---
kind: "section"
citation: "49 U.S.C. § 13101"
title: "49"
title_heading: "Transportation"
number: "13101"
heading: "Transportation policy"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/49/13101"
units:
  - "Subtitle IV — Interstate Transportation"
  - "Part B — Motor Carriers, Water Carriers, Brokers, and Freight Forwarders"
  - "Chapter 131 — General Provisions"
---

# §13101. Transportation policy

- (a) **In General.—** To ensure the development, coordination, and preservation of a [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) system that meets the [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) needs of the [United States](/usc/49/10102.md?p=10), including the [United States](/usc/49/10102.md?p=10) Postal Service and national defense, it is the policy of the [United States](/usc/49/10102.md?p=10) Government to oversee the modes of [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) and—
  - (1) in overseeing those modes—
    - (A) to recognize and preserve the inherent advantage of each mode of [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9);
    - (B) to promote safe, adequate, economical, and efficient [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9);
    - (C) to encourage sound economic conditions in [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9), including sound economic conditions among [carriers](/usc/49/13102.md?p=3);
    - (D) to encourage the establishment and maintenance of reasonable [rates](/usc/49/10102.md?p=7) for [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9), without unreasonable discrimination or unfair or destructive competitive practices;
    - (E) to cooperate with each [State](/usc/49/10102.md?p=8) and the officials of each [State](/usc/49/10102.md?p=8) on [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) matters; and
    - (F) to encourage fair wages and working conditions in the [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) industry;
  - (2) in overseeing [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) by [motor carrier](/usc/49/13102.md?p=14), to promote competitive and efficient [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) services in order to—
    - (A) encourage fair competition, and reasonable [rates](/usc/49/10102.md?p=7) for [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) by [motor carriers](/usc/49/13102.md?p=14) of property;
    - (B) promote efficiency in the [motor carrier](/usc/49/13102.md?p=14) [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) 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](/usc/49/13102.md?p=3) 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](/usc/49/13102.md?p=14) system;
    - (J) promote greater participation by minorities in the [motor carrier](/usc/49/13102.md?p=14) system;
    - (K) promote intermodal [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9);
  - (3) in overseeing [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) by [motor carrier](/usc/49/13102.md?p=14) of passengers—
    - (A) to cooperate with the [States](/usc/49/10102.md?p=8) on [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) matters for the purpose of encouraging the [States](/usc/49/10102.md?p=8) 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](/usc/49/31138.md) and the Bus Regulatory Reform Act of 1982 are not nullified by [State](/usc/49/10102.md?p=8) regulatory actions; and
  - (4) in overseeing [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) by [water carrier](/usc/49/13102.md?p=26), to encourage and promote service and price competition in the [noncontiguous domestic trade](/usc/49/13102.md?p=17).
- (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.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 104–88, title I, § 103, Dec. 29, 1995, 109 Stat. 853.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### 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).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section 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 1301 of this title.