The STB has rendered decisions on two rules aimed at helping the railroads and shippers resolve small rate disputes.
The Biden administration has outlined 62 policy initiatives affecting trucking, rail, and maritime in a one-year vulnerability assessment.
Several rail shippers had asked the Surface Transportation Board to temporarily suspend a proceeding on a voluntary arbitration program for small rate disputes, but the board denied that request.
The Surface Transportation Board is advancing two rulemakings on small rate disputes concurrently to determine how best to address such disputes. The railroads prefer one rulemaking while shippers prefer another.
Communications between the railroads about fuel surcharges can be included in legal proceedings pertaining to alleged price fixing that occurred in the early 2000s, a federal judge ruled Friday.
The Senate has confirmed the appointments of Robert Primus and Michelle Schultz.
The Board is modifying what data it collects from the waybill samples of the U.S. freight railroads.
The rule outlines seven ways to determine whether a shipper is facing market dominance, or a situation in which shippers have limited rail shipping options. But the effectiveness of the new rule remains to be seen, some say.
Federal agencies in a “friend of the court” filing say discussions among Class I railroads can be admissible as evidence in dozens of lawsuits involving alleged price fixing.
Shippers’ lawsuits on alleged price fixing on fuel surcharges see continued activity. A hearing is scheduled in August.
