STB streamlines rail rate challenge process

摘要

The US Surface Transportation Board (STB) has adopted a streamlined process to determine if a railroad has market dominance over a shipper’s freight traffic, a key part of decid- ing rail rate disputes. Before deciding whether a rail rate is reasonable, STB must first determine whether there is “effective competition from other rail carriers or modes of transportation.” The process has been a deterrent to filing a rate case, particularly for smaller shippers, because it can be costly and time consuming. STB proposed a change in September 2019 as part of an ongoing effort to make its rate review procedures “more ac- cessible, efficient and transparent.”