them and, at a minimum, avoid…
Newsletter
Cooler Heads Digest
1. The Week in Global Warming News 2. CEI's Insider Information 3. Issue of the Week4. Action Item5.
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. CONSUMER The Washington Post reports on CEI’s campaign to protest substandard appliances resulting from energy efficiency mandates. 2.
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. ENVIRONMENT The Washington Post celebrates the 100th anniversary of the birth of environmentalist icon…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. CONSUMER CEI launches a campaign to protest substandard appliances resulting from energy efficiency…
News Release
President Bush Calls for Higher Fuel Economy Standards & Use of Alternative Fuels
Washington, DC, May 14, 2007—President Bush’s announcement today that his administration will push for higher fuel economy standards and increased use of alternative…
News Release
Senate to Mandate More Fuel Economy Regulations
The Senate Commerce Committee is expected to vote on a plan to increase fuel efficiency mandates today, despite the increased risk posed to motorists. …
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> 1. SAFETY…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Issues in the News 1. LEGAL…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Issues in the News 1. ENERGY Consumers nationwide…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. HEALTH First Lady Laura Bush delivers remarks in the White House Rose Garden for Malaria Awareness Day .
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues In the News: 1. REGULATING THE REGULATORSSupreme Court Tells EPA to Re-Consider its Decision Not to Regulate C02…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. CONGRESS Senators express skepticism over a proposal to mandate a national ID…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. CONGRESS Al Gore testifies on global warming before committees in both the House and Senate, describing…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. CONGRESS Al Gore prepares for dual testimony appearances this week before the House…
News Release
House Hears Testimony on CAFE Rules
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Contact: Richard Morrison, 202.331.2273 …
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. CONGRESS The House of Representatives hears testimony on fuel efficiency regulations for…
News Release
House Hears Testimony on CAFE Rules
Washington, D.C., March 13, 2007—Tomorrow members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee will hear testimony from auto company and union representatives on…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. CONGRESS Lawmakers prepare to increase the federal fuel economy standards for new…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. CONGRESS New Democratic congressmen warn Speaker Pelosi to stick to a politically moderate…
Study
A Free Market Agenda for the 110th Congress
Washington, D.C., January 10, 2007—Today the Competitive Enterprise Institute releases its policy recommendations for the new leadership on Capitol Hill: This Liberal Congress Went to…
Study
This Liberal Congress Went to Market: a Bipartisan Policy Agenda for the 110th Congress
DO…
News Release
A Free Market Agenda for the 110th Congress
Contact: Richard Morrison, 202.331.2273 Washington, D.C., January 10, 2007—Today the Competitive Enterprise Institute releases its policy recommendations for the new leadership…
Op-Eds
Why flying cars haven’t taken off— yet
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> A recent General Motors ad campaign is a real letdown.
News Release
Claims by Energy Security Advocates Clash with Consumer Safety Concerns
Contact: <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Jody Clarke, 202.331.2252 Washington, D.C., December 19,…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. SCIENCE The American Meteorological Society holds a congressional briefing, “Is Global Warming Impacting, or…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. ENERGY Oil prices hit a new spike amid continuing military and political unrest in…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News TRANSPORTATION New orders for Boeing could take a toll on its European rival, Airbus. …
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. TECHNOLOGY Blue Origin, the private space travel company started by Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos,…
News Release
“Who Killed the Electric Car?” – Not the Auto Industry
Contact: Jody Clarke, 202.331.2252 Washington, D.C., June 30, 2006—A new documentary blames General…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News TRANSPORTATION A documentary about the development of the electric car hits movie theaters. CEI Expert…
Op-Eds
Get Rid of the High Places
In one of the least surprising developments of 2006, a Louisiana politician has been snared in a corruption scandal. Democratic Congressman William Jefferson has…
Op-Eds
Homeland Bureaucracy?
