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
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…
Comment
CEI Letter of Support for AV START Act
View Full Document as PDF Chairman Thune, Ranking Member Nelson, and members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation:…
News Release
House Votes for Temporary Federal Aviation Administration Funding but Urgent Reforms Remain Undone
The House voted today to temporarily extend funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), putting off a vote on full funding and on a critical…
Blog
No Reason for Denying Puerto Rico a Jones Act Waiver
The Trump administration should immediately grant a Jones Act waiver to Puerto Rico and Congress should fully repeal the maritime cabotage prohibition.
Washington Examiner
For Gregg Harper, the Issue of Driverless Cars Is Personal
The Washington Examiner discusses the SELF DRIVE Act with Marc Scribner. Livingston Harper always wants to be on the move. At least that’s what his…
Foundation for Economic Education
London’s Uber Ban Sends it Back to the Dark Ages
When I lived in London in the 1990s, I had to use pricey Black Cabs to get around the city at night. However, heaven help…
Bloomberg BNA
Self-Driving Truck Feud Shows Tech’s Vulnerability in Jobs Debate
Bloomberg BNA discusses the pushback by unions on self-driving trucks with Marc Scribner. A Senate effort to regulate self-driving trucks is spotlighting larger concerns…
Bloomberg
Best Self-Driving Tech Going Nowhere as Rules Stall Under Trump
Bloomberg discusses V2V regulations on self-driving cars with Marc Scribner. The technology that gives cars superpowers to see around corners and through walls…
Politico
Morning Transportation Mailbag
Politico’s Morning Transportation covers CEI’s comments to the Senate Commerce Committee on the AV START Act. The libertarian Competitive Enterprise Institute wrote to…
The Washington Examiner
Hurricanes Present New Challenge to Trump’s Fast-Track Permit Plan
The Washington Examiner discusses the Trump administration’s infrastructure plan in the wake of recent hurricanes with Myron Ebell. The Trump administration, wanting to rebuild…
Blog
CEI Offers Recommendations to Improve Senate’s AV START Act
The draft legislation is another welcome early step from the federal government on self-driving vehicles.
The Washington Times
Congress Cannot Squander a Rare Opportunity for Reform
Rep. Bill Shuster wrote an op-ed in support of the 21st Century AIRR Act. If you believe Congress should focus on cutting taxes…