The U.S. Senate seems poised to confirm three new members to the five-person Surface Transportation Board (STB), the agency responsible for regulating our nation’s railroads, including companies like CSX and Norfolk Southern in Pennsylvania. These nominations have been stalled for months, diminishing the STB’s ability to fulfill its mission to help ensure the free flow […]
Chicago Daily Herald: New Railroad Regulations Would Jeopardize $10 Billion in Annual Consumer Benefits
Slated to join the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB), the primary agency tasked with overseeing the financial functions of private U.S. freight railroads that maintain an outsized presence in Chicago, is former Metra Chairman Martin Oberman. If confirmed – likely in the lame duck session in the U.S. Congress – Oberman will need to deal […]
The Hill: Incoming railroad regulators should protect consumer benefits
The Surface Transportation Board (STB) is considering rules that could drive up consumer costs and is unnecessary. If confirmed by the Senate in the next few weeks, the incoming members of the STB should recognize the lessons of history and oppose any effort to expand the use of forced access in the railroad industry. To read […]
New ACI White Paper Calls on STB to Reject Burdensome Freight Regulations
Analysis Finds Proposed “Forced Access” Regulation Would Hurt American Consumers and Stifle Rail Industry Investment WASHINGTON, D.C., October 24, 2018 – The American Consumer Institute Center for Citizen Research (ACI) released today its latest report, which calls on the Surface Transportation Board (STB) – the economic regulator for freight railroads – to reject a proposed regulation […]
Daily Caller: A New-Look Surface Transportation Board Should Abandon Obama-era Proposals
A powerful coalition of businesses recently sent a letter to President Donald Trump, urging action from his administration and the U.S. Senate to fill vacant commissioner positions at an obscure yet powerful federal agency known as the Surface Transportation Board (STB). An independent agency tasked with oversight of the business dealings of freight railroads and […]
The Hill: Surface Transportation Board Nominees Should Rebuff Rent Seekers
The Senate Commerce Committee will vet Trump administration nominees for the Surface Transportation Board (STB) this Wednesday, beginning the process of filling three vacancies at the independent agency tasked with oversight of the railroads. Make no mistake: while the STB may not garner the attention of cabinet agencies such as the EPA or even other […]
Morning Consult: Proposed Rail Regulations Could Make Consumers Big Losers
Competing railroad lines have recovered from near bankruptcy in the 1970s and today they perform the heavy lifting in our transportation networks. Through an investment of $635 billion since 1980, the railroad freight system has served American consumers very well. Within 10 years of regulatory reform, rail prices fell by 44% and productivity soared. Unfortunately, […]
