Transportation Law Commons^™

Regulatory Frameworks For Smart Mobility: Current U.S. Regulation Of Connected And Automated Vehicles And The Road Ahead, Olivia Dworkin, Jorge Ortiz, Nicholas Xenakis

Journal of Law and Mobility

On June 7, 2023, Senator Gary Peters from Michigan gave an interview about autonomous vehicle technology where he stated that: “From a competitive standpoint, there’s no question that it is absolutely essential that this technology get developed here and deployed here in the United States. We’re facing significant international competition from other countries that understand that autonomy represents not only the future of mobility, but it drives other technologies in a significant way.” Just last year, Senator Peters and eleven of his colleagues had also written a letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg that: “The federal government has the …

Is The Shipwreck I Found In Lake Michigan Mine? Great Lakes Shipwreck Legal Research Basics And Sources, Kincaid C. Brown

Law Librarian Scholarship

There have been approximately 6,000 shipwrecks claiming an estimated 30,000 lives in the Great Lakes and new shipwrecks continue to be located, such as the recently discovered Atlanta. There are many opportunities for divers, boaters, and other users of the Great Lakes to come across found and new shipwrecks. This article discusses the basic framework of federal, state, and other law governing these shipwrecks.

Seamen, Railroad Employees, And Uber Drivers: Applying The Section 1 Exemption In The Federal Arbitration Ace To Rideshare Drivers, Conor Bradley

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

Section 1 of the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA or the Act) exempts “seamen, railroad employees, [and] any other class of workers engaged in foreign or interstate commerce” from arbitration. In 2019, the Supreme Court held in New Prime Inc. v. Oliveira that this provision exempted independent contractors as well as employees. This decision expanded the reach of the section 1 exemption and may affect the relationship between ridesharing companies, such as Uber, and their drivers. Previously, ridesharing companies argued that courts must enforce the arbitration clauses in their employment contracts because their workers were independent contractors and, therefore, section 1 …

Innovation In A Legal Vacuum: The Uncertain Legal Landscape For Shared Micro-Mobility, David Pimentel, Michael B. Lowry, Timothy W. Koglin, Ronald W. Pimentel

Journal of Law and Mobility

The last few years have seen an explosion in the number and size shared micro-mobility systems (“SMMS”) across the United States. Some of these systems have seen extraordinary success and the potential benefit of these systems to communities is considerable. However, SMMS have repeatedly ran into legal barriers that either prevent their implementation entirely, confuse and dissuade potential users, or otherwise limit SMMS’s potential positive impact.

This paper reflects a detailed study of state laws relating to SMMS and the platforms commonly used in these systems. The study uncovered many inconsistencies with micro-mobility laws across the country. Currently, many states …

State Vehicle Electrification Mandates And Federal Preemption, Matthew N. Metz, Janelle London

Michigan Journal of Environmental & Administrative Law

By requiring that new vehicles sold after a certain date be electric, states can lower drivers’ vehicle operating costs, boost local employment, and lower electric rates. But there’s a widespread perception that states can’t take advantage of these opportunities because a state vehicle electrification mandate would be preempted by federal law.

Not so.

While the Federal Clean Air Act (CAA) prohibits state regulations “relating to” the control of emissions in motor vehicles, and the Federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) prohibits state regulations “related to” fuel economy standards, there is a strong rationale for federal courts to reject preemption …

Who Gets To Operate On Herbie? Right To Repair Legislation In The Context Of Automated Vehicles, Jennifer J. Huseby

Journal of Law and Mobility

You bought it, you own it, but do you have the right to repair it? As right-to-repair remains a hot topic in the context of consumer electronics such as smartphones, one must consider the ramifications it may have for the automated vehicle (“AV”) industry. As the backdrop for one of the first legislative victories for right-to-repair, the automobile industry has continued to push for the expansion of right-to-repair to cover increased access to telematics and exceptions to proprietary software controls. However, as we revisit the issue for more highly connected and automated vehicles, it is important to assess the unique …

Vehicle Rental Laws: Road Blocks To Evolving Mobility Models?, Wesley D. Hurst, Leslie J. Pujo

Journal of Law and Mobility

The laws and regulations governing mobility are inconsistent and antiquated and should be modernized to encourage innovation as we prepare for an autonomous car future. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) has concluded that Autonomous Vehicles, or Highly Automated Vehicles (“HAVs”) may “prove to be the greatest personal transportation revolution since the popularization of the personal automobile nearly a century ago.” Preparation for a HAV world is underway as the mobility industry evolves and transforms itself at a remarkable pace. New mobility platforms are becoming more convenient, more automated and more data driven—all of which will facilitate the evolution …