Writer P.J. O'Rourke once quipped: “Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.” It seems…
News Release
CEI To Launch National Global Warming Ad Campaign
Contact: <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Jody Clarke, 202.331.2252 [email protected] Washington,…
Products
CEI Planet: March – April 2006
Full Document Available in PDF New Era, or ‘Ancien Régime,’…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Issues in the News 1. BUSINESS…
News Release
President Bush’s Call For Higher Fuel Economy Standards–A Lethal Regulatory Fix
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />Washington, DC, April 28, 2006—The Competitive Enterprise Institute today called President Bush’s request for higher fuel…
News Release
President Bush’s Call For Higher Fuel Economy Standards—A Lethal Regulatory Fix
Contact:<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Jody Clarke, 202.331.2252 Washington, DC, April 28,…
News Release
Bush Should Stop Grandstanding and Get Serious About High Gas Prices
Washington, D.C., April 25, 2006—The Competitive Enterprise Institute is disappointed that President Bush has decided to make cheap political points about high gas…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. CONGRESS The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee prepares for a hearing on greenhouse…
Op-Eds
New fuel standards unnecessary
Once again, the government has issued what it claims is a “win-win” fuel economy mandate— yes, it will raise the prices of new SUVs and…
Op-Eds
Senate Sets Up Lopsided Global Warming ‘Debate’
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will kick off a legislative effort to address global warming next…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. AUTOMOTIVE The Department of Transportation announces the biggest change to federal fuel economy regulations…
News Release
The Best Way to Reform CAFE is to End It
Contact: Jody Clarke, 202-331-2252 Washington, D.C., March 29, 2006—While the Department of Transportation touts higher fuel economy standards for light trucks, including SUVs, a fuel…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. INTERNET Google scores a victory over disclosure of user information in its legal battle…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. E-COMMERCE AOL proceeds with plans to charge a “postage” fee for mass senders of email.
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. AUTOMOBILITY The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration releases a new report on car size…
News Release
The Deadly Toll of Federal Fuel Regulations
A new study this week from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reinforces what researchers have long known: larger vehicles are safer than smaller ones…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. LEGAL & CONSTITUTIONAL Finance company BB&T announces that it will refuse loans to developers attempting to…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. ENERGY The debate over authorizing oil exploration in the Alaskan arctic moves into its…
News Release
Judges Deny Rehearing of Greenhouse Gas Lawsuit
Washington, D.C., December 2, 2005—The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has turned away an appeal from state authorities and environmental groups which sought…
News Release
Misspending, Abuses Marks Tobacco Settlement Anniversary
Christine Hall, 202.331.2258 Washington, D.C., November 28, 2005—Seven years ago this month, the states signed the biggest settlement deal in history with major tobacco…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. AUTOMOTIVE Ford Motor Co. CEO Bill Ford announces his company’s plans to focus on developing alternative…
Op-Eds
Is U.S. Embracing a Global Tax Scheme?
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />Melbourne, Australia—This week, a good number of liberal activists—when not engaged in trying to stop the…
Wall Street Journal
The War Against the Car
News Release
House Should Approve New Energy Exploration
Contact: Richard Morrison, 202.331.2273 Washington, D.C., November 9, 2005—The Competitive Enterprise Institute urges the House of Representatives to keep provisions on new oil and…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. TRADE The United Nation’s cultural agency is expected to approve a treaty authorizing countries to…
Op-Eds
Energy security and natural disasters
Reps. Jim Saxton and Eliot Engel claim the destruction inflicted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita “has been a jarring reminder of our over reliance on…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. LEGAL & CONSTITUTIONAL Investors Business Daily quotes Special Projects Counsel Hans Bader on the prospects of…
News Release
World Car-Free Day: Not a Day to Celebrate
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />Washington, DC, September 22, 2005—Organizers of today’s ‘World Car-Free Day’ are promoting supposedly more sustainable transportation…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. AUTOMOBILITY Anti-car activists sponsor the 2005 observance of “World Car-Free Day.” CEI Expert…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. ENDANGERED SPECIES Congressman Richard Pombo introduces new legislation that would rewrite the Endangered Species Act to better…
News Release
Stricter Fuel Economy Rules Could Cost Lives
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />Washington, D.C., September 16, 2005—Members of Congress this week introduced legislation aimed at making automobile fuel…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. TRANSPORTATION The twin bankruptcy filings this week of Northwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines raise…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. AUTOMOBILITY The Wall Street Journal editorializes on why tightening federal fuel economy standards would “trade blood…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. ENERGY Lost refining capacity in the wake of Hurricane Katrina contributes to higher gas prices and…
