首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
外语
In recent years, railroads have been combining with each other, merging into super systems, causing heightened concerns about mo
In recent years, railroads have been combining with each other, merging into super systems, causing heightened concerns about mo
admin
2015-05-29
46
问题
In recent years, railroads have been combining with each other, merging into super systems, causing heightened concerns about monopoly.As recently as 1995, the top four railroads accounted for under 70 percent of the total ton-miles moved by rails.Next year, after a series of mergers is completed, just four railroads will control well over 90 percent of all the freight moved by major rail carriers.
Supporters of the new super systems argue that these mergers will allow for substantial cost reductions and better coordinated service.Any threat of monopoly, they argue, is removed by fierce competition from trucks.But many shippers complain that for heavy bulk commodities traveling long distances, such as coal, chemicals, and grain, trucking is too costly and the railroads therefore have them by the throat.
The vast consolidation within the rail industry means that most shippers are served by only one rail company.Railroads typically charge such "captive" shippers 20 to 30 percent more than they do when another railroad is competing for the business.Shippers who feel they are being overcharged have the right to appeal to the federal government’s Surface Transportation Board for rate relief, but the process is expensive, time consuming, and will work only in truly extreme cases.
Railroads justify rate discrimination against captive shippers on the grounds that in the long run it reduces everyone’s cost.If railroads charged all customers the same average rate, they argue, shippers who have the option of switching to trucks or other forms of transportation would do so, leaving remaining customers to shoulder the cost of keeping up the line.It’s theory to which many economists subscribe, but in practice it often leaves railroads in the position of determining which companies will flourish and which will fail."Do we really want railroads to be the arbiters of who wins and who loses in the marketplace?" asks Martin Bercovici, a Washington lawyer who frequently represents shipper.
Many captive shippers also worry they will soon be hit with a round of huge rate increases.The railroad industry as a whole, despite its brightening fortunes, still does not earn enough to cover the cost of the capital it must invest to keep up with its surging traffic.Yet railroads continue to borrow billions to acquire one another, with Wall Street cheering them on.Consider the 1.02 billion bid by Norfolk Southern and CSX to acquire Conrail this year.ConraiPs net railway operating income in 1996 was just 427 million, less than half of the carrying costs of the transaction.Who’s going to pay for the rest of the bill? Many captive shippers fear that they will, as Norfolk Southern and CSX increase their grip on the market.
What is many captive shippers’ attitude towards the consolidation in the rail industry?
选项
A、Indifferent.
B、Supportive.
C、Indignant.
D、Apprehensive.
答案
D
解析
本题可参照文章的第3段。从中可知,典型的情况是,在没有竞争对手时,铁路公司一般向这样的“受制的”托运人多收取20%~30%的费用。从文章第5段的内容可知,许多受制的托运人也担心将受到又一轮费用大幅度增加的打击;就整个铁路行业来说,其收入仍不足以支付它必须用于维持日益增加的运输而投入的资金;而且,铁路公司仍在借贷资金相互兼并;今年,Norfolk Southern和CSX公司投入了10.2亿美元兼并了联合铁路公司;许多受制的托运人担心,随着Norfolk Southern公司和CSX对市场的控制力加强,托运
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/KqLO777K
0
考博英语
相关试题推荐
Mostpeoplewouldbe【71】bythehighqualityofmedicine【72】tomostAmericans.Thereisalotofspecialization,agreatdealof【
Yoga,theancientpracticeofpostures,breathingandmeditation,isgainingalotofattentionfromthematerialworldthatits
Anewbiotechnologyprocedurethatcouldbecomecommerciallyavailableinaslittleastwotofouryearsis"transgenosis",whic
BeforehighschoolteacherKimberlyRughgotdowntobusinessatthestartofarecentschoolweek,shejokedwithherstudents
Man’schiefoffenceagainstnaturehasbeentodamagetheearth’snaturalcoveringofvegetationwithoutreplacingitwithas
Nowadays,withplentifuliceandelectricchurning,fewpeoplerecallthesharedexcitementoftheerawhenmakingicecreamwasa
FewpeoplewoulddefendtheVictorianattitudetochildren,butifyouwereaparentinthosedays,atleastyouknewwhereyou
Computersarepermeatingalmosteveryaspectofourlives,includingmanyareaspreviouslyuntouchedbytechnology.1.Butunlik
71.Vacationswereoncetheprerogativeoftheprivilegedfew,evenaslateasthe19thcentury.Nowtheyareconsideredtherig
Withoutfanfareorlegislation,thegovernmentisorchestratingaquietrevolutioninhowitregulatesnewmedicines.Therevolu
随机试题
车辆前轮胎爆裂,危险较大,方向会立刻向爆胎车轮一侧跑偏,直接影响驾驶人对转向盘的控制。
若X~N(μ,σ2),Y~χ2(n),且X与Y相互独立,则服从()
简述感性认识和理性认识的含义及二者的辩证关系。
山岭隧道施工通常采用()。
甲公司是一家制造业企业,产品市场需求处于上升阶段,为增加产能,公司拟于2018年年初添置一台设备。有两种方案可供选择:方案一:自行购置。预计设备购置成本1600万元,按税法规定,该设备按直线法计提折旧,折旧年限5年,净残值率5%,预计该设备使用4
甲公司持有在境外注册的乙公司80%股权,能够对乙公司的财务和经营政策实施控制。甲公司以人民币为记账本位币,乙公司以港币为记账本位币,发生外币交易时甲公司和乙公司均采用交易日的即期汇率进行折算。(1)2×17年10月20日,甲公司以每股4欧元的价格购入丙公
在消费品领域,人们的审美观、价值观念是非常____________的,什么是高雅的,什么是大众的,人们在不同的时代、不同的情境下,会有不同的理解。如果让西方饮茶习惯去__________茶饮料领域,他们不习惯的绿茶就永远出不了顶级品牌。依次填入画横线部分最
母替代效应
俗话说:“人靠衣装马靠鞍,狗配铃铛跑得欢”,但是你在穿衣时也要注意把握好自己的度,一旦搭配的不当或比例不协调就起不到预期的效果,比如说生活中我们发现,当一个人穿上竖条衣服时,给人的感觉是收缩感,它会显得这个人稍瘦;当一个人穿上横条衣服时,给人的感觉就是扩张
下列关于内联函数的叙述中,错误的是
最新回复
(
0
)