首页
登录
职称英语
In recent years, railroads have been combining with each year, merging into
In recent years, railroads have been combining with each year, merging into
游客
2024-06-02
23
管理
问题
In recent years, railroads have been combining with each year, merging into supersystems, causing heightened concerns about monopoly. As recently as 1995, the top four railroads accounted for under 70% 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% of all the freight moved by major rail carriers.
Supporters of the new supersystems 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, trucking is too costly and the railroads
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 that they are being overcharged have the right to appeal to the federal government’s Surface Transportation Board for rate belief, 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 a 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 shippers.
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 m acquire one another, with Wall Street cheering them on. Consider the $10. 2 billion bid by Norfolk Southern and CSX to acquire Conrail this year. Conrail’s net railway operating income in 1996 was just $ 427 million, less than half of the carrying cost 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. [br] According to those who support mergers, railway monopoly is unlikely because ______.
选项
A、cost reduction is based on competition
B、services call for cross-trade coordination
C、outside competitors will continue to exist
D、shippers will have the railway by the throat
答案
C
解析
因果推断题。第二段开篇就描述了铁路合并支持者们认为合并有助于减少成本以及更好地合作服务,不用担心垄断,因为还有来自卡车等运输方式的强烈竞争,即“...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。因此。正确答案为C项。
转载请注明原文地址:https://tihaiku.com/zcyy/3617021.html
相关试题推荐
Threestrikingfactshighlightthedramaticshiftinrecentyearsintherel
Threestrikingfactshighlightthedramaticshiftinrecentyearsintherel
Threestrikingfactshighlightthedramaticshiftinrecentyearsintherel
[originaltext]W:Johnseemstohave10stalotofweightrecently.M:Yes,he’s
[originaltext]W:Johnseemstohave10stalotofweightrecently.M:Yes,he’s
[originaltext]W:Johnseemstohave10stalotofweightrecently.M:Yes,he’s
[originaltext]W:Johnseemstohave10stalotofweightrecently.M:Yes,he’s
Recentresearchhasclaimedthatanexcessofpositiveionsintheaircanh
[originaltext]Recentresearchhasclaimedthatanexcessofpositiveionsi
[originaltext]Recentresearchhasclaimedthatanexcessofpositiveionsi
随机试题
TheApoliticalrevolutionsoftheeighteenthcenturyhadanBimmenseimpactona
A------SnowShowersEarlyJ------LighteningB------AMCloudsK------AirPressure
WetsuitAwetsuitis【T1】______whowantto【T2】______.Wetsuitsareusuall
项目法人对各参建单位安全生产法律、法规、规章、制度、标准、操作规程和安全生产管理
如图所示单元体取自梁上哪一点? A.a B.b C.c D.d.
肺气肿时,其主要症状是:A.突发性呼吸困难 B.夜间阵发性呼吸困难 C.心悸
继承权纠纷提起诉讼的期限为()A.一年 B.两年 C..三年
为了防止价格大幅波动所引发的风险,国际上通常对股指期货交易规定每日价格最大波动限
在比较法选择可比实例的过程中,可比实例的规模应与估价对象的规模相当,选取的可比实
(2017年真题)甲借款给乙,约定2014年3月前还清本息,丙承担连带
最新回复
(
0
)