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
News Release
Energy and oil prices driving force behind March inflation increase: CEI analysis
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) report for March shows a 0.9 percent increase across all sectors, mainly driven by significantly higher energy and oil…
Blog
Privatize a little, fix a little: Why Trump’s TSA contracting plan is not meaningful privatization
If this latest Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown has confirmed anything, it is how deeply structural the drawbacks of the Transportation Security Administration…
Blog
From airport security lines to the Danger Zone: TSA delays and public safety
The Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) staffing shortfall is creating more than long lines. It may already be putting travelers’ lives at risk. Since the partial…
Search Posts
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…
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…
Letters
CEI Joins Coalition for Future Mobility Coalition on Federal AV Legislation
View Full Document as PDF Dear Chair Schakowsky and Ranking Member McMorris Rodgers: As companies and organizations dedicated to the safe development and…
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…
Letters
CEI Leads Coalition Letter Supporting Revamping American Infrastructure Act of 2020
Dear Members of Congress: We write in strong support of the Revamping American Infrastructure Act of 2020 (H.R. 5571). The bill would order the Secretary…
Inside Sources
Solar Gets Partial Reprieve from Tariffs on Imports
Inside Sources cites Senior Fellow Ryan Young on solar panels and tariffs: “China protects its solar makers,” said Ryan Young, a senior fellow…
Politico
Morning Transportation
Politico cites CEI’s coalition letter to Congress on the STB revenue adequacy hearing: A coalition of free market groups, led by the Competitive…
Inside Sources
Volkswagen — Smoke, Mirrors and Electric Cars
Volkswagen would like the world to know it plans to produce a million electric cars by 2022, likely leapfrogging (or maybe eliminating) competition like Tesla. The…
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
Free-Market Coalition Opposes Transportation and Climate Initiative
Eleven Northeast states plus the District of Columbia on December 17th released a draft memorandum of understanding this week on how to implement their Transportation and…
Blog
Department of Justice Wrong to Block Sabre Acquisition of Farelogix
On January 27th, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) will attempt to block travel technology company Sabre Corporation from purchasing communications protocol innovator Farelogix, Inc. This will be the…
News Release
Report: California A.B. 5 Labor Law Will Mean Huge Costs for Rideshare Companies, Drivers, Consumers
A Competitive Enterprise Institute report crunches numbers on California’s new law imposing massive costs and impediments for rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft, along with…
Study
California Ride Share Contracting Legislation Is a Solution in Search of a Problem
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 5 (A.B. 5) into law on September 18, 2019.[1] The legislation, which generally takes effect…
Inside Sources
Volkswagen – Smoke, Mirrors and Electric Cars
Volkswagen would like the world to know it plans to produce a million electric cars by 2022, likely leapfrogging (or maybe eliminating) competition like Tesla. The…
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,…
News Release
London’s Anti-Uber Decision Will Impact Jobs, Travel Accessibility/Affordability
On news today that the city of London is not renewing Uber’s license to operate in the city, Competitive Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow Iain Murray…
Blog
House Committee Releases Tax Bill to Extend Electric Vehicle, Wind, and Solar Handouts
In what amounts to the tax component of the Green New Deal, the House Ways and Means Committee released a draft of its “Growing Renewable Energy…
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…
Blog
Congress Breaking Promises, Extending Tax Credits for Electric Vehicles, Wind, and Solar
It is not unusual for Congress to keep extending a supposedly temporary federal program, and that includes the tax credits for electric vehicles and wind…
Blog
Will Trump ‘SAFE’ Rule for New Cars Harm Public Health?
Will the Trump administration’s auto rule harm public health? That’s what all five majority witnesses and several Democratic members of the House Oversight Environment Subcommittee…
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…
Letters
CEI Leads Coalition Letter Supporting H.R. 3791, modernization of the Passenger Facility Charge
We write today in support of the bipartisan effort to modernize the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC). The PFC is a local airport user fee that…
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
‘Art of the Deal’ Meets Renewable Fuel Standard
It’s the ultimate dealmaker versus the ultimate dealmaking challenge. President Trump has again sought changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that he hopes both…
Blog
New $7.5 Billion Tariffs against European Union
The Trump administration has announced tariffs on $7.5 billion of goods from the European Union. This time, it is being done with the World Trade…
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…
Blog
Progressive States Petition Court to Declare Trump Pre-emption Rule Unlawful
A California-led coalition of 24 states and three cities today petitioned the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to declare unlawful the Trump administration’s One National Program…
Blog
Trump Administration Terminates California’s Unlawful Power over Auto Industry
Today, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took the first step towards finalizing…
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…
Blog
Trump Administration Pushes Back on California’s Fuel Economy Scheming
Since at least March 2018, the Trump administration and the state of California have been engaged in a legal and political struggle over the stringency…
Blog
Ethanol ‘Flex Fuel’ No Solution for Climate—or Political Compromise
Pollster Frank Luntz discussed climate policy Thursday night with Laura Ingraham on her Fox News program “The Ingraham Angle.” In the previous segment, Ingraham interviewed…
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…
The Blue Swan Daily
US Act on Airport Passenger Facility Charges Could Pave the Way to Faster Airport Modernization
The Blue Swan Daily cites CEI and other liberty-oriented organizations for their support of legislation removing the federal cap on airport passenger facility charges.
