Title 49TransportationRelease 119-73

§13708 Billing and collecting practices

Title 49 › Subtitle SUBTITLE IV— - INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION › Part PART B— - MOTOR CARRIERS, WATER CARRIERS, BROKERS, AND FREIGHT FORWARDERS › Chapter CHAPTER 137— - RATES AND THROUGH ROUTES › § 13708

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Motor carriers under federal jurisdiction must show the real rates, charges, and any discounts on a bill or electronic payment request to the payer or that person’s agent, and must say who got a reduction. No one may make a carrier give false or misleading rate information. If the price depends on a customer action (for example, shipping a set volume), the bill must note that a discount or adjustment may apply.

Full Legal Text

Title 49, §13708

Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)A motor carrier subject to jurisdiction under subchapter I of chapter 135 shall disclose, when a document is presented or electronically transmitted for payment to the person responsible directly to the motor carrier for payment or agent of such responsible person, the actual rates, charges, or allowances for any transportation service and shall also disclose, at such time, whether and to whom any allowance or reduction in charges is made.
(b)No person may cause a motor carrier to present false or misleading information on a document about the actual rate, charge, or allowance to any party to the transaction.
(c)When the actual rate, charge, or allowance is dependent upon the performance of a service by a party to the transportation arrangement, such as tendering a volume of freight over a stated period of time, the motor carrier shall indicate in any document presented for payment to the person responsible directly to the motor carrier that a reduction, allowance, or other adjustment may apply.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 10767 of this title prior to the general amendment of this subtitle by Pub. L. 104–88, § 102(a).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 1996, except as otherwise provided in Pub. L. 104–88, see section 2 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as a note under section 1301 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

49 U.S.C. § 13708

Title 49Transportation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73