Transportation

“Building Back Better” Requires Building In Digital
Any national infrastructure package should include 21st century digital infrastructure—not only investments in core digital infrastructure, such as broadband and government IT systems, but also hybrid-digital upgrades to existing physical infrastructure to improve its performance.
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For a menu of actionable ideas for policymakers related to transportation, see ITIF’s “Tech Policy To-Do List.”

Transportation
Check a box to narrow search for individual content items that cover numerous issues.
April 18, 2022
Podcast: The Future of Buying Cars, With Daniel Crane
One of the benefits of electric vehicles is they cost less to maintain. But that also means there’s less profit to be had in servicing their warranties, which gives car dealers less incentive to sell them. That’s why EV makers like Tesla and Rivian depend on direct-to-consumer sales and distribution. Unfortunately, there are decades-old dealer-distribution laws standing in the way.
April 4, 2022
U.S. Should Stop Delaying Deployment of Autonomous Track Inspection
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) recently denied a U.S. freight railroad permission to use autonomous track inspection technology, a loss for those promoting greater use of automation to enhance rail safety and lower costs in the supply chain.
September 9, 2021
Packaging Postal Reform for the E-Commerce Era
ITIF hosted an expert panel discussion on postal reform legislation, and how to ensure the continued viability of USPS as a deliverer of both mail and packages.
May 10, 2021
Expert Q&A: VMT Fee Transition and Implementation
Rob Atkinson particpated in a an expert Q&A panel on VMT fee transition and implementation hosted by the Bipartisan Policy Center.
May 10, 2021
“Building Back Better” Requires Building In Digital
Any national infrastructure package should include 21st century digital infrastructure—not only investments in core digital infrastructure, such as broadband and government IT systems, but also hybrid-digital upgrades to existing physical infrastructure to improve its performance.
April 26, 2021
Heading Off Track: The Impact of China’s Mercantilist Policies on Global High-Speed Rail Innovation
Chinese high-speed rail firm CRRC is less innovative than European and Japanese firms, but mercantilist policies help it dominate in China and expand globally. This starves superior firms of revenue, reduces their R&D, and slows the pace of global innovation.
March 24, 2021
Addressing the Social Costs of Driving Through a Vehicle Miles Traveled Fee
ITIF and the Institute for Policy Integrity hosted a discussion about the report and the path to a road user pricing system.
March 3, 2021
Letter to House and Senate Transportation Committee Leaders Regarding a Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Tax
ITIF President Robert D. Atkinson and other former members of the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission believe now is the time for Congress to take the next steps to transitioning the federal surface transportation funding system away from the fuel tax and toward a VMT.
February 12, 2021
The CDC Should Not Require COVID-19 Testing as a Condition for Domestic Air Travel
Requiring passengers to return negative COVID-19 tests as a condition to travel unfairly signals out the airline industry and would add exceedingly little benefit compared to the costs it would impose.
February 10, 2021
The Postal Service’s $6 Billion Procurement of Its Next-Generation Mail Truck: What Would Ben Franklin Do?
If in making its once-in-a-generation vehicle choice, USPS opts to forego the once-in-a-century innovation of electric vehicles and instead tie the agency to fossil fuel for the next 30 years, it would be a damaging lapse in a 230-year history of innovation.

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