Transportation Archives - Show-Me Institute https://showmeinstitute.org/topics/transportation/ Where Liberty Comes First Tue, 07 Jul 2026 21:21:26 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.1 https://showmeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/show-me-icon-150x150.png Transportation Archives - Show-Me Institute https://showmeinstitute.org/topics/transportation/ 32 32 Autonomous Vehicle Regulations https://showmeinstitute.org/publication/regulation/autonomous-vehicle-regulations/ Wed, 08 Apr 2026 19:40:27 +0000 https://showmeinstitute.org/?post_type=publication&p=602917 On April 8, Show-Me Institute Director of Municipal Policy David Stokes submits testimony to the Missouri Senate Transportation, Infrastructure, and Public Safety Committee regarding the regulation of autonomous vehicles. Click here […]

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]]> On April 8, Show-Me Institute Director of Municipal Policy David Stokes submits testimony to the Missouri Senate Transportation, Infrastructure, and Public Safety Committee regarding the regulation of autonomous vehicles. Click here to read the full testimony.

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]]> Regulations Concerning Autonomous Vehicles: Senate Bill 1050 https://showmeinstitute.org/publication/transportation/regulations-concerning-autonomous-vehicles-senate-bill-1050/ Fri, 23 Jan 2026 21:40:29 +0000 https://showmeinstitute.org/?post_type=publication&p=601803 On January 26, Show-Me Institute Director of Municipal Policy David Stokes submits testimony to the Missouri Senate Transportation, Infrastructure, and Public Safety Committee regarding regulation of autonomous vehicles. Click here to […]

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]]> On January 26, Show-Me Institute Director of Municipal Policy David Stokes submits testimony to the Missouri Senate Transportation, Infrastructure, and Public Safety Committee regarding regulation of autonomous vehicles. Click here to read the full testimony.

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]]> Autonomous Vehicle Regulation https://showmeinstitute.org/publication/regulation/autonomous-vehicle-regulation/ Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:46:55 +0000 https://showme.beanstalkweb.com/?post_type=publication&p=601614 On January 12, Show-Me Institute Director of Municipal Policy David Stokes submits testimony to the Missouri House Emerging Issues Committee regarding the regulation of autonomous vehicles. Click here to read the […]

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]]> On January 12, Show-Me Institute Director of Municipal Policy David Stokes submits testimony to the Missouri House Emerging Issues Committee regarding the regulation of autonomous vehicles. Click here to read the full testimony.

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]]> The Free-Market Municipality Project https://showmeinstitute.org/publication/state-and-local-government/a-free-market-guide-for-missouri-municipalities/ Tue, 15 Apr 2025 03:30:23 +0000 http://showmeinstitute.local/publications/the-free-market-municipality-project/ Table of Contents About the Project Part One: Municipal Organization and Structure Part Two: Taxation Part Three: Planning and Zoning Part Four: Parks and Recreation Media About the Project About […]

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Table of Contents

About the Project

Download Part One and Two

How should cities, towns, and villages in Missouri organize, fund, and operate themselves to better serve residents and taxpayers? What policies lead to more effective service delivery, improved accountability, and greater economic growth?

A Free-Market Guide for Missouri Municipalities is a multi-part series by David Stokes, director of municipal policy at the Show-Me Institute, that answers these questions through a careful application of free market–oriented policies.

This series is designed to serve as a practical resource for municipal officials, taxpayer advocates, and engaged citizens. Each part incorporates historical context, political realities, and academic research relevant to local governance in Missouri.

Part One: Municipal Organization and Structure

Download Part One

This installment examines how Missouri municipalities are structured—from villages with boards of trustees to charter cities with professional managers—and how those structures influence government performance. It addresses city managers vs. city administrators, the size and selection of governing bodies, oversight and accountability practices, and the implications of civil service rules and bureaucracy. Drawing on public choice theory and real-world Missouri examples, the report evaluates how form impacts function in local government.

Part One: Municipal Organization and Structure

Part Two: Taxation

Download Part Two

This report analyzes the sources of municipal revenue in Missouri and evaluates the state’s heavy reliance on sales and income taxes. It makes the case for rebalancing local finance by placing more emphasis on property taxes and user fees, and less on volatile and distortionary sources. Topics include land taxes, special taxing districts, user fees, local gas taxes, and the economic consequences of tax subsidies like TIF. The report offers practical recommendations to make local tax systems more stable, transparent, and conducive to long-term prosperity.

Part Two: Taxation

Part Three: Planning and Zoning

Download Part Three

This third installment in the free-market municipality series examines the use of planning and zoning in Missouri cities and suggests reforms to improve how they are implemented and managed. It explores several options to expand housing availability while strengthening property rights for Missourians. The report also highlights how the St. Louis and Kansas City metropolitan areas have less restrictive zoning than many comparable cities, and the benefits that result from this.

