Intermodal Transportation Regulations, Essay Example

The influence of deregulation and regulation on the progressive development of intermodal logistics in the United States and Europe will be explored in this essay from the perspectives of   El- Agraa (2011) and Konings et al. (2008).

The privatization and deregulation policies with respect to intermodal logistics have increased in the United States and the European Union. The rate of deregulation is continuing at an unpredictable pace. The privately owned intermodal logistics companies no longer have access to the benefit of government subsidies. A significant number of the aerial modes of transportation have been privatized. In many of the countries of the European Union, there continues the ownership of the railroad systems by the governments (El- Agraa, 2011; Konings, 2008).

Railroad Logistics

This is the circumstance in Spain, Italy, France and Germany. The operation of the tracks has been placed under distinct controls from the rail service and traction service providers. Consequently, the trends which are being manifest in the twenty first century are that the intermodal forms of transportation are less subjected to government administration than during any time since the beginning of the twentieth century (El- Agraa, 2011; Konings, 2008).

Maritime Logistics    

In the United States, the administrations of the local ports which are applied by the maritime forms of transport continue to be administrated by the local state jurisdictions. Consequently, the Port of Los Angeles is under the ownership of the City of Los Angeles and the State of California. The Port of Hampton Roads is under the administration of the State of Virgina. In Maryland, the Port of Baltimore continues to be under administration of the City of Baltimore and the State of Maryland. The Port Authorities of the States of New York and New Jersey continue to administrate the waterways which correspond to the New York- New Jersey area (El- Agraa, 2011; Konings, 2008).

Roadway Logistics

The highways in the United States and the European Union continue to rely on the quality of administration from the regional governments. The policies which are being applied by the governments are changing the application of intermodal logistics in the United States and the European Union. The European and the United States governments are beginning to demonstrate increased concern for the security and environmental concerns of intermodal logistics. Legislative restrictions with regards to the environmental protections of the coastal area have caused the production of new ports to be challenging in the United States. The quality of the atmosphere is a primary characteristic which effect the distribution of funds to the infrastructures which administrate urban logistics (El- Agraa, 2011; Konings, 2008).

Environmental Policies

The European Union nations are implementing similar policies with regards to intermodal transportation. In the European Union, the option of limited rail and sea logistic transport is being promoted in contrast to highway and road logistics. There is a growing concern with regards to the decreasing of the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere. The potential development of new ports in the European Union and neighbouring areas are being subjected to greater environmental examinations. This can be observed in the development of the Port of Southampton in the United Kingdom (El- Agraa, 2011).

The merger of the Burlington Northern, Santa Fe and Canadian National railway modes of transport were denied the opportunity to merger by the Surface Transportation Board during the previous decade. The Surface Transportation Board had not previously denied an application for a merger in over two decades.  The causal attributes of the denial of the application for merger of the three railroad concerns by the Surface Transportation Board had been the concentration of administration and ownership (Konings, 2008).

Conclusion      

The increasing concerns with regards to environmental preservation concerns and economic administration have created trends of government regulation of the intermodal logistic in the United States and the European Union. The intermodal logistics are simultaneously under less government control than they have been since the past ten decades.

References

El- Agraa, A. M.(2011). The European Union: Economics and policies. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Konings, J. W., Priems, H.& Nijkamp, P. (2008). The future of intermodal freight transport: Operations, design and policy. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing.