Title 37 — Title 37

If, in the judgment of the Public Service Commission, repairs or improvements to or changes in any trains, switches, terminals or terminal facilities, motive power, or any other property or device used by any transportation company, subject to the supervision of the Public Servic…

All companies, corporations, lessees, owners, operators, or receivers of any railroad or railway company operating a railroad or railway in whole or in part in this state shall equip, maintain and use upon every locomotive being operated in road service in this state in the night…

Every person, corporation, company or association operating a railroad shall give notice to the commission of every accident happening on any portion of its line in this state, which is attended with death or maiming or other serious injury to the person of anyone, within five da…

This chapter shall be known as the Communications Reform Act of 2005. History: (Act 2005-110, p. 163, §1.)

REPEALED BY ACT 2015-70 EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2019. Telecommunications carriers subject to this chapter shall pay to the commission supervision and inspection fees under the following schedule: (1) Except as provided in subdivision (4), a telecommunications carrier that becomes re…

For fiscal years 2017, 2018, and 2019, supervision and inspection fees for telecommunications carriers subject to Section 37-2A-10(1), (2), or (4) shall be reduced in three equal installments representing, in total, the difference in fees paid by a carrier in fiscal year 2015 and…

(a) This chapter is intended to supersede the remainder of this title as to any matter provided for in this chapter. (b) Nothing in this chapter shall do any of the following: (1) Alter the jurisdiction, rights, powers, authority, or duties of the commission except as specificall…

When used in this chapter, the following words have the following meanings: (1) BASIC TELEPHONE SERVICE. Refers to a service that, as provided by an incumbent local exchange carrier, may be through any technology and through any affiliate or service arrangement and includes the f…

The Legislature finds that advancements in communications technology and innovation have significantly changed the way people communicate. In particular, wireless and Internet technologies delivered by multiple competitors are providing consumers and businesses with advanced comm…

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the commission shall not have any jurisdiction, right, power, authority, or duty to regulate, supervise, control, oversee, or monitor, directly or indirectly, the rates, charges, classifications, provision, or any aspect o…

Universal Service Support. Notwithstanding any provision of Section 40-21-120(1)a. or (2) to the contrary, upon petition to the Alabama Public Service Commission, the commission may designate the petitioning commercial mobile radio service provider as an eligible telecommunicatio…

(a) An incumbent local exchange carrier, local exchange carrier, or inter-exchange carrier shall be deemed to have elected to be regulated under this chapter unless the carrier files written notice with the commission declining regulation under this chapter not later than August …

Notwithstanding anything in this chapter to the contrary, those provisions of Act 2009-461 which revise or create Sections 37-2A-8(b)(2)a., 37-2A-8(b)(2)b., 37-2A- 8(b)(2)c., 37-2A-8(b)(3)a., 37-2A-8(b)(3)b., 37-2A-8(b)(3)c., and 37-2A-8(b)(3)d. shall not be applicable to any inc…

(a) Carriers that become regulated under subsection (a) of Section 37-2A-5 shall send notice to any existing retail customers who will be affected by the change in regulation under subsection (g) of Section 37-2A-4 at least 45 days prior to February 1, 2007. (b) Carriers that bec…

Administrative Functions. (a)(1) The commission shall implement, supervise, and control state and federal universal service programs in compliance with federal and state law. (2) A subscriber who receives Lifeline service shall be required to pay all applicable fees, including th…

(a)(1) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, an entity that is not an incumbent local exchange carrier shall not be obligated to tariff or otherwise provide basic telephone service. An incumbent local exchange carrier shall provide, upon reasonable request, basic …

(a) The commission shall retain its jurisdiction to prescribe reasonable entry standards for persons not previously granted certification to provide telecommunications service in Alabama. (b) Every application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity by a new entrant…

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Alabama Motor Carrier Act.” History: (Acts 1939, No. 669, p. 1064, §33; Code 1958, T. 48, §301(1a).)

Application; Determination by Commission. (a) No common carrier by motor vehicle subject to the provisions of this chapter shall engage in intrastate commerce on any highway in this state unless there is in force with respect to such carrier a certificate of public convenience an…

(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 37-3-14 and to the provisions of subsection (b), a certificate shall be issued to any qualified applicant therefor, authorizing the whole or any part of the operations covered by the application, if it is found, after public hearing of the…

Granted; Deviations; Charter Parties; Transportation of Newspapers, Baggage or Mail; Abandonment or Discontinuance. (a) Any certificate issued under Sections 37-3-10 and 37-3-11 shall specify the service to be rendered and the routes over which, the fixed termini, if any, between…

Authorized. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 37-3-11 or any other provision of general law, local law, or any rule or regulation of a state agency to the contrary, the Public Service Commission is hereby authorized to grant intrastate charter rights to any common carrier…

(a) No person shall engage in the business of a contract carrier by motor vehicle in intrastate commerce on any highway of this state unless there is in force with respect to such carrier a permit issued by the commission, authorizing such person to engage in such business. The a…

No person shall at the same time hold under this chapter a certificate as a common carrier and a permit as a contract carrier authorizing operation for the transportation of property by motor vehicle over the same route or within the same territory, unless for good cause shown th…