Part Three: Planning and Zoning

Part Four: Parks and Recreation

Download Part Four

This fourth installment in A Free-Market Guide for Missouri Municipalities series examines how cities provide and manage parks and recreational services. It outlines which park assets are best funded through general taxes and which should rely more heavily on user fees, and explains why those distinctions matter. The report also explores opportunities for outsourcing, contracting, and service sharing to reduce costs and improve service quality, while cautioning against taxpayer-funded facilities that unnecessarily compete with the private sector.

Part Four: Parks

Media About the Project

Podcast:

Free Market Policies for Better Local Government with David Stokes

Listen to Episode

The Three-Legged Stool of Taxes with David Stokes

Listen to Episode

A Free-Market Guide to Zoning with David Stokes

Listen to Episode

Related Commentary

“A free-city project for Missouri” by David Stokes in the Columbia Missourian



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]]> MetroLink Expansion https://showmeinstitute.org/publication/state-and-local-government/metrolink-expansion-2-2/ Fri, 09 Feb 2024 04:19:03 +0000 http://showmeinstitute.local/publications/metrolink-expansion/ On February 9, Show-Me Institute Director of Municipal Policy David Stokes submits public comments to the Board of Directors of the East-West Gateway Council of Governments regarding MetroLink expansion. Click here to […]

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]]> On February 9, Show-Me Institute Director of Municipal Policy David Stokes submits public comments to the Board of Directors of the East-West Gateway Council of Governments regarding MetroLink expansion. Click here to read the comments.

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]]> House Bill 1511: Prohibiting Unfunded Mandates for Electric Vehicle Chargers https://showmeinstitute.org/publication/regulation/house-bill-1511-prohibiting-unfunded-mandates-for-electric-vehicle-chargers/ Wed, 10 Jan 2024 05:20:28 +0000 http://showmeinstitute.local/publications/house-bill-1511-prohibiting-unfunded-mandates-for-electric-vehicle-chargers/ On January 10, Show-Me Institute Policy Analyst Avery Frank submits testimony to the Missouri House Government Efficiency and Downsizing Committee regarding House Bill 1511. Click here to read the full […]

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]]> On January 10, Show-Me Institute Policy Analyst Avery Frank submits testimony to the Missouri House Government Efficiency and Downsizing Committee regarding House Bill 1511. Click here to read the full testimony.

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]]> Is St. Louis Transit Built for the 2020s or the 1910s? https://showmeinstitute.org/publication/transportation/is-st-louis-transit-built-for-the-2020s-or-the-1910s/ Thu, 28 Sep 2023 19:10:57 +0000 http://showmeinstitute.local/publications/is-st-louis-transit-built-for-the-2020s-or-the-1910s/ Metro, the public transit division of the Bi-State Development Agency, wants to spend hundreds of millions of dollars building 5.5 miles of street-running light-rail lines north and south of the […]

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]]> Metro, the public transit division of the Bi-State Development Agency, wants to spend hundreds of millions of dollars building 5.5 miles of street-running light-rail lines north and south of the city’s center. This report lists the ways in which the proposal under consideration is unlikely to fulfil the promises of its backers, documents the poor performance of St. Louis’s current light-rail system, and considers other, more effective and cost-efficient ways that Metro might provide faster, safer service to commuters in the area.

Click here to read the full report.

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]]> School Choice and School Transportation: Exploring Opportunities https://showmeinstitute.org/publication/school-choice/school-choice-and-school-transportation-exploring-opportunities/ Thu, 27 Apr 2023 02:57:02 +0000 http://showmeinstitute.local/publications/school-choice-and-school-transportation-exploring-opportunities/ The adoption of an open enrollment policy for Missouri public schools would require that our system for transporting students to and from school adapt to the new environment. This policy […]

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]]> The adoption of an open enrollment policy for Missouri public schools would require that our system for transporting students to and from school adapt to the new environment. This policy brief examines some ways that districts could accommodate open enrollment, including some initiatives that are being tried in other states. To read the full essay, click here.

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]]> Who Pays for Road Maintenance https://showmeinstitute.org/publication/budget-and-spending/who-pays-for-road-maintenance/ Wed, 17 Aug 2022 21:00:22 +0000 http://showmeinstitute.local/publications/who-pays-for-road-maintenance/ How much should each driver pay toward maintaining the roads and bridges they drive on? Currently, funding for the maintenance of Missouri’s roads and bridges is primarily generated by user […]

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]]> How much should each driver pay toward maintaining the roads and bridges they drive on? Currently, funding for the maintenance of Missouri’s roads and bridges is primarily generated by user taxes and fees. In principle, user fees are a desirable way to pay for road upkeep because they can place the burden of paying for repairs on those whose vehicles make the repairs necessary. But what if some vehicles inflict significantly more damage than others?

