§13101 — Title 49 Transportation | U.S. Code

Summary

The United States Government must oversee the nation’s transportation system so it meets the country’s needs, including the Postal Service and national defense. The government must protect each mode’s strengths and promote safe, adequate, economical, and efficient travel and shipping. It must support healthy economics for carriers, fair rates without unfair or discriminatory practices, work with States, and encourage fair wages and working conditions. For motor carriers (trucks and buses), the government must promote competition and efficiency so there are fair prices and services that meet shippers, passengers, and consumers. It must allow different quality and price choices, use equipment and energy well, let well-run carriers earn profits and attract investment, keep service for small communities and commuter and intrastate buses, increase minority participation, and support intermodal transport. For passenger carriers, the government must work with States and set federal procedures so State rules follow these goals and do not undo federal bus reforms (including section 31138 and the Bus Regulatory Reform Act of 1982). For water carriers, it must encourage service and price competition in noncontiguous domestic trade. The rules in this part must be run and enforced to carry out these goals and protect the public interest.

Title 49, §13101

Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)To ensure the development, coordination, and preservation of a transportation system that meets the transportation needs of the United States, including the United States Postal Service and national defense, it is the policy of the United States Government to oversee the modes of transportation and—

(1)in overseeing those modes—

(A)to recognize and preserve the inherent advantage of each mode of transportation;

(B)to promote safe, adequate, economical, and efficient transportation;

(C)to encourage sound economic conditions in transportation, including sound economic conditions among carriers;

(D)to encourage the establishment and maintenance of reasonable rates for transportation, without unreasonable discrimination or unfair or destructive competitive practices;

(E)to cooperate with each State and the officials of each State on transportation matters; and

(F)to encourage fair wages and working conditions in the transportation industry;

(2)in overseeing transportation by motor carrier, to promote competitive and efficient transportation services in order to—

(A)encourage fair competition, and reasonable rates for transportation by motor carriers of property;

(B)promote efficiency in the motor carrier transportation system and to require fair and expeditious decisions when required;

(C)meet the needs of shippers, receivers, passengers, and consumers;

(D)allow a variety of quality and price options to meet changing market demands and the diverse requirements of the shipping and traveling public;

(E)allow the most productive use of equipment and energy resources;

(F)enable efficient and well-managed carriers to earn adequate profits, attract capital, and maintain fair wages and working conditions;

(G)provide and maintain service to small communities and small shippers and intrastate bus services;

(H)provide and maintain commuter bus operations;

(I)improve and maintain a sound, safe, and competitive privately owned motor carrier system;

(J)promote greater participation by minorities in the motor carrier system;

(K)promote intermodal transportation;

(3)in overseeing transportation by motor carrier of passengers—

(A)to cooperate with the States on transportation matters for the purpose of encouraging the States to exercise intrastate regulatory jurisdiction in accordance with the objectives of this part;

(B)to provide Federal procedures which ensure that intrastate regulation is exercised in accordance with this part; and

(C)to ensure that Federal reform initiatives enacted by section 31138 and the Bus Regulatory Reform Act of 1982 are not nullified by State regulatory actions; and

(4)in overseeing transportation by water carrier, to encourage and promote service and price competition in the noncontiguous domestic trade.

(b)This part shall be administered and enforced to carry out the policy of this section and to promote the public interest.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Bus Regulatory Reform Act of 1982, referred to in subsec. (a)(3)(C), is Pub. L. 97–261, Sept. 20, 1982, 96 Stat. 1102. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

of 1982 Amendment note set out under section 10101 of this title and Tables.

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 10101 of this title prior to the general amendment of this subtitle by Pub. L. 104–88, § 102(a).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 1996, except as otherwise provided in Pub. L. 104–88, see section 2 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as a note under section 1301 of this title.

§13101 Transportation policy