§11101 Common carrier transportation, service, and rates

Summary

Rail carriers must provide transportation or service when someone makes a reasonable request. A carrier may finish reasonable commitments under contracts allowed by section 10709 before taking new requests, but any contract that stops a carrier from answering reasonable common-carrier requests is not reasonable. Carriers must give anyone who asks their rates and other service terms either in writing promptly or by making them promptly available electronically. A carrier cannot raise common-carrier rates or change service terms until 20 days after giving written or electronic notice to anyone who, in the previous 12 months, asked for those rates or had arranged a shipment affected by the change. For agricultural products, carriers must also publish, make available, and keep open for public inspection their common-carrier rates, rate schedules, service terms, and any proposed or actual changes. Agricultural products include grain as defined in section 3 of the United States Grain Standards Act (7 U.S.C. 75) and its products, and fertilizer. Carriers must provide service under the rates and terms they publish or make available. The Board must make rules to carry out these requirements and must adopt final regulations no later than 180 days after January 1, 1996. The rules must ensure immediate disclosure and spread of rates and service terms, including classifications, rules, practices, and their effective dates.