For example, large trucks cause between 15 to 49 times more damage to Missouri’s roads than cars do. Yet, the largest source of state road maintenance revenue comes from the motor fuel tax, which is levied at the same rate for both large trucks and other vehicles.

This report looks at various ways in which the financing of road maintenance could be reformed so that the amounts that truck-owners and car-owners pay are better aligned with the amount of damage their vehicles do to the roads. In addition to fuel taxes, tolling and other road usage charges are discussed.

Click here to read the full report.

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]]> House Bill 1594 and a Repeal of the Increase in Tax on Motor Fuel https://showmeinstitute.org/publication/taxes/house-bill-1594-and-a-repeal-of-the-increase-in-tax-on-motor-fuel/ Tue, 08 Feb 2022 21:54:29 +0000 http://showmeinstitute.local/publications/house-bill-1594-and-a-repeal-of-the-increase-in-tax-on-motor-fuel/ On February 8, Show-Me Institute Senior Analyst Elias Tsapelas and Analyst Jakob Puckett submit testimony to the Missouri House Special Committee on Government Oversight regarding repeal of the fuel tax […]

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]]> On February 8, Show-Me Institute Senior Analyst Elias Tsapelas and Analyst Jakob Puckett submit testimony to the Missouri House Special Committee on Government Oversight regarding repeal of the fuel tax increase passed last year in Senate Bill 262. Click here to read the full testimony.

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]]> Public Comments Regarding the Funding of High-priority Transportation Needs https://showmeinstitute.org/publication/state-and-local-government/public-comments-regarding-the-funding-of-high-priority-transportation-needs/ Wed, 08 Dec 2021 03:53:36 +0000 http://showmeinstitute.local/publications/public-comments-regarding-the-funding-of-high-priority-transportation-needs/ On December 8, Show-Me Institute Analyst Jakob Puckett submits testimony to the Missouri Department of Transportation regarding the funding of high-priority transportation needs. Click here to read the full testimony.

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]]> On December 8, Show-Me Institute Analyst Jakob Puckett submits testimony to the Missouri Department of Transportation regarding the funding of high-priority transportation needs. Click here to read the full testimony.

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]]> Public Comment on Transportation Development District in Kirkwood https://showmeinstitute.org/publication/special-taxing-districts/public-comment-on-transportation-development-district-in-kirkwood/ Mon, 19 Jul 2021 23:43:53 +0000 http://showmeinstitute.local/publications/public-comment-on-transportation-development-district-in-kirkwood/ On July 19, David Stokes and Jakob Puckett submitted comments in the Circuit Court of St. Louis, State of Missouri, 21st Judicial Circuit, in response to a petition for the […]

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]]> On July 19, David Stokes and Jakob Puckett submitted comments in the Circuit Court of St. Louis, State of Missouri, 21st Judicial Circuit, in response to a petition for the creation of a transportation development district in Kirkwood, Missouri. To read the submission, click here.

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]]> Improving Missouri’s Transportation System through Tolling https://showmeinstitute.org/publication/transportation/improving-missouris-transportation-system-through-tolling/ Fri, 18 Jun 2021 21:38:45 +0000 http://showmeinstitute.local/publications/improving-missouris-transportation-system-through-tolling/ Missouri is falling behind in maintaining its roads and bridges, ranking 48th nationally in revenue per mile of road maintained. This paper argues that tolling might be the best way […]

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]]> Missouri is falling behind in maintaining its roads and bridges, ranking 48th nationally in revenue per mile of road maintained. This paper argues that tolling might be the best way for the state to catch up, as it is more consistent with the user-pays principle than other avenues of revenue generation. To read the complete report, click here.

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]]> Senate Bill 262 and an Increase in State Fuel Taxes https://showmeinstitute.org/publication/transportation/senate-bill-262-and-an-increase-in-state-fuel-taxes/ Tue, 02 Feb 2021 04:04:24 +0000 http://showmeinstitute.local/publications/senate-bill-262-and-an-increase-in-state-fuel-taxes/ On February 1, Show-Me Institute analyst Jakob Puckett submitted testimony to the Missouri Senate Transportation, Infrastructure, and Public Safety Committee. Click here to read the full testimony.

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]]> On February 1, Show-Me Institute analyst Jakob Puckett submitted testimony to the Missouri Senate Transportation, Infrastructure, and Public Safety Committee. Click here to read the full testimony.

