The Surface Transportation Board’s latest update of fees shippers must pay to file cases and pleadings, released Friday, contains some increases but leaves unchanged the current $350 fee charged shippers to file a rate complaint, as well as the current $150 fee to file an expedited small rate case. The board reduced both fees last year.
The Surface Transportation Board Wednesday announced “two initiatives to explore ways to further protect captive shippers from unreasonable rail rates.”
STB said it proposes to reform its rules on how it resolves rate disputes “to ensure that all captive shippers have a meaningful way to challenge rates.” STB also will be “taking steps to consider a proposal submitted by The National Industrial Transportation League (NITL) to increase rail-to-rail competition.”
U.S. Class I railroads employed 163,159 workers in mid-June, up 0.38% from May and 2.40% from June 2011.
U.S. Class I railroads employed 161,191 workers in mid-May, down 0.42% from the previous month (161,876), but still ahead of March’s 160,523 workers employed, according to data provided by the Surface Transportation Board.
Led by increases in rail maintenance of way and structures employees, U.S. Class I railroads employed 161,876 workers in mid-April, up 3.25% from April 2011 and also up 0.84 from March 2012.
The Surface Transportation Board on May 14 approved a request by Iowa Pacific Holdings to reopen a rail route deep in Adirondack State Park, N.Y., dismissing protests from an environmental group seeking to block reactivation.
The Surface Transportation Board has ordered BNSF and Union Pacific to pay reparations totaling $9,244,144 to Arizona Electric Power Cooperative for rate overcharges for the movement of utility coal.
U.S. Class I railroads employed 160,523 workers in mid-March, up 3% from March 2011 and 0.81% from February 2012.
The Surface Transportation Board Wednesday announced approval of a trackage rights exemption sought be WFEC Railroad Co. “to grant limited nonexclusive overhead trackage rights to Kiamichi Railroad LLC (KRR), over its entire line” of roughly 15 miles.
The Surface Transportation Board has initiated proposals to encourage more mediation and arbitration for the resolution of issues coming before the Board.