This article has been reprinted from the Oct. 3 USDA Grain Transportation Report.
Over the past few weeks, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) has opened four dockets of importance to agricultural and other shippers.
Two of the dockets are proposals to improve rate review procedures and make them more accessible.
First is Ex Parte (EP) 755, in which STB proposes a new procedure called “final offer rate review” for challenging the reasonableness of railroad rates in smaller cases.
Second is EP 756, where STB proposes a streamlined market dominance approach for use in all rate reasonableness proceedings.
Comments in both proceedings are due by November 12.
Third, STB also announced a hearing on revenue adequacy, set for December 12, 2019 (see EP 761).
Notices of intention to speak at the hearing are due by October 31.
Written submission are due by November 26.
Last, STB proposed revisions to its methodology for determining the rail industry’s cost of capital (see EP 664 Sub-No. 4).
Comments are due by November 5.