Motor Carrier Entry Control Modification: Railroad Trucking Restrictions and Common Ownership

摘要

The paper evaluates a proposal whereby all trucking associated with Trailer-on-Flat-Car (TOFC) service would be deregulated. Specifically current restrictions on railroad affiliated trucking operations would be relaxed to permit railroads to provide TOFC trucking services beyond the confines of their stations. Similarly, truck operators not controlled or affiliated with railroads would be given full freedom to compete for TOFC traffic. Ramp-to-ramp TOFC facilities would be open to all potential users on an equal basis. The proposal is advanced as a means of minimizing adverse effects on market structure while maximizing the potential for the physical integration of rail-truck services, and is seen as providing an intermediate test of the economic potential and possible market effects of common ownership of intermodal services.