Competition in the Railway Industry
Competition in the Railway Industry

Author: José A. Gómez-Ibáñez

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Published: 2006-01-01

Total Pages: 217

ISBN-13: 1847202942

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Numerous countries have attempted to improve the performance of their railways by introducing more competition, but there is fierce debate and no consensus on how this is best achieved. This book reveals how railways were an obvious target for reform because they were often losing traffic and money, and because the government was typically deeply involved as either owner or regulator.

The Economic Effects of Surface Freight Deregulation
The Economic Effects of Surface Freight Deregulation

Author: Clifford Winston

Publisher: Brookings Institution Press

Published: 2010-12-01

Total Pages: 80

ISBN-13: 0815714386

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For close to 100 years, America's surface freight industries, primarily rail and trucking, operated under the protective wing of the U.S. government. In 1980 Congress, finding vast inefficiencies in the two industries, substantially deregulated both, opening them at last to market competition. Deregulation has brought with it many changes—for firms within the industries, for their labor force, and for shippers and their customers. Clifford Winston, Thomas M. Corsi, Curtis M. Grimm, and Carol A Evans provide a comprehensive evaluation of the effect of the deregulation legislation on the rail and trucking industries. According to the authors, deregulation has made substantial progress in solving the two most vexing problems of the surface freight transportation industry—excessive rates in the trucking industry and insufficient returns on investment in the rail industry. Competition and efficiency have returned to both industries, and although the labor force in each has suffered wage and job losses, shippers and their customers have gained roughly $20 billion a year in benefits. The authors recommend policies that would continue to promote competition and the efficient use of highway and railway infrastructure.

Railroad Regulation
Railroad Regulation

Author: Stephen Brown

Publisher: DIANE Publishing

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 110

ISBN-13: 9780788184932

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The Railroad Revitalization & Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 & the Staggers Rail Act of 1980 gave freight RR increased freedom to price their services according to market conditions. This report discusses how rates & service quality for freight rail transportation have changed since 1990 & actions being taken by the Surface Transportation Board (STB) & others to address service quality issues. It provides info. on (1) the environment within which RR rates have been set since 1990, (2) how RR rates have changed since 1990, (3) how RR service quality has changed since 1990, & (4) actions taken by the STB to address RR service problems.

Productivity in U.S. Railroads
Productivity in U.S. Railroads

Author: Arnold D. Kerr

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2013-10-22

Total Pages: 152

ISBN-13: 1483188922

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Productivity in U.S. Railroads documents the proceedings of a symposium held at Princeton University on July 27-28, 1977, concerning the problem areas and rehabilitation of the railroads in U.S. to help improve productivity. This compilation is divided into four parts. The first part tackles the work rules in the railroad industry, including the types and those rules affected by government intervention. This part also discusses productivity, specifically the issues concerning the crews and the labor management. This text goes on explaining the rehabilitation of tracks and its implications for economic productivity. The last two parts discuss the utilization of equipment and the intermodal cooperation and competition. This book will benefit government officials concerned with public railroads, civil engineering students, shippers, and investment community.

Railroad Competitiveness
Railroad Competitiveness

Author: U S Government Accountability Office (G

Publisher: BiblioGov

Published: 2013-06

Total Pages: 46

ISBN-13: 9781289075576

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Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the principal factors affecting the railroad industry's ability to compete with other transportation modes for intercity freight, focusing on how federal laws: (1) affect railroad labor costs; and (2) influence the railroads' competitive position. GAO found that: (1) reduced federal regulation has given railroads greater freedom to competitively price their services, but as the railroads have become more competitive, so have their competitors in the trucking and barge industries; (2) the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937, the Federal Employers' Liability Act, and the Railway Labor Act of 1926, which govern railroad employee benefits and labor relations, have resulted in higher overall labor costs; (3) if railroads could reduce their labor costs, they would be in a better position to competitively price their services and compete for intercity freight; (4) publicly financed interstate highways and waterways give the trucking and barge industries a competitive price advantage over railroads, since freight railroads maintain their own rights of way with minimal federal assistance, while trucks and barges use rights of way that the public helps to fund; and (5) rail rates could become increasingly attractive compared with truck or barge rates, if all modes operated under the same labor laws and were equally responsible for their rights of way.