Interstate Commerce Commission: Transferring ICC's Rail Regulatory
Responsibilities May Not Achieve Desired Effects (Testimony, 06/09/94,
GAO/T-RCED-94-222).

The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) continues to perform several
important rail regulatory functions that are essential as long as there
are captive shippers and market-dominant railroads. These duties could
conceivably be transferred to the Transportation and Justice
Departments, but it is unclear whether the benefits would be significant
and the potential exists for loss of independence in decision-making.
There is greater potential for budgetary savings in the motor carrier
area. Although many shippers and transportation brokers question the
need for the current system of motor carrier rate and entry regulation,
Congress needs to answer basic questions about the appropriate extent of
motor carrier tariff filing and entry application requirements in a
deregulated environment. These functions constitute about one-third of
ICC's annual budget. ICC's ancillary motor carrier functions, such as
providing consumer protection for the movement of household goods,
continue to be important and will likely need to either be performed by
ICC or transferred to another agency along with the resources needed to
carry them out adequately.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  T-RCED-94-222
     TITLE:  Interstate Commerce Commission: Transferring ICC's Rail 
             Regulatory Responsibilities May Not Achieve Desired
             Effects
      DATE:  06/09/94
   SUBJECT:  Transportation rates
             Railroad industry
             Trucking operations
             Cost effectiveness analysis
             Independent regulatory commissions
             Federal agency reorganization
             Interstate commerce
             Railroad regulation
IDENTIFIER:  Trucking Regulatory Reform Act of 1993
             
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