(a) No person shall for compensation sell or offer for sale transportation subject to this chapter or shall make any contract, agreement or arrangement to provide, procure, furnish or arrange for such transportation or shall hold himself or itself out by advertisement, solicitati…

or Revocation. Certificates, permits and licenses shall be effective from the date specified therein and shall remain in effect until terminated as herein provided. Any such certificate, permit or license may, upon application of the holder thereof, in the discretion of the commi…

Subject to the provisions of Section 37-3-14, any certificate or permit may be transferred or leased pursuant to such rules and regulations as the commission may prescribe; provided, that no such certificate or permit shall be transferred, or lease of any such certificate or perm…

(a) No certificate or permit shall be issued to a motor carrier or remain in force, and no motor carrier subject to the provisions of this chapter shall engage in any operation on any highway of this state, unless such carrier complies with such reasonable rules and regulations a…

Rates and Charges Generally; Rules, Regulations, and Practices; Other Remedies Not Extinguished. (a) It shall be the duty of every common carrier of passengers by motor vehicle to establish and provide safe and adequate service, equipment and facilities for the intrastate transpo…

The following words and phrases used in this chapter, where not in conflict with the context, shall have the following meanings: (1) BROKER. Any person not included in the term “motor carrier” and not a bona fide employee or agent of any such carrier, who or which, as principal o…

(a) Every common carrier by motor vehicle shall file with the commission and keep open to the public inspection tariffs showing all the rates, fares and charges for transportation and all services in connection therewith of passengers or property in intrastate commerce in the Sta…

Regulations or Practices. (a) It shall be the duty of every contract carrier by motor vehicle to file with the commission, publish and keep open for public inspection, in the form and manner prescribed by the commission, schedules or, in the discretion of the commission, copies o…

(a) The commission is hereby authorized to require annual, periodical or special reports from all motor carriers, to prescribe the manner and form in which such reports shall be made and to require from such carrier specific answers to all questions upon which the commission may …

Every common carrier by motor vehicle subject to the provisions of this chapter receiving property for transportation originating and terminating in this state shall issue to the shipper a receipt or bill of lading therefor and shall be liable as a common carrier under the laws o…

Provisions. (a) In this section, the following words shall have the following meanings: (1) MOTOR CARRIER. The same meaning ascribed in subdivision (10) of Section 37-3-2, or any successor provision and includes an agent, employee, servant, or independent contractor of the motor …

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, all orders of the commission shall take effect within such reasonable time as the commission may prescribe and shall continue in force until its further order or for a specified period of time, as shall be prescribed in the order,…

(a) Any person knowingly and willfully violating any provision of this chapter or any rule, regulation, requirement or order thereunder or any term or condition of any certificate, permit or license for which a penalty is not otherwise herein provided shall, upon conviction there…

No common carrier by motor vehicle shall deliver or relinquish possession at destination of any freight transported by it in intrastate commerce until all tariff rates and charges thereon have been paid, except under such rules and regulations as the commission may from time to t…

Enforcement of Chapter. The commission is authorized to employ such assistants and employees as are necessary to aid the commission in the proper administration and enforcement of this chapter, subject to the provisions of the merit system. History: (Acts 1939, No. 669, p. 1064, …

The commission is empowered to designate by its order such of its employees to act as examiners under this chapter as may be found to be necessary or desirable. Each of the commissioners and any employee designated as examiner by the commission, for the purposes mentioned in this…

From any final action or order of the commission in the exercise of the jurisdiction, power or authority, conferred upon the commission by this chapter, an appeal shall lie to the circuit court of the county of the carrier’s residence or in which he has his principal place of bus…

This chapter and every part thereof shall apply to and be construed to apply to interstate commerce, except insofar as the same may be in conflict with the provisions of the Constitution of the United States and the Acts of Congress now in force or hereafter enacted. History: (Ac…

For the extra, new and additional duties imposed upon the commission and the members thereof by this chapter and for the performance of duties which are and will be hereafter required of said commission and the members thereof under this chapter, each member of the commission, in…

There is appropriated out of the moneys of the treasury, to the credit of the motor carrier fund, the sum of $50,000.00 annually, to meet the expense incurred by the Alabama Public Service Commission under the provisions of this chapter. The expenses incurred by the Alabama Publi…

In addition to all of the taxes and fees prescribed by law, motor carriers shall pay to the commission under the provisions of this chapter the following: (1) Every application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity or permit under this chapter shall be accompanied…

(a) Foreign and domestic motor carriers, motor private carriers, leasing companies, brokers, and freight forwarders shall not operate in interstate commerce in this state without first registering with a base state and paying all fees as required under the federal Unified Carrier…

(a) Any incorporated city or town in this state shall have the right by proper ordinance to tax and collect reasonable privilege license fees or taxes from any motor bus terminal or any person operating any terminal or station facilities for transportation of passengers, property…

The commission is given the power and authority to make such general rules and regulations not incorporated herein or inconsistent herewith by general order or otherwise as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter and may, on its own initiative, inquire into a…

(a) This chapter shall not be construed to apply to: (1)a. School buses or other motor vehicles which are owned by county boards of education or under contract with county boards of education, regardless of whether or not the school buses and other motor vehicles are being used e…

Regulation of Commission. No motor carrier, as defined in this chapter, not exempt in this chapter, shall operate any motor vehicle for the transportation of passengers or property for compensation on any highway in the state except in accordance with the provisions of this chapt…