News Release
Katrina Shows Weaknesses of Energy Supply Chain
Washington, D.C., August 30, 2005—The disruption to oil and gas operations off the coast of Louisiana by Hurricane Katrina this week has raised…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. AUTOMOBILITY Scripps Howard columnist Jay Ambrose cites Sam Kazman’s work on the deadly effects…
Op-Eds
Fuel Efficiency Trade-Offs
Monday's Page One article “Drumbeat grows louder for fuel efficiency” cites John Lichtblau's claim that Congress missed an opportunity in the recently enacted energy…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. AUTOMOBILITY Forbes reports on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s plan to update its fuel economy…
News Release
NHTSA to Make Fuel Economy Program Deadlier
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today is expected to announce new fuel economy standards for light trucks, including SUVs, a move the Competitive Enterprise…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. HEALTH & SAFETY More people are debunking the myth that fast food is responsible for obesity…
News Release
Auto Emissions Report Ignores Safety Concerns
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” /> Washington, D.C., August 10, 2005—Today, Environmental Defense released an updated report advocating higher restrictions on…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. HEALTH & SAFETY The EPA proposes new regulations governing storage of radioactive waste at the proposed…
Op-Eds
Bureaucrats Can’t Run A Railroad
Given its recent troubles, Amtrak's flagship Northeast corridor high-speed Acela train might as well be renamed “Decela.” Amtrak officials suspended the service and acknowledged that…
Op-Eds
Bureaucrats Can’t Run A Railroad
Given its recent troubles, Amtrak's flagship Northeast corridor high-speed Acela train might as well be renamed “Decela.” Amtrak officials suspended the service and acknowledged that…
News Release
First Step in Fuel Economy Reform Should Be Assessing CAFE’s Lethal Effect
Contact: <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Richard Morrison, 202.331.2273 <?xml:namespace prefix =…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. AUTOMOBILITY The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration proposes new fuel economy rules based on car…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
1. ENERGY Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger imperils California’s economy with new regulations on greenhouse gases. CEI Expert Available to Comment: Senior Fellow…
Op-Eds
Privatize Amtrak the Right Way, Avoiding Pitfalls of British Experience, by Iain Murray
WASHINGTON – Given its recent troubles, Amtrak’s flagship Northeast corridor high-speed Acela train might as well be renamed “Decela.” Amtrak officials suspended the service and…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. TRANSPORTATION Communities in states such as Michigan, Florida, Texas and…
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Abolish Federal Pension Guarantee
Just as the squeaky wheel gets the grease, a government program gets Congress’ attention by going deep in the red. And the Pension Benefit Guaranty…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. CIVIL LIBERTIES A coalition of conservatives and liberals unite to oppose the renewal of…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. ENERGY The Senate is debating whether to add limits on greenhouse gas emissions to…
Study
The Revolution Spins toward More Regulation
Full document available in pdf format. …
Op-Eds
Air Sickness: Who’s to Blame? (Part 2)
Full study available in pdf format If management-labor relations at large airlines are preventing fair competition with newer airlines, to what extent…
Newsletter
The Competitive Enterprise Institute Daily Update
Issues in the News 1. TRANSPORTATION Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta warns Amtrak that federal funds may not be available to bail…
Study
Privatizing Rail, Avoiding the Pitfalls Lessons from the British Experience, by Iain Murray
Full Document Available in PDF The U.S. national…
Op-Eds
American Dream or American Politics?
To the Editor: Roland J. Hwang has a curious approach to the issue of the auto industry's future (“Hybrids can propel Big 3…
Study
The Price is Right—Or Better Be!
Full Document Available in PDF On the popular television game show “The…
News Release
$1.5 billion Bush Tax on Air Travel Fails Cost-Benefit Test
Contact for Interviews: Richard Morrison, 202.331.2273<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> …
New York Times
The autonomist manifesto
New York Times
Honk if you hate cars
News Release
Honk If You Support World Car-Free Day
Contact for Interviews: <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Jody Clarke, 202.331.2252 …
Op-Eds
Sam Kazman: Too Tough on SUVs, Too Soft on Mini-Cars
Official traffic statistics are one of the last things that you'd expect to find distorted by political correctness. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,…
News Release
New Study Indicates Federal Fuel Economy Standards Even Deadlier Than Previously Thought
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” /> Contact for Interviews: <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Jody Clarke, 202.331.2252…
News Release
Evidence Contradicts NHTSA Claim of Growing SUV Risk
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” /> Contact for Interviews: <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Richard Morrison,…
Op-Eds
The Scapegoat Utility Vehicle
Reprinted with permission from Foundation for Economic Education, http://www.fee.org First sin, then treason, and finally, reckless idiocy. For owners…