[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 17 (Thursday, January 27, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3977-3978]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-1401]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[STB Ex Parte No. 656]


Motor Carrier Bureaus--Periodic Review Proceeding

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.

ACTION: Changes to prior notice issued in this proceeding and extension 
of filing dates.

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SUMMARY: The Surface Transportation Board is correcting its notice 
served on December 13, 2004, and published in the Federal Register on 
December 17, 2004, to inform the public that Board authorization has 
not expired for the bureau agreements of two motor carrier rate 
bureaus--the Nationwide Bulk Trucking Association, Inc., and the 
Machinery Haulers Association, Inc. The Board is also amending its 
procedural schedule set forth in that notice to extend the deadlines 
for filing comments, by approximately 2 weeks, as shown below.

DATES: Opening comments may be filed by the motor carrier bureaus and 
any interested member of the public by March 2, 2005. Reply comments 
may be filed by April 1, 2005. Rebuttal comments may be filed by April 
21, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Any filing submitted in this proceeding must refer to STB Ex 
Parte No. 656 and must be submitted either via the Board's e-filing 
format or in the traditional paper format. Any person using e-filing 
should comply with the instructions found on the Board's http://www.stb.dot.gov Web site, at the ``E-FILING'' link. Any person 
submitting a filing in the traditional paper format should send an 
original and 10 paper copies of the filing (and also an IBM-compatible 
floppy disk with any textual submission in any version of either 
Microsoft Word or WordPerfect) to: Surface Transportation Board, 1925 K 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20423-0001. Because all comments will be 
posted to the Board's Web site, persons filing them with the Board need 
not serve them on other participants but must furnish a hard copy on 
request to any participant.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph H. Dettmar (202) 565-1609. 
(Federal Information Relay Service for the hearing impaired: 1-800-877-
8339.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under 49 U.S.C. 13703, the Board may 
authorize motor carriers (including motor carriers of passengers and 
household goods) to enter into ``bureau'' agreements for the collective 
establishment of rates, fares,

[[Page 3978]]

classifications, and certain ancillary activities. Board authorization 
immunizes activities taken under the approved agreements from the 
antitrust laws. Under section 13703(c), the Board must, every 5 years, 
institute a proceeding to review the motor carrier bureau agreements 
previously approved under section 13703 and shall change the conditions 
of approval of an agreement or terminate it when necessary to protect 
the public interest. Invoking this provision in a notice served on 
December 13, 2004, and published in the Federal Register at 69 FR 75597 
on December 17, 2004, the Board commenced the statutorily required 
review proceeding.
    In its notice, the Board expressed a desire to update its records 
as to which bureaus are still operating. The Board stated that its 
records indicate that approvals for the agreements of the following 
bureaus have expired for lack of timely compliance with the conditions 
on renewal imposed by the Board during the prior review cycle: \1\ 
Machinery Haulers Association, Inc.; Motor Carriers Traffic 
Association; Nationwide Bulk Trucking Association, Inc.; New England 
Motor Rate Bureau; and Willamette Tariff Bureau, Inc. The Board asked 
each affected bureau to notify the agency if its records are incorrect.
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    \1\ In EC-MAC Motor Carriers Service Association, Inc., et al., 
STB Section 5a Application No. 118 (Sub-No. 2), et al. (STB served 
Oct. 16, 2003), the Board summarily approved the agreements of 
certain bureaus after noting their full compliance with the required 
conditions, and, for other bureaus, the Board listed the specific 
steps required for individual bureau compliance.
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    On December 29, 2004, two of the aforementioned bureaus--the 
Nationwide Bulk Trucking Association, Inc., and the Machinery Haulers 
Association, Inc.--filed information showing that the Board's prior 
assessment of their compliance status was incorrect and that, 
therefore, Board authorization of their bureau agreements has not 
expired. By this notice, the Board is notifying the public that its 
records have been corrected to show that the antitrust immunity for 
these bureaus continues in force.
    Concerning the extension of the deadlines for comments, the Board 
is taking this action at the request of the National Motor Freight 
Traffic Association and its subsidiary, the National Classification 
Committee, by motion filed on January 6, 2005. They state that the 
extension is necessary to provide sufficient time to make sure that 
their comments properly reflect the views of their members.
    Board filings, decisions, and notices are available on its Web site 
at http://www.stb.dot.gov.
    This action will not significantly affect either the quality of the 
human environment or the conservation of energy resources.

    Decided: January 19, 2005.

    By the Board, Chairman Nober, Vice Chairman Buttrey, and 
Commissioner Mulvey.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 05-1401 Filed 1-26-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P