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
Citation
Transportation Security Agency workers in Illinois, elsewhere lose union
Competitive Enterprise Institute labor policy expert Sean Higgins said the agency claimed there were problems of waste and abuse with the practice…

News Release
Transportation Sec Sean Duffy announces immediate review of CAFE standards: CEI analysis
CEI applauds U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy for directing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to commence an immediate review and reconsideration of all…

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…
Search Posts
Illinois News Network
Illinois Could be Next State to Allow Freight Trucks to Utilize Emerging Technology
Illinois News Network cited Senior Fellow Marc Scribner on automated vehicle platooning. “Something like adaptive cruise control, a common driver assistance system,” Competitive Enterprise…
Fleet Owner
Platooning Still Held Back by Outdated State Laws, Report Says
Fleet Owner cited Senior Fellow Marc Scribner on Authorizing Automated Vehicle Platooning: A Guide for State Legislators. A …
Creators Syndicate Online
Trump Rules Make Driving Safer and Cheaper
The Creators Syndicate Online cited CEI on CAFE standards. Perhaps the biggest benefit of the new Trump standards is that they are expected…
Arizona Daily Star
More Realistic Fuel Economy Rule Would Cut Traffic Fatalities and Lower Gas Prices
The Trump administration has proposed to halt the steady increases in auto fuel economy standards that were part of backroom deals made by the Obama…
The Newburgh Gazette
19 States Vow to Sue Over Proposed Fuel Efficiency Rollbacks
The Newburgh Gazette cited Director of Global Warming and International Environmental Policy Myron Ebell on fuel economy standards. Myron Ebell, a senior energy scholar…
The Daily Caller
‘Make Cars Great Again’: Trump is Rolling Back Obama’s Vehicle Emissions Standards
The Daily Caller cited Director of Global Warming and International Environmental Policy Myron Ebell on fuel economy standards. “The administration’s announcement that it will…
Blog
Trump Revision of Obama-era Fuel Economy Rules Is No Climate Disaster
In a recent article in Energy and Environment News, several prominent climate scientists bash the Trump administration’s proposed rollback of the Obama administration’s…
Blog
New York City Continues War on Affordable Consumer Travel
Yesterday, the New York City Council voted to impose a one-year cap on the number of ride-hailing vehicles able to operate in the city.
Letters
CEI Joins Coalition Letter in Opposition of Fair Fees Amendment in FAA
View Full Document as PDF The Honorable John Thune Chairman Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Dear Chairman Thune:…
Blog
Mileage Rule for New Cars Everything Free Marketers Hoped
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on August 2nd proposed to revise Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards and…
The Sacramento Bee
PRO: More Realistic Fuel Economy Rule Would Cut Traffic Fatalities and Lower Car Prices
The Trump Administration has proposed to halt the steady increases in auto fuel economy standards that were part of backroom deals made by the Obama…
News Release
CEI: Proposed Changes to CAFE Standards Are Good News for Consumers
Today, the Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency released proposed revisions to future fuel economy standards set under the Obama Administration.
The Gazette
Iowa among states barring automated truck ‘platoons’
The Gazette cited CEI on Senior Fellow Marc Scribner’s report, “Authorizing Automated Vehicle Platooning“ A new report released this month by Competitive…
News Release
Trump Tariffs Will Harm US and EU
President Trump is set to meet with EU President Jean-Claude Juncker today, with trade tensions topic #1, but CEI Senior Fellow Iain Murray warns that…
Blog
House Transportation Chairman Proposes Examining Shift to User Fees for Highway Funding
Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA), the outgoing chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, this week released a legislative discussion draft of a new infrastructure bill,…
Blog
CEI Releases ‘Authorizing Automated Vehicle Platooning, 2018 Edition’
CEI has released my third annual report on state barriers to vehicle platooning, Authorizing Automated Vehicle Platooning: A Guide for State Legislators, 2018 Edition.
News Release
Report: Automated Truck Technology Would Mean Cost Savings and Safety Gains – If Legislators Update Decades-Old Laws
Automated vehicle technology promises big cost savings in transporting goods nationwide and increased highway safety, but outdated state laws remain a roadblock, according to a…
Study
Authorizing Automated Vehicle Platooning, 2018 Edition
Automated vehicles have captured the public’s imagination in recent years following successful on-road demonstrations by developers such as Waymo.[1] The prospect of…
SCPR
AUDIO: Marc Scribner Discusses Driverless Cars and State Safety Regulations on AirTalk
CEI Senior Fellow Marc Scribner joined AirTalk on Southern California Public Radio to discuss driverless car technology and state safety regulations.
