Interstate Commerce Commission: Impacts of Eliminating or Transferring
Motor Carrier and Other Functions (Testimony, 03/03/95,
GAO/T-RCED-95-119).

Virtually all the options GAO reviewed for transferring the Interstate
Commerce Commission's (ICC) functions offer opportunities for budget
savings--ranging from $16 million to $28 million.  Of potentially
greater significance, however, is the matter of how ICC's remaining
regulatory duties would be handled in the future.  If Congress decides
that there is still a need for a high degree of independence and
substantial expertise to carry out the remaining regulatory processes, a
merger with the Federal Maritime Commission or incorporating the
functions into the Transportation Department (DOT) under a Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)-like model might be preferable.  On
the other hand, if Congress decides that an independent regulatory
agency is no longer necessary, then greater savings might be realized by
integrating the remaining ICC functions into the DOT or by dividing them
among several agencies.  Congress may wish to distinguish between rail
and motor carrier regulatory activities. It may be appropriate to
establish a FERC-like entity to handle rail matters and to integrate the
remaining carrier functions primarily into DOT.  This could save money
and preserve independent decisionmaking where necessary.

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

 REPORTNUM:  T-RCED-95-119
     TITLE:  Interstate Commerce Commission: Impacts of Eliminating or 
             Transferring Motor Carrier and Other Functions
      DATE:  03/03/95
   SUBJECT:  Independent regulatory commissions
             Motor carrier operations
             Railroad transportation operations
             Cost control
             Cost effectiveness analysis
             Interstate commerce
             Railroad regulation
             Transportation industry
             Transportation rates
             Federal agency reorganization

             
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