Why Intra-Brand Dealer Competition Is Irrelevant To The Price Effects Of Tesla's Vertical Integration, Daniel A. Crane

Articles

"In recent years, Tesla Motors (recently renamed Tesla) has been engaged in a state-by-state ground way for the right to distribute it’s all-electric vehicles directly to consumers. The car dealers' lobby, with the political backing of General Motors, has fiercely battled back, relying on decades-old state dealer protection laws to argue that Tesla is legally bound to distribute through franchised dealers. Through a combination of favorable state legislative and judicial decisions, Tesla has won the right to distribute directly in many states, but remains categorically barred from direct distribution in important states like Michigan and Texas--and hence all direct distribution …

Regulatory Reform In The Intercity Bus Industry, Cornish F. Hitchcock

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This Article will analyze the economic structure of the intercity bus industry and the type of service received by the public under the present regulatory scheme. It will then discuss what regulatory reforms could improve service, how these issues are addressed in the recent House-passed bill, and what further legislative reforms should be made.

No-Fault Auto Reparation In Florida: An Empirical Examination Of Some Of Its Effects, Joseph W. Little

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This article discusses certain aspects of reparations systems that can be described by statistical parameters, but it does not attempt to evaluate whether or not pervasive sociological changes may result from legal modifications of the concept of fault. It may be that any erosion of fault as a legal concept will result in a decline in individual responsibility. The fact that some members of the bar and some members of the medical profession allegedly regularly engage in conspiracies to defeat the $1,000 medical expense threshold of the Florida statute could be cited as evidence of such deterioration. Nevertheless, this writer …

Michigan Motor Vehicle Service And Repair Act Of 1974, A. Russell Localio

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This note will analyze the Michigan Motor Vehicle Service and Repair Act, examining the differences between it and prior Michigan and federal legislation. The new legislation will be compared with similar statutes in other states. Finally, the possible drawbacks of repair shop and mechanic certification programs will be discussed, and suggestions for improvements will be made.

Proposal For A Uniform Radar Speed Detection Act, Douglas M. Tisdale

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This article traces the judicial treatment of radar, reviews statutory attempts to regulate radar usage, and proposes a uniform act as an effective and consistent approach to ensure the proper use of radar.

The Railroad Passenger Problem: American And British Experiences As Bases For A New Model, Vincent J. Tolve

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This article examines the character of the rail passenger problem, identifies the American and British governments' responses and proposes a hybrid model of a rail passenger service organization based on several intrinsic characteristics of these existing systems. The article implies that the profit standard inadequately measures the success of a public utility, and suggests the adoption of an eclectic standard that measures enterprise success in terms of economic viability, response to public need, and quality of service rendered. The proposed model involves the rediscovery, application, and combination of two organizational concepts: the public corporation and the interstate compact.

Transportation Strike Control Legislation: A Congressional Challenge, Arthur M. Wisehart

Michigan Law Review

The necessity of protecting the public interest in continuity of transportation services while at the same time preserving the institution of collective bargaining presents a serious dilemma which the statutory framework devised during the first third of this century now seems inadequate to resolve. Indeed, most crippling strikes have occurred after statutory mechanisms for dispute resolution have been exhausted. This Article will trace the history of transportation labor legislation, outline the shortcomings of present procedures for dispute resolution, evaluate various alternatives for statutory reform, and propose permanent corrective legislation which would avoid the necessity of submitting each dispute for congressional …

Private Insurance As A Solution To The Driver-Guest Dilemm, Harvey R. Friedman

Michigan Law Review

The duty of the driver of an automobile to his nonpaying passenger, and liability arising from the breach of that duty, has long presented a troublesome area of litigation for the courts and the parties involved. Application of standards unsuited for the peculiar risks of automotive transportation has produced inadequate compensation in some cases and excessive recoveries in others. Meanwhile, trial calendars are overcrowded with personal injury litigation, and insurance companies must bear the awards of sympathetic juries and those resulting from collusion between passenger and driver. The over-all expense of this method of determination of liability, far too little …

The Judicial Treatment Of The Automobile Dealer Franchise Act, J. Patrick Martin

Michigan Law Review

The representatives of the auto industry initially viewed the act with a jaundiced eye and warned that this special class legislation6 would radically change the existing case law by allowing the dealer to win where formerly he would have lost. However, the court decisions under the act have not borne out such dire predictions. This discussion will examine what has, in fact, been the judicial interpretation and treatment of the act.