Letters
CEI Joins Coalition Letter Urging Congress to Repeal Ban On Operating Civil Supersonic Aircraft
Fifty years after the Concorde’s maiden flight, the ingenuity of American innovators and entrepreneurs means the next generation of commercial supersonic transportation is right around…
Blog
Last Chance for the 115th: Senate Should Pass AV START Act
Back when CEI published “Free to Prosper: A Pro-Growth Agenda for the 115th Congress” at the end of 2016, we wrote that “[t]o…
News Release
CEI on Potential Auto Tariff: “Trump Tax” Is Deeply Troubling
This week, the Trump administration launched a probe to consider imposing tariffs on imported automobiles. CEI Senior Fellow Marc Scribner warned such a "Trump tax" would be bad…
Blog
Debunking the Dilatory Objections to the AV START Act
In September 2017, the House of Representatives passed the SELF DRIVE Act by unanimous voice vote. The bill would for the first time establish…
SFGate
Trump, Top Car Executives Meet Amid Struggle Over Climate Rules for Automobiles
SFGate cited Myron Ebell on the need for diversification in motor vechicle standards in order to suit the diverse needs of Americans living across the…
Blog
Zero Emission Vehicles Can Increase Air Pollution: Study
A new report by economist Jonathan Lesser of the Manhattan Institute challenges the conventional wisdom that zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) are superior to new internal…
Blog
Clearing a Regulatory Path for Automated Trucks and Trains
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is the national safety regulator of heavy trucks and buses, or commercial motor vehicles. It was created in 2000…
The Washington Examiner
Trump’s Transition Chiefs Urge Him to Stay the Course On Auto Rollback
The Washington Examiner cited Myron Ebell in his signing a joint letter to the president urging him to stay on course in reforming auto emissions…
Letters
CEI Joins Trump Transition Leaders to Urge President Trump to Continue with CAFE Reforms
As members of your presidential transition team, we write to thank you for the tremendous progress that America has made under your leadership. As a…
Comment
CEI Comments on Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations
On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (“CEI”), I respectfully submit these comments in response to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (“FMCSA”) Request for…
The State Journal-Register
Point: In The Name Of Safety, They Should Allow Testing Of Driverless Cars On Their Roads
The State Journal-Register cited Marc Scribner about how local jurisdictions are not qualified to determine the legality of driverless cars and that their lack of…
Comment
CEI Comments on Automation in the Railroad Industry to the Federal Railroad Administration
On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (“CEI”), I respectfully submit these comments in response to the Federal Railroad Administration’s (“FRA”) Request for Information on…
Blog
Multi-State Petition against EPA Vehicle Standards Makes Weak Legal Case
California joined by 16 states and the District of Columbia yesterday petitioned the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to stop Environmental Protection Agency administrator…
Illinois News Network
Proposal: Raise state’s gas tax to highest-in-nation 85 cents a gallon
Illonois News Network quoted Marc Scribner on the necessity to find alternatives for Illonois to support renovating its aging infastructure rather than increasing the state’s gas…
Reason Magazine
Clear the Runway: The Fight Over ‘Uber for Planes’ Is Coming to Congress
Reason Magazine cites CEI’s Marc Scribner on regulations that could harm the sharing economy for private planes. In other words, the battle…
Letters
CEI Leads Coalition Supporting Amendment to FAA Reauthorization Act to Remove Cap on the Passenger Facility Charge
View Full Document as PDF Dear Chairman Pete Sessions, Ranking Member Jim McGovern: We write today to express our strong support of…
News Release
Lawmaker Seeks Improvements in Aviation Safety Regulation
Today, Rep. Mark Meadows (R, N.C.) introduced a significant reform amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization legislation. The amendment directs the FAA to…
Blog
Even without Air Traffic Control Reform, House FAA Bill Improvement to Status Quo
Last week, House Transportation Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) introduced his updated Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill, eliminating the air traffic control reform title, and making…
Letters
CEI Coalition Letter to Senate Commerce on Surface Transportation Board Nominee Confirmation Hearing
View Full Document as PDF Dear Chairman Thune, Ranking Member Nelson, and members of the Committee: We write today on the forthcoming…
C-SPAN
VIDEO: Marc Scribner Discusses Automotive Innovation and Wireless Technology at New America Event
C-SPAN covers New America’s event on automotive innovation and wireless technology featuring CEI Senior Fellow Marc Scribner as a panelist. …
C-SPAN
VIDEO: Marc Scribner Joins The Washington Journal to Discuss Trump’s Infrastructure Plan
CEI Senior Fellow Marc Scribner joined The Washington Journal on C-SPAN to discuss President Trump’s infrastructure plan.
