00342136

Component

http://onlinepubs.trb.org...s/trr/1981/804/804-006.pdf

https://scholar.google.co...orsi&publication_year=1981

The Motor Carrier Act of 1980 will probably contribute only minimally to improved vehicle use and associated operating efficiency and will do little to strengthen the competitive position of motor carriers. However, the dynamic effects of increased competition from liberalized entry provisions and a greater emphasis on independent pricing will exert pressure for rate decreases, thus increasing the competitive strength of motor carriers. The overall effect may be some rather modest diversion of traffic from rail to truck. Given the revenue needs of the railroads and the context and objectives of the Staggers Rail Act of 1980, rate increases will almost certainly predominate over decreases in the post-legislation period due to provisions dealing with profit-maximizing freedom, the elimination of rates below cost, and surcharges. The Staggers Rail-Act has little implication for costs and service performance. The contract rate provisions of the Staggers Rail Act may be more significant competitively than the pricing flexibility provisions. Experience with contracts is thus far too limited to generalize about their likely future impacts. (Author)

This paper appeared in Transportation Research Record No. 804, Surface Regulatory Reform: Rail, Truck and Intermodal. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

01411617

pp 27-33

1981

Transportation Research Record

0309032180

Print

References (12) ; Tables (3)

Competition; Contract rates; Contracts; Deregulation; Freight service; Impact studies; Laws; Modal diversion; Motor carriers; Pricing; Quality of service; Railroad transportation; Trucking

Staggers Rail Act of 1980

Administration and Management; Freight Transportation; Highways; Law; Motor Carriers; Planning and Forecasting; Railroads; Society; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning

TRIS, TRB

Oct 28 1981 12:00AM

• CHANGING MARKET STRUCTURE FOR THE FOR-HIRE MOTOR CARRIER
• HIGHLIGHTS OF TRUCK AND RAIL REGULATORY REFORM IN THE 96TH CONGRESS
• IMPACT OF RAILROAD REGULATORY REFORM ON RAILROAD CAPITAL INVESTMENT
• IMPLICATIONS OF MOTOR CARRIER REGULATORY REFORM FOR CARRIER PLANNING AND MARKETING
• MONITORING THE MOTOR CARRIER ACT
• NEED FOR FUTURE REGULATORY REFORM OF RAIL AND MOTOR CARRIER INDUSTRIES
• POTENTIAL IMPACT OF MOTOR CARRIER ACT OF 1980 ON RAILROAD INDUSTRY: AN ANALYSIS