A time series analysis of wages in deregulated industries: A study of motor carriage and rail

Using time series techniques, we contrast the impact of deregulation in trucking and rail labor markets. During regulation both labor markets were characterized by wages considerab y higher than manufacturing wages. In fact, trucking and rail wages had a stable, deterministic relationship prior to deregulation. After deregulation, however, the mean trucking wages fell considerably, approaching manufacturing wages, while rail wages remained relatively constant. We also find that deregulation’s negative impact on trucking wages was nondiscrete and occurred primarily between 1980 and 1984.deregulation, trucking, rail

Differential Effects Rail Deregulation in the U.S. Grain Industry

The efficiency benefits of U.S. rail industry deregulation are well documented in previous studies of rail productivity and declining rail rates. This research provides new insight regarding the accrual of these benefits within the grain industry. A disaggregate study of corn, wheat, and soybean rates across nine producing regions, shows that in recent years the railroads ability to differentiate markets based on competitive environment has shifted relatively more of the benefit to regions with the most competitive market environments. Regions with less competitive pressure will continue to be relatively more disadvantaged in the rates that are an important determinant in grain market flows and producer profitability if these trends continue.Marketing, Public Economics,

The Effects Of Unions On Wages By Occupation In The Public Sector

This study examines union wage premiums by occupation in the public sector in the U.S. for the 2000-2004 period.  In examining union-nonunion wage differences for public sector workers in occupations accounting for 66 percent of all public workers in the 2000-2004 Current Population Survey, we find positive and statistically significant union premiums for 27 out of 41 occupations examined.  We also find large differences among occupations, with miscellaneous teachers and instructors receiving a 61 percent premium, secretaries and administrative assistants receiving a 5 percent premium, and 14 occupations receiving no statistically significant premium.  In comparing union premiums by occupation between the private and public sectors, we find, in most cases, that private sector premiums are larger than public sector premiums.  Finally, an Oaxaca decomposition shows that the majority of the differential between private sector union premiums and public sector union premiums appears to be due to differences in the way unions reward workers in the private and public sectors, not because of differences in the types of workers in the private and public sectors

Transportation quality indices for economic analysis of non-metropolitan cities

It is generally agreed that transportation plays a role in economic development, but it often is assumed away in empirical work due to data voids or under implicit assumptions that it is largely an inert factor. This paper seeks to add to the quantitative material by offering estimates of the relative quality of surface freight transportation service resources available to non-metropolitan cities across the US. Indicators suggest that cities located in the Midwest have relatively higher freight transport service quality, and that a cluster of north-eastern states are at a disadvantage, considering the quality of freight service for non-metropolitan areas. Transportation quality indicators developed in this research offer a new opportunity to consider transportation in analysis of economic development policies and strategies

North Dakota Strategic Freight Analysis: Item IV. Heavier Loading Rail Cars

North Dakota's grain producers rely on an efficient rail system to move their products to export and domestic markets. A recent shift to larger grain hopper cars may threaten the viability of the state's light-density branch line network. This study simulates the impacts of handling larger rail cars on many types of rail lines, model the decision process used by railroads in deciding whether to upgrade such lines or abandon them, estimates the costs of upgrading rail lines that are unlikely to be upgraded, and estimates generalized highway impacts that could result from the abandonment of non-upgraded lines

North Dakota Potato Industry

In an attempt to increase net returns from farming efforts and stabilize agricultural commodities, rural communities are viewing value-added processing as a possible solution. Many attempts have been made at the value-added concept, and recently adding potato production under irrigation has changed farming for some North Dakota producers. The potato industry is meeting consumer demands for more efficient and less time consuming methods of cooking by offering a wider variety of convenient processed potato items. The different uses of potatoes determines processor locations and movement of the raw product. However, the location of processing plants and warehouses impact highway demand and truck use. A network flow model was developed to estimate the truck traffic generated by the potato industry. The model uses some of the steps implemented by Denver Tolliver of UGPTI in developing a Prototype Corn Highway Network Model for Southeastern North Dakota. A network model is a representation of supply and destination nodes and the transportation links. The most important findings is the reduction in production in northeastern North Dakota, the traditional location of potato production and the introduction of irrigated acreage in the central and south central part of the state. The processors demand a uniform quality product which can best be controlled under irrigation. Continued irrigation development will increase tonnage product from the land. This production may not be potatoes, but whatever the crop, the additional tonnage will have greater impacts on the North Dakota highway system. Development of flow models to coincide with NASS production data will provide valuable insight for North Dakota highway planners

North Dakota Strategic Freight Analysis Agricultural Sector: Summary Report

In an attempt to provide some of the information that will enable North Dakota firms and policymakers to make better decisions, this project addressed four transportation issues, which are critical to the future of the state's agricultural sector: (1) the impact of 110-car shuttle trains on the marketing of grains, (2) the impact of heavier cars on light-density rail lines, (3) the changing trend in the use of truck/rail container intermodal transportation for marketing North Dakota products; and (4) the role played by logistics factors in determining the optimal location of value-added facilities

Predicting Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome and Renal Replacement Therapy in Shiga Toxin-producing Escherichia coli-infected Children.

BACKGROUND: Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections are leading causes of pediatric acute renal failure. Identifying hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) risk factors is needed to guide care. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, historical cohort study to identify features associated with development of HUS (primary outcome) and need for renal replacement therapy (RRT) (secondary outcome) in STEC-infected children without HUS at initial presentation. Children agedeligible. RESULTS: Of 927 STEC-infected children, 41 (4.4%) had HUS at presentation; of the remaining 886, 126 (14.2%) developed HUS. Predictors (all shown as odds ratio [OR] with 95% confidence interval [CI]) of HUS included younger age (0.77 [.69-.85] per year), leukocyte count ≥13.0 × 103/μL (2.54 [1.42-4.54]), higher hematocrit (1.83 [1.21-2.77] per 5% increase) and serum creatinine (10.82 [1.49-78.69] per 1 mg/dL increase), platelet count \u3c250 \u3e× 103/μL (1.92 [1.02-3.60]), lower serum sodium (1.12 [1.02-1.23 per 1 mmol/L decrease), and intravenous fluid administration initiated ≥4 days following diarrhea onset (2.50 [1.14-5.46]). A longer interval from diarrhea onset to index visit was associated with reduced HUS risk (OR, 0.70 [95% CI, .54-.90]). RRT predictors (all shown as OR [95% CI]) included female sex (2.27 [1.14-4.50]), younger age (0.83 [.74-.92] per year), lower serum sodium (1.15 [1.04-1.27] per mmol/L decrease), higher leukocyte count ≥13.0 × 103/μL (2.35 [1.17-4.72]) and creatinine (7.75 [1.20-50.16] per 1 mg/dL increase) concentrations, and initial intravenous fluid administration ≥4 days following diarrhea onset (2.71 [1.18-6.21]). CONCLUSIONS: The complex nature of STEC infection renders predicting its course a challenge. Risk factors we identified highlight the importance of avoiding dehydration and performing close clinical and laboratory monitoring