We have the best opportunity in more than 25 years to achieve our agenda of improved national freight rail policy.  Members of the congressional committee leadership are all committed to enacting rail reform legislation in this Congress (2009 and 2010) and the new Administration shows promise of embracing our call for change.

Meanwhile, the major freight railroads are exploiting their monopoly pricing power, even in the midst of the nation’s deepest economic recession in over 70 years  The fourth quarter 2008 financial reports of the four major freight railroads showcase their ability to use their unrestrained monopoly pricing power to increase company revenues, even with declining volumes of traffic!

The railroads are sparing no expense to protect this monopoly power.  They have launched a multi-million dollar lobbying and public relations effort, as well as an expensive advertising campaign that included ads during the Super Bowl that ran in at least the Washington, D.C. area.

As these monopoly price increases impact consumers, agriculture, and the nation’s manufacturing sector, CURE’s coalition continues to grow.  These diverse groups are working to support the efforts of our Congressional leaders to curb railroad monopoly pricing power.  Please contact CURE if you would like to join our effort. Together we can achieve improved national rail policy for rail customers in this Congress.

Glenn English
Chairman
Consumers United for Rail Equity