Jones Act

indy

Stuck in traffic? Blame the Jones Act!

In 2018, Americans lost an average of 97 hours to traffic congestion, costing them nearly $87 billion—an average of $1,348 per driver.

Motorists in New York City alone lose an estimated 133 hours or $1,859 in lost wages and output in traffic per year.

Most of the congestion occurs in and around major metropolitan areas, where ocean transport via container ship would be a more efficient alternative for shipping cargo than 18-wheelers—that is, except for an antiquated law called the “Jones Act.”

The Jones Act is a 99-year old law that restricts shipping between two ports in the United States to vessels that are U.S.-built, U.S.-owned, U.S.-flagged, and U.S.-crewed. Although the law was intended to bolster U.S. shipbuilding capacity and ensure a robust maritime services industry, it has had the opposite outcome.

The U.S. shipbuilding industry has atrophied to the point that approximately 300 shipyards have closed since 1983, the number of shipyard workers has shrunk from 186,700 in 1981 to 94,000 today , and the number of Jones Act compliant ships has diminished from 326 in 1982 to 99 today.

This means less coastal shipping, which explains why there are so many more trucks and so much more traffic congestion on our highways today.

That’s why the Cato Institute is launching a new billboard campaign in the heavily trafficked New York City region this month to educate motorists on the impact of the Jones Act on their daily commute.

Go to BlameJonesAct.com, and learn why it’s time to #EndTheJonesAct.

lorry

爱折腾！