§13702 Tariff Requirement for Certain Transportation

Summary

Carriers that move goods either between parts of the United States that are not connected by land (with exceptions for bulk cargo, forest products, recycled metal scrap, waste paper, and paper waste) or that move household goods must have published tariffs showing their rates and rules. For noncontiguous moves, carriers must file those tariffs with the Board and keep them open for public inspection. The Board decides how tariffs are published and kept. Tariffs must at least show who the carriers are, the origin and destination, any terminal charges when applicable, the services or facilities offered, and any rules that change the rates. Joint through-movement carriers do not have to list inland splits of a through rate. Rates may change by cargo volume over time. The Board can let carriers make changes without filing whole new tariffs, and people can complain to the Board if a tariff seems to break the law. Carriers that move household goods must keep a published tariff that the Board and shippers can inspect. A carrier cannot enforce a tariff unless it tells shippers the tariff is available (for example, on the bill of lading). Carriers are bound by their tariffs, may include tariff terms in agreements, and the Board can cancel tariffs that break the rules.