49 U.S.C. § 13101
Section 13101 · Transportation policy
Amended 1 time on record
Applied in 37 court decisions — leading case 315 Ill. App. 3d 179 - Tri-State Coach Lines, Inc. v. Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority (2000)
Most recently applied in Southern Furniture Leasing v. YRC (March 2021)
How often courts cite this section
Court decisions citing this, by year.Markers show enactment, consequential amendments, and circuit splits over this section — watch for a citation surge after a change or a disagreement. The dip in the last several years is a data-coverage gap, not a real trend — our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so recent citations are undercounted.
(a) In General.—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) Administration To Carry Out Policy.—This part shall be administered and enforced to carry out the policy of this section and to promote the public interest.
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
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).
Effective Date
Chapter 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 701 of this title.