Administrative Law - Powers Of Agencies - The Interstate Commerce Commission And Discontinuance Of Railroads Under The Transportation Act Of 1958, Robert A. Smith

Michigan Law Review

The Transportation Act of 1958 amended the Interstate Commerce Act by authorizing railroad discontinuance of interstate train or ferry operations by posting advance notices thereof. The Interstate Commerce Commission can investigate such discontinuances either upon complaint or its own motion, and may require continuance of service if, after hearing, it finds such operation required by public convenience and necessity and not unduly burdensome to interstate commerce. Public Law 85-625, August 12, 1958, 72 Stat. 568.

Insurance - Motor Vehicle Accident Indemnification Corporation Law - Compensation Assured For Innocent Automobile Accident Victims, Bartlett A. Jackson

Michigan Law Review

A 1958 New York statute requires the organization of an Indemnification Corporation by companies selling automobile liability insurance within the state. The corporation will assess members in order to establish a fund which will be used to reimburse persons who are injured in a motor vehicle accident and are unable to collect from the person causing the injury. In order to qualify, the injured party must not be covered by a policy of automobile insurance nor may he own an uninsured motor vehicle. He must secure a judgment against the financially irresponsible driver and petition the court to order the …

Damages - Automobile Collisions - Penalties For Failure To Settle Small Claims Promptly, Ralph E. Boches

Michigan Law Review

Recent Arkansas legislation provides for double damages, reasonable attorney's fees of not less than fifty dollars, and court costs for failure to pay property damage claims arising from automobile collisions within sixty days after the submission of estimates of damage. Application of the statute is limited to claims under two hundred dollars. Furthermore, if the defendant presents a "meritorious defense," liability under the statute does not attach. Acts of Arkansas (1957), Act 283, Senate Bill 166.

Lecht: Experience Under Railway Labor Legislation, Sylvester Petro

Michigan Law Review

A Review of Experience Under Railway Labor Legislation. By Leonard A. Lecht.

Sales - Transfer Of Title - Effect Of Motor Vehicle Act, Charles G. Williamson, Jr. S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiffs, wholesale automobile dealers in New Mexico and Colorado, each sold a used car to a Utah dealer. The wholesalers forwarded drafts, with certificates of title attached, for payment by the dealer. The dealer sold the cars from his lot without ever having paid the drafts, and, consequently, without ever having. obtained the foreign title certificates. Plaintiffs brought replevin against the purchasers of the autos and recovered judgments. On appeal, held, reversed. The wholesalers knew that the purchaser was a used car dealer. They had transferred more than mere possession and clothed him with apparent ownership. Therefore, under the …

Police Regulation Of Sleeping Car Berths, Edson R. Sunderland

Articles

From the time of the introduction of the sleeping car there has been a constant feud between the sleeping car companies and the travelling public in regard to the upper berths. The exigencies of the situation have, of course, made economy of space a prime requisite in sleeping car construction, and there is no doubt but that a high degree of success in this respect has attended the efforts of the sleeping car builders.

Note And Comment, Harry B. Hutchins, Frank B. Fox, Frank P. Helsell, Burns A. Henry, Clyde Dewitt

Michigan Law Review

Liability of Carriers for Injuries Arising from Failure to Have Waiting Rooms Properly Heated; Special Assessments and Railroad Rights of Way; State and Federal Regulation Rates; Duty Toward Trespassing Children Where a Dangerous Article is Left in the Street; Collateral Attack on Injunctional Orders;

The Standard Oil Fine, Horace Lafayette Wilgus

Articles

August 3, 1907, Judge Landis, in the United States District Court, for the Northern District of Illinois, sentenced the Standard Oil Co. to pay the largest fine ever inflicted upon any offender.1 The suit was an indictment on 1,903 counts for violations of the Elkins Rebate Law in receiving concessions on the movement of 1,903 cars of oil from Whiting, Indiana, to East St. Louis, Illinois, and from Chappell, Illinois, to St. Louis, Missouri, during the eighteen months between September I, 1903, and March 1, 1905. Four hundred and forty-one counts were withdrawn as not necessarily involved in this case. …