[United States Government Manual]
[July 01, 1995]
[Pages 596-600]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION

Twelfth Street and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20423
Phone, 202-927-7119
Chairman                                         Linda J. Morgan
Vice Chairman                                    Gus A. Owen
Commissioners                                    J.J. Simmons III, Gail 
                                                     C. McDonald, 
                                                     (vacancy)

Chief of Staff and Chief Executive Officer       Amy Northcutt
  Deputy Chief Executive Officer                 J.B. Robinson
  Counsel to the Chief Executive                 John M. Atkisson
      Officer/Privacy/Freedom of 
      Information Act Officer
  Chief, Section of Facility and                 Don Hirst
      Systems Services
  Chief, Section of Financial                    Aubrey Herndon
      Services
  Chief, Section of Personnel                    J.B. Robinson
      Services
Director, Office of Compliance and Enforcement   Bernard Gaillard
  Associate Director                             Thomas T. Vining
  Deputy Director, Section of                    Dixie Horton
      Operations, Insurance, and 
      Tariffs
  Deputy Director, Section of                    Charles E. Wagner
      Investigations and 
      Enforcement
Director, Office of Economic and Environmental   Milan P. Yager
    Analysis
  Associate Director                             Leland Gardner
  Deputy Director, Section of                    Ward L. Ginn
      Costing and Financial 
      Information
  Deputy Director, Section of                    Thomas A. Schmitz
      Research and Analysis
  Deputy Director, Section of                    Elaine K. Kaiser
      Environmental Analysis
Director, Office of Human Relations              Alexander W. Dobbins
Director, Office of Proceedings                  David M. Konschnik
  Assistant to the Director,                     Julia M. Farr
      Section of Administration
  Deputy Director, Section of Legal              Joseph H. Dettmar
      Counsel I
  Deputy Director, Section of Legal              Beryl Gordon
      Counsel II
Director, Office of Congressional and Press      Richard S. Fitzsimmons
    Services
Director, Office of Public Assistance            Dan G. King
General Counsel                                  Henri F. Rush
  Deputy General Counsel                         Ellen D. Hanson
Inspector General                                James J. Mckay
Secretary                                        Vernon A. Williams
Assistant Secretary                              Anne K. Quinlan
  Chief, Section of Records                      Edward C. Fernandez

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  Chief, Section of Licensing                    (vacancy)
  Chief, Section of Publications                 Ellen R. Keys

[For the Interstate Commerce Commission statement of organization, see 
the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 49, Part 1011]

________________________________________________________________________
  
The Interstate Commerce Commission regulates interstate surface 
transportation, including trains, trucks, buses, water carriers, 
household goods transporters, freight forwarders, transportation 
brokers, and pipelines that are not regulated by the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission. The regulatory laws vary depending on the type of 
transportation; however, they generally involve certification of 
carriers seeking to provide transportation for the public and regulation 
of their rates, adequacy of service, and carrier consolidations. The 
Commission assures that the public receives shipping rates and services 
that are fair and reasonable.

The Interstate Commerce Commission was created as an independent 
regulatory agency by act of February 4, 1887 (49 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.), 
now known as the Interstate Commerce Act.
    The Commission's responsibilities include regulation of carriers 
engaged in transportation in interstate commerce and in foreign commerce 
to the extent that it takes place within the United States. Surface 
transportation under the Commission's jurisdiction includes railroads, 
trucking companies, bus lines, household goods transporters, freight 
forwarders, water carriers, transportation brokers, and pipelines that 
are not regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
    The Commission's authority has been strengthened and its 
jurisdiction broadened by subsequent legislation, such as the Hepburn 
Act, the Panama Canal Act, the Motor Carrier Act of 1935, and the 
Transportation Acts of 1920, 1940, and 1958.
    However, in more recent legislation, beginning with the Railroad 
Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (45 U.S.C. 801), the 
Commission's statutory mandate has been altered to provide for less 
regulation over carrier rates and practices. This fundamental shift in 
national transportation policy has proceeded in the Motor Carrier Act of 
1980, the Staggers Rail Act of 1980, the Household Goods Transportation 
Act of 1980, the Bus Regulatory Reform Act of 1982, the Surface Freight 
Forwarder Deregulation Act of 1986, the Negotiated Rates Act of 1993, 
and the Trucking Industry Regulatory Reform Act of 1994. These measures 
provided for a sharply reduced Federal role in regulating the trucking, 
railroad, and bus industries.
    The Chairman is designated by the President from among the five 
Commissioners. The Commissioners elect their own Vice Chairman annually 
and may delegate certain duties and functions to individual 
Commissioners or to boards consisting of not less than three eligible 
employees.
    Field offices are maintained in various cities to monitor the 
utilization of railroad freight cars in order to avoid severe shortages, 
investigate violations of the Interstate Commerce Act and related laws, 
and provide assistance to the public in its use of regulated carriers 
that provide transportation by railroad, highway, and waterway.

