This paper analyzes the productivity in the US rail industry for the period 1980 - 2006. I propose a value-added production framework to circumvent the problem of measurement error in one input. I find evidence showing that aggregate productivity gains can be attributed to returns to scale and...

US Class I railroads have been operating profitably and carrying substantial market share of traffic, in spite of the inherent disadvantages of rail transport as well as highly developed road, water and air transport infrastructure. This paper examines the key initiatives that railroads have...

Causes and consequences of policy reform in utility industries continue to draw debate in US state legislatures. State commissions approve various deregulatory mechanisms in different industries at different times. In the telecommunications market state commissions adopted retail restructuring...

This working paper presents a proof-of-concept study to show the possible impact of fiber-based broadband service availability on real estate values. The research goal is to find out whether people are willing to pay more for real estate located in areas where fiber is available than for a...

We exploit the abundance of tax changes in the airline industry after the DOT's full-disclosure rule. We determine the "effective" tax rate and analyze how passengers reacted to the tax changes. Hausman-type instruments are used to address the problems arising from endogenously determined...

In the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2014, the U.S. Congress established a US$5 million fund to pay "necessary support" of a seafarer who is physically present in the U.S. after having been abandoned. Such support may include repatriation expenses. This article examines the...