Blog
Hope for Reforming Obama-Era Fuel Economy Mandates at EPA
The Environmental Protection Agency is approaching the April 1st deadline to complete its Midterm Evaluation of the Obama administration’s fuel economy and motor vehicle greenhouse…
Blog
Cracking Down on Automated Vehicles Would Mean More Death and Destruction
Real-life road testing is the best way to continue improving the performance of automated driving systems, thanks in part to the gathering of real-time road…
Blog
Human Achievement: The Shipping Container
One of the most underappreciated drivers of the modern global economy is the humble shipping container. Widely adopted internationally in the second half of the…
Blog
CEI Submits Comments to Federal Vehicle Regulator on Automated Driving Systems
The process for modernizing federal motor vehicle safety standards needs to be improved, thereby allowing for more rapid deployment of vehicles equipped with new self-driving technology…
Comment
CEI Comments to NHTSA on Removing Regulatory Barriers for Vehicles with Automated Driving System
View Full Document as PDF On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (“CEI”), I respectfully submit these comments in response to the…
USA Today
Let our airlines compete: Maybe more dogs will reach their destinations
Glenn Harlan Reynolds quotes a recent interview with Marc Scribner in his USA Today column on airline competition and regulation: When you…
Techdirt
Slowing Down Driverless Cars Would Be A Fatal Mistake
This article was cowritten with Caleb Watney, technology policy associate at the R Street Institute Unsubstantiated driverless car hype may be annoying, but that shouldn’t blind…
Letters
CEI Joins Coalition Supporting the AV START Act (S. 1885)
Speeding up the AV START act could potentially save thousands of lives.
Comment
CEI Comments in Response to the Federal Highway Administration’s Request for Information on Automated Driving Systems
View Full Document as PDF On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (“CEI”), I respectfully submit these comments in response to the…
Vox
America’s 3 Infrastructure Problems
Vox examines the Trump administration’s infrastructure plans with Marc Scribner: So where did that $1.5 trillion number come from? According to…
Blog
Skepticism of Driverless Car Hype Is Warranted But Shouldn’t Sacrifice Innovation and Safety
Applying the precautionary principle to the regulation of self-driving cars could mean more highway fatalities, by delaying the introduction of new, lifesaving technologies. …
Watchdog.org
Government watchdog: States like Illinois must be more accountable for infrastructure maintenance
Watchdog.org discusses the effect of the Trump Administration’s infrastructure plan and cites Marc Scribner’s work: Any federal infrastructure funding plan needs to…
Blog
Rep. Dave Brat’s Pro-Competitive Free to Fly Act Is a First Step in the Right Direction
The Free to Fly Act would eliminate a generations-old anti-competitive federal law governing domestic airline ownership.
Vox
Trump’s Plan Does Nothing for America’s Real Infrastructure Problem
Vox’s Matthew Yglesias cites Marc Scribner’s blog analysis of the Trump administration’s infrastructure proposals: Infrastructure is a big, complicated subject that…
The Wall Street Journal
Private Jet-Setters Against Better Air Travel
The Wall Street Journal cites Marc Scribner in discussing potential roadblocks to air traffic reform: President Trump’s 2019 budget proposal again includes a…
Blog
Trump’s Infrastructure Plan: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
This morning, the White House released its long-anticipated, 53-page infrastructure proposal. It is an expansion of the leaked six-page summary that I commented…
News Release
White House Infrastructure Spending Plan Should Refocus on Maintenance for Roads, Water Treatment
The White House is expected to announce a $200 billion infrastructure spending plan, with a focus on shortening the permitting process for construction, directing dollars…
Marketplace
AUDIO: President Trump to Outline Infrastructure Plan
Marketplace discusses President Trump’s infrastructure plan with Marc Scribner. Listen to the full story at Marketplace.
