WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has announced proposals on two rules to deal with small rate disputes.
The first, responding to a petition by five Class I railroads, would create a new voluntary arbitration program for small disputes, which would function alongside the existing arbitration program. Details on that proposal are available in this board decision.
At the same time, the board issued a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking regarding its Final Offer Rate Review procedure to invite comment on the new rate-case proposed in a notice of proposed rulemaking in September 2019. The board decision on that matter is available in this document.
The board issued both proposals on Monday to ensure parallel consideration of the two rules by the board and interested parties, and to allow the board to prioritize its goal of enhancing accessibility to the STB’s rate reasonableness processes.
Comments on both matters are due by Jan. 14, 2022, through processes described in the documents. Reply documents are due March 15, 2022.
If arbitration works for transport consumers as well as it works for regular consumers, the corporate railroads will love it.