[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 29 (Friday, February 11, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 7099]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-3137]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[Section 5a Application No. 9 (Amendment No. 8)]


Application of the National Motor Bus Traffic Association, Inc., 
for Extended Approval of its Conformed Agreement

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Surface Transportation Board (Board) seeks comments on 
whether the Board should approve the application of the National Motor 
Bus Traffic Association, Inc. (NBTA), for extended approval of its rate 
bureau agreement.

DATES: Opening comments are due March 13, 2000. Reply comments are due 
March 27, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Send an original and 10 copies of comments and replies, 
referring to ``Sec. 5a Application No. 9 (Amendment No. 8),'' to: 
Surface Transportation Board, Office of the Secretary, Case Control 
Unit, 1925 K Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20423.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph H. Dettmar, (202) 565-1600. 
[TDD for the hearing impaired: 1-800-877-8339.]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In our decision and notice issued today in 
EC-MAC Motor Carriers Service Association, Inc., et al., Section 5a 
Application No. 118 (Sub-No. 2), et al. (EC-MAC) (which are available 
on the Board's website at ``WWW.STB.DOT.GOV''), we expressed concern 
with the way in which motor freight carrier rate bureaus collectively 
set ``benchmark'' class rates, from which discount rates may be offered 
to many, but not all, shippers. We indicated our intent to approve the 
rate bureau agreements of the motor freight bureaus only if class rates 
were reduced to market-based levels, and we requested public input on 
ways in which to achieve our objective.
    NBTA has asked to have its agreement approved. It states that, 
while it does file tariffs on behalf of its member carriers, its 
members express their rates in dollars and cents, and not as discounts 
off of collectively-established bureau rates. Thus, it states that the 
issues over which we expressed concern in the EC-MAC proceeding should 
not be factors in our consideration of its agreement.
    We tend to agree with NBTA that the issues about which we raised 
concerns in EC-MAC should not be of concern here. Nonetheless, any 
person who believes that we should initiate further proceedings of the 
sort that we are pursuing in EC-MAC, or that the agreement should be 
disapproved or conditioned for other reasons may file comments.

    Decided: February 4, 2000.
    By the Board, Chairman Morgan, Vice Chairman Burkes, and 
Commissioner Clyburn.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary,
[FR Doc. 00-3137 Filed 2-10-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-00-P