WIRED
Outdated Auto Safety Regulations Threaten the Self-Driving Revolution
Self-driving cars should be welcomed for their substantial safety and mobility gains for the traveling public, especially the elderly and disabled. But the federal government’s failure…
Blog
Uber Wants to Make It Illegal to Operate Your Own Self-Driving Car in Cities
Beleaguered ridesourcing giant Uber has been criticized for a wide variety of sins, both real and imagined. But their biggest sin yet may be what…
E&E News
Who’s Who in Trump’s Infrastructure Initiative
E&E News discusses Trump’s infrastructure plan with Myron Ebell. President Trump’s ballyhooed infrastructure push — envisioned as a $1.5 trillion construction push paired with…
Reason
National I.D. By Any Other Name Still Stinks
Reason covers the release of a new report published by the Cato Institute and authored by Jim Harper. There have been many pushes to…
Blog
Trump State of the Union Response: Double Down on Cutting Red Tape
Cutting red tape, so talented individuals can thrive, will help put the long-term roar back into the economy.
Blog
More Misguided Conservative Criticism of the Passenger Facility Charge
Congress should free the hand of airports to finance improvements with user fees rather than relying on federal tax revenue.
The Tennessean
Opponents Paint Grim Picture of Nashville Transit Plan at Forum Watched by Both Sides
The Tennessean covers Marc Sribner’s appearance at a forum surrounding Nashville’s transit plan. Opponents of Mayor Megan Barry’s transit plan brought in conservative thinkers leading the…
Blog
#SOTU2018: All Eyes on Infrastructure
Despite the Trump administration’s misguided call for additional federal spending on infrastructure, there are some bright spots for free marketers in the administration's plan.
Washington Examiner
Air Traffic Control Might Finally Move Into The 21st Century
America is long overdue for an overhaul of our radar-based air traffic control system. Yet federal modernization efforts are plagued by delays, cost-overruns, and shifting…
U.S. News & World Report
The Right Kind of Stimulus
Ask any politician about infrastructure, and they’ll tell you they’re for it. And why wouldn’t they be? Most politicians view infrastructure spending as a means…
City Journal
Well-Heeled Fliers Against Air-Traffic Reform
The City Journal quotes Marc Scribner on the influence the NBAA has in preventing federal reform and modernization of air traffic control. Members…
Blog
7 Congressional Efforts the President Should Urge Members to Support
President Trump should use his State of the Union address to encourage members of Congress to pass these 7 bills immediately.
Blog
Where Are the President’s Surface Transportation Board Nominees?
Three seats currently sit empty on the Surface Transportation Board (STB) and the White House should move quickly to nominate cautious and judicious rail experts…
Forbes
Who Will Own the Infrastructure in the Smart City?
There is great enthusiasm for the smart city concept. Integration of autonomous vehicles, drones and networked communications are expected to manage congestion, lead to fewer…
Roll Call
Whiplashed Planners Fear GOP Swerve on Infrastructure
Roll Call discusses private activity bonds with Marc Scribner. Los Angeles has gained national notice for a series of ambitious projects affecting all facets…
Politico
Study Bag
Politico’s Morning Transportation covers the release of Modernizing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards by Marc Scribner. Take a gander at a new…
Law360
Old Standards Holding Back Auto Safety Advancement
Law360 covers the release of Modernizing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards by Marc Scribner. Federal regulators’ failure to routinely update motor vehicle standards to keep…
The Washington Examiner
Congress in the Driver’s Seat on Self-Driving Cars
The Washington Examiner discusses self-driving cars with Marc Scribner. For auto manufacturers, technology experts, and lawmakers, 2018 is shaping up to be the year…
Blog
Congress Must Help Modernize Outdated Auto Safety Regulations
Congress should encourage safety regulators to more rapidly adopt modern standards developed by private professional organizations. …
News Release
Report: Auto Safety Lags Due to Outdated Government Standards
Motor vehicle safety should be a priority for Washington regulators, but regulators too often fail to update rules to stay current on the latest, best…
Study
Modernizing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
View Full Document as PDF Thousands of times per year in the United States, automobile drivers are temporarily blinded by the high…
Governing
Airports Need to Expand
Governing magazine discusses government barriers to airport investment with Marc Scribner: The need for this mass airport modernization is evident. America’s population is…
Blog
Is There a Drone under Your Tree? Here’s the Current Status of Federal Regulation
No longer just the stuff of modern warfare, small drone aircraft are increasingly used in real estate, agriculture, infrastructure inspection, and search and rescue, to…
Law360
Rail Regs In Crosshairs After Emergency Brakes Rule Repeal
Law360 interviews Marc Scribner about the repeal of the electronically controlled pneumatic brake mandate for high-hazard flammable unit trains by the Federal Railroad Administration: The…
The Hill
Taxpayers, Travelers Win with a Modernized Airport Facility Charge
Everyone from typical travelers to President Trump has decried the sorry state of American airport infrastructure. Airports would like to have the freedom to impose…
Blog
Smart Policy Should Pave the Way for Advance of Automated Vehicles
The U.S. is already ahead of other countries in the race to perfect automated vehicles - the only roadblock is the government itself.
