Deregulation Of Intrastate Trucking

Author : Paul Stephen Dempsey
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 28 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (13 download)

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Download or read book The Deregulation of Intrastate Transportation written by Paul Stephen Dempsey and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 28 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Recent federal legislation, expansively interpreted by the Interstate Commerce Commission, has significantly deregulated interstate transportation. This legislation has largely pre-empted state jurisdiction over intrastate air, rail and bus carriage, but has left intrastate regulation of the motor carrier industry unmolested. Today, the overwhelming majority of states continue to regulate intrastate motor carriage. Some states, such as California, which had largely deregulated intrastate motor carrier ratemaking in 1980, have recently concluded that increased regulation is in the public interest. Ohio and West Virginia are currently conducting an investigation similar to California's comprehensive two-year study of the impact of deregulated rates, which may also lead to more stringent intrastate rate regulation.Proposals to deregulate various aspects of the intrastate motor carrier industry have been considered by the Texas legislature in every recent session. The most recent proposal, the "Maximum Rates" Bill, would strip the Texas Railroad Commission of its ability to prohibit discriminatory pricing by motor carriers, allowing the Commission to prescribe only "maximum" rates.This Article will examine interstate transportation deregulation and the likely impact that intrastate deregulation of motor carriage would have in Texas. Additionally, deregulation of the motor carrier industry by other states will be surveyed. The Article will focus on the five areas in which interstate deregulation of motor common-carriage has had an adverse impact upon the public: (1) industry economic health; (2) safety; (3) industry concentration; (4) transportation rates; and (5) service.Where appropriate, the Article will survey the empirical evidence surrounding deregulation of the airlines, railroads, and bus companies. While these industries have economic characteristics unique from motor carriers, they are strikingly similar as well, and in many markets compete for the same traffic. Moreover, of particular interest is the fact that airlines, railroads and bus companies have undergone far more comprehensive deregulation at both the interstate and intrastate level (by virtue of federal pre-emption) than have motor carriers. Hence, the deregulation of these industries provides a barometer as to what the public can expect from additional motor carrier deregulation, such as that proposed by the "Maximum Rates" Bill.