Title 49TransportationRelease 119-73

§15101 Transportation policy

Title 49 › Subtitle SUBTITLE IV— - INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION › Part PART C— - PIPELINE CARRIERS › Chapter CHAPTER 151— - GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 15101

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The United States Government must oversee the nation's transportation system so it grows, stays coordinated, and is kept ready to meet the country’s needs, including national defense. To do that, the government must keep each mode of transport’s natural strengths, promote safe, adequate, economical, and efficient service, support healthy finances for carriers, encourage fair and reasonable prices without unfair or destructive competition, work with state officials, and support fair pay and working conditions. All parts of this law must be run and enforced to make these goals happen.

Full Legal Text

Title 49, §15101

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 national defense, it is the policy of the United States Government to oversee the modes of transportation and in overseeing those modes—
(1)to recognize and preserve the inherent advantage of each mode of transportation;
(2)to promote safe, adequate, economical, and efficient transportation;
(3)to encourage sound economic conditions in transportation, including sound economic conditions among carriers;
(4)to encourage the establishment and maintenance of reasonable rates for transportation without unreasonable discrimination or unfair or destructive competitive practices;
(5)to cooperate with each State and the officials of each State on transportation matters; and
(6)to encourage fair wages and working conditions in the transportation industry.
(b)This part shall be administered and enforced to carry out the policy of this section.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Pub. L. 105–102This amends 49:15101(a) to correct a grammatical error.

Editorial Notes

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).

Amendments

1997—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–102 struck out “of” after “Government to oversee”.

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. GAO Report Pub. L. 104–88, title I, § 106(b), Dec. 29, 1995, 109 Stat. 932, directed the Comptroller General, within 3 years after Jan. 1, 1996, to transmit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report regarding the impact of

Regulations

on the competitiveness of pipelines and to recommend whether to continue, revise, or sunset such

Regulations

.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

49 U.S.C. § 15101

Title 49Transportation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73