Blog
Two Cheers for Virginia’s I-66 Express Lanes
Virginia’s limited foray into uncapped variable tolling represents a fairer and more efficient way to manage traffic congestion and pay for surface transportation.
Blog
EPA Finalizes 2018 Renewable Fuel Standard Targets
Caving to pressure from Iowa Republican Sens. Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley, the Environmental Protection Agency decided to slightly increase rather than slightly decrease the overall…
Blog
CEI Submits Comments on New Automated Driving System Federal Guidance
Today, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, joined by the R Street Institute, submitted comments to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in response to the…
Comment
CEI and R Street Comments to NHTSA on Automated Driving Systems 2.0: A Vision for Safety
View Full Document as PDF On behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (“CEI”) and the R Street Institute (“R Street”), we respectfully…
Blog
When Will Regulators Let the Benefits of Driverless Cars Be Realized?
Driverless cars show great promise in improving the way human beings get around, particularly in reducing injuries and deaths from accidents and increasing mobility options…
Blog
How to Update Federal Auto Safety Rules to Conform to the Latest Technical Standards
Motor vehicle safety regulations in the United States frequently fail to incorporate the latest voluntary consensus standards developed by automotive technical experts.
Blog
Did Congress Stumble on a New Way to Modernize Auto Safety Rules?
The federal government has long recognized the virtues of adhering to consensus industry standards when regulating industrial activities, rather than attempting to invent technical standards…
Reason
VIDEO: Self-Driving Cars Will Make Most Auto Safety Regulations Unnecessary
Jim Epstein of Reason discusses self-driving cars with Marc Scribner. Federal auto safety regulations fill nearly 900 pages with standards that determine everything…
Blog
V2V Mandate Nixed: DOT Ends Second Most Costly U.S. Regulatory Proposal
the U.S. Department of Transportation will not promulgate a costly new regulation, setting the stage for withdrawal of its notice of proposed rulemaking mandating new…
Law360
Trump Deregulatory Push Puts New Rail, Truck Rules In Doubt
Law360 discusses freight rail regulation with Marc Scribner. The STB in July 2016 agreed to draft new rules that would compel a rail…
City Journal
Well-Heeled Fliers Against Air-Traffic Reform
City Journal discusses air traffic control reform with Marc Scribner. A CEO on a Gulfstream doesn’t make a great poster child for government welfare,…
The Washington Examiner
Air Traffic Control Might Finally Move into the 21st Century
America is long overdue for an overhaul of our radar-based air traffic control system. Yet federal modernization efforts are plagued by delays, cost-overruns, and shifting…
Blog
House Members Repeat False Claims about Passenger Facility Charges
The current Senate Transportation and Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill is a step forward on modernizing airport financing and governance in the U.S.
Blog
CEI Calls on EPA to Reconsider More-Stringent Fuel Economy Standards
On Thursday, October 5, the Competitive Enterprise Institute submitted comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding its Final Mid-Term Evaluation (MTE) of greenhouse…
Letters
CEI Joins Coalition Letter Supporting FAA Amendment on Supersonic Aircraft
View Full Document as PDF Dear Chairman Thune and members of the Committee: Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) and Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO)…
Blog
A Good START for Automated Vehicle Technology that Should Extend to Trucking
Last week, Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune (R-SD) and Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) introduced the American Vision for Safer Transportation Through Advancement of Revolutionary…