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]]> Testimony–Senate Bill 185: State Regulations for Transportation Network Companies https://showmeinstitute.org/publication/transportation/testimony-senate-bill-185-state-regulations-for-transportation-network-companies/ Wed, 18 Jan 2017 12:00:00 +0000 http://showmeinstitute.local/publications/testimony-senate-bill-185-state-regulations-for-transportation-network-companies/ On January 19, 2017, Show-Me Institute Policy Researcher Graham Renz submits testimony to the Missouri Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee regarding state regulation of transportation network companies. Click […]

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]]> On January 19, 2017, Show-Me Institute Policy Researcher Graham Renz submits testimony to the Missouri Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee regarding state regulation of transportation network companies. Click on the link below to read the entire testimony.

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]]> Testimony: The Introduction of State Regulations Concerning Transportation Network Companies https://showmeinstitute.org/publication/transportation/testimony-the-introduction-of-state-regulations-concerning-transportation-network-companies/ Tue, 10 Jan 2017 12:00:00 +0000 http://showmeinstitute.local/publications/testimony-the-introduction-of-state-regulations-concerning-transportation-network-companies/ On January 10, 2017, Show-Me Institute Policy Researcher Graham Renz submits testimony to the Missouri House General Laws Committee regarding state regulation of transportation network companies. Click on the link […]

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]]> On January 10, 2017, Show-Me Institute Policy Researcher Graham Renz submits testimony to the Missouri House General Laws Committee regarding state regulation of transportation network companies. Click on the link below to read the entire testimony.

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]]> Funding the Missouri Department of Transportation and the State Highway System https://showmeinstitute.org/publication/transportation/funding-the-missouri-department-of-transportation-and-the-state-highway-system/ Mon, 22 Feb 2016 12:00:00 +0000 http://showmeinstitute.local/publications/funding-the-missouri-department-of-transportation-and-the-state-highway-system/ The importance of Missouri's transportation system to the state's economy and the lives of its residents is undisputed, but the Missouri Department of Transportation claims that it may not have […]

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]]> The importance of Missouri's transportation system to the state's economy and the lives of its residents is undisputed, but the Missouri Department of Transportation claims that it may not have the funds necessary to maintain the state highway system in the near future. This essay offers a road map to creating an effective and comprehensive funding solution for Missouri's transportation system. Click here to read the policy brief, or click on the link below to read the full essay.

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]]> Testimony: Regulations for Transportation Network Companies https://showmeinstitute.org/publication/transportation/testimony-regulations-for-transportation-network-companies/ Mon, 08 Feb 2016 12:00:00 +0000 http://showmeinstitute.local/publications/testimony-regulations-for-transportation-network-companies/ On February 8, 2016, Show-Me Institute policy analyst Joseph Miller submitted testimony to the House Emerging Issues Committee regarding the introduction of state regulations concerning transportation network companies. Click on […]

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]]> On February 8, 2016, Show-Me Institute policy analyst Joseph Miller submitted testimony to the House Emerging Issues Committee regarding the introduction of state regulations concerning transportation network companies. Click on the link below to read the full testimony.

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]]> Testimony Regarding Funding the State Highway System with Increased Fuel Taxes https://showmeinstitute.org/publication/transportation/testimony-regarding-funding-the-state-highway-system-with-increased-fuel-taxes/ Tue, 12 Jan 2016 12:00:00 +0000 http://showmeinstitute.local/publications/testimony-regarding-funding-the-state-highway-system-with-increased-fuel-taxes/ On January 13, 2016, Show-Me Institute Policy Analyst Joseph Miller testifies before the Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee on using increased fuel taxes to help fund maintenance and […]

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]]> On January 13, 2016, Show-Me Institute Policy Analyst Joseph Miller testifies before the Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee on using increased fuel taxes to help fund maintenance and improvements to Missouri's state highway system. Click on the link below to read the full testimony.

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]]> Reforming Regulations Concerning Transportation Network Companies In Saint Louis https://showmeinstitute.org/publication/regulation/reforming-regulations-concerning-transportation-network-companies-in-saint-louis/ Sun, 12 Jul 2015 10:00:00 +0000 http://showmeinstitute.local/publications/reforming-regulations-concerning-transportation-network-companies-in-saint-louis/ As the Metropolitan Taxicab Commission (MTC) considers altering its for-hire vehicle code to allow the entry of low-price TNC services, such as UberX and Lyft, it should consider the benefits […]

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]]> As the Metropolitan Taxicab Commission (MTC) considers altering its for-hire vehicle code to allow the entry of low-price TNC services, such as UberX and Lyft, it should consider the benefits these companies can bring to Saint Louis City and County (hereafter simply “Saint Louis”). These companies already have proven themselves to be popular in hundreds of cities in the United States and around the world. Saint Louis could follow the examples of these cities, now including Kansas City, in reducing regulations to allow broad TNC market entry.
 

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