U.S. Freight Rail Economics and Policy

U.S. Freight Rail Economics and Policy
Author :
Publisher : Routledge
Total Pages : 256
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9780429632150
ISBN-13 : 0429632150
Rating : 4/5 (50 Downloads)

Synopsis U.S. Freight Rail Economics and Policy by : Jeffrey T. Macher

The passage of the Staggers Rail Act in 1980 led brought a renaissance to the freight rail industry. In the decade following, economists documented the effects of the Act on a variety of important economic metrics including prices, costs, and productivity. Over the preceding years, and with the return of the industry to more stable footing, attention to the industry by economists faded. The lack of attention, however, has not been due to a dearth of ongoing economic and policy issues that continue to confront the industry. In this volume, we begin to rectify this inattention. Rather than retread older analyses or provide yet another look at the consequences of Staggers, we assemble a collection of ten chapters in four sections that collectively provide fresh and up-to-date analyses of the economic issues and policy challenges the industry faces: the first section sets the context through foundational discussion of freight rail; the second section highlights the role of freight rail in an increasingly interrelated economy; the third section examines industry structure and scope in freight rail; and the fourth section assesses current regulatory challenges that confront freight rail. This book will be of great value to researchers, academics, policymakers, and students interested in the fields of freight rail economics and policy, transportation, business history, and regulatory economics.

U.S. Freight Rail Economics and Policy

U.S. Freight Rail Economics and Policy
Author :
Publisher : Routledge
Total Pages : 309
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9780429633645
ISBN-13 : 0429633645
Rating : 4/5 (45 Downloads)

Synopsis U.S. Freight Rail Economics and Policy by : Jeffrey Macher

The passage of the Staggers Rail Act in 1980 led brought a renaissance to the freight rail industry. In the decade following, economists documented the effects of the Act on a variety of important economic metrics including prices, costs, and productivity. Over the preceding years, and with the return of the industry to more stable footing, attention to the industry by economists faded. The lack of attention, however, has not been due to a dearth of ongoing economic and policy issues that continue to confront the industry. In this volume, we begin to rectify this inattention. Rather than retread older analyses or provide yet another look at the consequences of Staggers, we assemble a collection of ten chapters in four sections that collectively provide fresh and up-to-date analyses of the economic issues and policy challenges the industry faces: the first section sets the context through foundational discussion of freight rail; the second section highlights the role of freight rail in an increasingly interrelated economy; the third section examines industry structure and scope in freight rail; and the fourth section assesses current regulatory challenges that confront freight rail. This book will be of great value to researchers, academics, policymakers, and students interested in the fields of freight rail economics and policy, transportation, business history, and regulatory economics.

Railroad Economics

Railroad Economics
Author :
Publisher : Elsevier
Total Pages : 291
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9780080548937
ISBN-13 : 0080548938
Rating : 4/5 (37 Downloads)

Synopsis Railroad Economics by : Scott Dennis

Research in Transportation Economics is now available online at ScienceDirect — full-text online of volumes 6 onwards. Elsevier book series on ScienceDirect gives multiple users throughout an institution simultaneous online access to an important compliment to primary research. Digital delivery ensures users reliable, 24-hour access to the latest peer-reviewed content. The Elsevier book series are compiled and written by the most highly regarded authors in their fields and are selected from across the globe using Elsevier's extensive researcher network. For more information about the Elsevier Book Series on ScienceDirect Program, please visit:http://www.info.sciencedirect.com/bookseries/

Economics, Service, and Capacity in the Freight Railroad Industry

Economics, Service, and Capacity in the Freight Railroad Industry
Author :
Publisher :
Total Pages : 128
Release :
ISBN-10 : UCSD:31822038361317
ISBN-13 :
Rating : 4/5 (17 Downloads)

Synopsis Economics, Service, and Capacity in the Freight Railroad Industry by : United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine

Railroads, Freight, and Public Policy

Railroads, Freight, and Public Policy
Author :
Publisher : Brookings Institution Press
Total Pages : 204
Release :
ISBN-10 : 0815717792
ISBN-13 : 9780815717799
Rating : 4/5 (92 Downloads)

Synopsis Railroads, Freight, and Public Policy by : Theodore E. Keeler

This book examines railroad regulation and public policy regarding the freight industry.

The Economic Effects of Surface Freight Deregulation

The Economic Effects of Surface Freight Deregulation
Author :
Publisher : Brookings Institution Press
Total Pages : 80
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9780815714385
ISBN-13 : 0815714386
Rating : 4/5 (85 Downloads)

Synopsis The Economic Effects of Surface Freight Deregulation by : Clifford Winston

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.

The Past and Future of U.S. Passenger Rail Service

The Past and Future of U.S. Passenger Rail Service
Author :
Publisher : Government Printing Office
Total Pages : 58
Release :
ISBN-10 : UOM:39015060793539
ISBN-13 :
Rating : 4/5 (39 Downloads)

Synopsis The Past and Future of U.S. Passenger Rail Service by : Elizabeth Pinkston

Introduction: Amtrak's current situation -- A brief history of Amtrak -- Amtrak's role in intercity transportation -- The basic economics of passenger rail -- Policy options for the future of passenger rail -- Appendix. Amtrak's interconnections with freight and commuter railroads.

American Railroad Economics

American Railroad Economics
Author :
Publisher :
Total Pages : 346
Release :
ISBN-10 : UOM:39015020929041
ISBN-13 :
Rating : 4/5 (41 Downloads)

Synopsis American Railroad Economics by : Aaron Morton Sakolski

Freight and Passenger Rail

Freight and Passenger Rail
Author :
Publisher :
Total Pages : 248
Release :
ISBN-10 : UOM:39015090386841
ISBN-13 :
Rating : 4/5 (41 Downloads)

Synopsis Freight and Passenger Rail by : United States. Congress. House. Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials

Freight Railroads

Freight Railroads
Author :
Publisher : BiblioGov
Total Pages : 32
Release :
ISBN-10 : 1289086818
ISBN-13 : 9781289086817
Rating : 4/5 (18 Downloads)

Synopsis Freight Railroads by : U. S. Government Accountability Office (

Over 25 years ago, Congress transformed federal freight rail transportation policy. At that time, after almost 100 years of economic regulation, the railroad industry was in serious economic decline, with rising costs, losses, and bankruptcies. In response, Congress passed the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 and the Staggers Rail Act of 1980. Together, these pieces of legislation substantially deregulated the railroad industry. Since the passage of the Staggers Rail Act in 1980, we have issued several reports on the freight railroad industry. In October 2006, we issued our most recent report on the freight rail industry. The objectives of this report were to determine (1) the changes that have occurred in the freight railroad industry since the enactment of the Staggers Rail Act, including changes in rail rates and competition in the industry; (2) the actions STB has taken to address concerns about competition and captivity and any alternative approaches that could be considered to address remaining concerns; and (3) the projections for freight traffic demand over the next 15 to 25 years, the freight railroad industry's ability to meet that demand, and potential federal policy responses. Among other things, this report describes the significant changes that have taken place in the railroad industry and reports that from 1985 through 2004, rates generally decreased, but nominal grain rates increased 9 percent. We also found that, on some routes, the amount of grain traveling at rates significantly above the threshold for rate relief had increased since 1985.