Activities

In broad terms and within prescribed legal limits, Commission 
regulations encompass transportation economics and service.
    In the transportation economics area, the Commission settles 
controversies over rates and charges among regulated carriers, shippers, 
receivers of freight, passengers, and others. It rules upon applications 
for mergers, consolidations, and acquisitions of control. It prescribes 
accounting rules and awards reparations and administers laws relating to 
railroad bankruptcy. It acts to prevent unlawful discrimination, 
destructive competition,

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[[Page 599]]

and rebating. It also has jurisdiction over the use, control, supply, 
movement, distribution, exchange, interchange, and return of railroad 
equipment. Under certain limited conditions, the Commission is 
authorized to direct the handling and movement of traffic over a 
railroad and its distribution over other lines of railroads.
    In the transportation service area, the Commission grants the right 
to operate railroads, trucking companies, bus lines, household goods 
transporters, freight forwarders, water carriers, and transportation 
brokers. It also approves applications to construct and abandon railroad 
lines.
    Although public hearings on matters before the Commission may be 
held at any point throughout the country, final decisions are made at 
the Washington, DC, headquarters in all formal proceedings. These cases 
include rulings upon rate changes, applications to engage in for-hire 
transport, carrier mergers, adversary proceedings on complaint actions, 
and punitive measures taken in enforcement matters.

            Regional Offices--Interstate Commerce Commission            
------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Headquarters/Address                       Director             
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CENTRAL--Rm. 1304, 219 S. Dearborn   William Redmond, Jr.               
 St., Chicago, IL 60604                                                 
EASTERN--Rm. 16400, 3535 Market      Richard M. Biter                   
 St., Philadelphia, PA 19104                                            
WESTERN--Suite 500, 211 Main St.,    John H. Kirkemo                    
 San Francisco, CA 94105                                                
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sources of Information

Consumer Affairs  The Commission maintains a staff at each of its 
regional offices to handle complaints from the public regarding the 
transportation services provided by carriers.
    Among the many consumer-oriented services are a series of advisory 
bulletins alerting the public and prospective transportation users to 
the existence of certain transportation problems. There is also a 
regulation requiring household goods carriers to furnish an information 
bulletin to each prospective customer. These public advisories may be 
obtained
from the Office of Compliance and Enforcement, Interstate Commerce 
Commission, Washington, DC 20423. Phone, 202-927-5500.
Contracts and Procurement  Inquiries regarding the Commission's 
procurement and contracting activities should be addressed to the Chief 
Operating Officer, Interstate Commerce Commission, Washington, DC 20423. 
Phone, 202-927-5370.
Employment  Applications for employment may be sent to the Chief, 
Section of Personnel Services, Interstate Commerce Commission, 
Washington, DC 20423. Phone, 202-927-7288.
Publications  A complete list of publications, including explanatory 
material on the operation and activities of the Interstate Commerce 
Commission and on special consumer-related fields, such as household 
goods movements and small shipments, is available. It may be obtained 
from the Office of Public Services, Room 3130, Interstate Commerce 
Commission, Washington, DC 20423. Phone, 202-927-5350.
Reading Rooms  The library and several rooms at ICC Headquarters are 
available for records inspection and copying. Requests for access to 
public records should be made at the Office of the Secretary, Room 2215, 
ICC Building; or write to the Secretary, Interstate Commerce Commission, 
Washington, DC 20423. Phone, 202-927-7428.
Small Business Activities  The Commission maintains an Office of Public 
Services to help the small business owner or transportation firm in such 
matters as how to file protests on rates, how to file for new operating 
authority or extensions, or how to obtain adequate service where there 
is none. Inquiries should be addressed to the Office of Public Services, 
Room 3119, Interstate Commerce Commission, Washington, DC 20423. Phone, 
202-927-7597.
Speakers  Requests for speakers to discuss subjects relating to the 
Commission's organization, operations, procedures, and regulations 
should be

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directed to the Office of Public Services, Room 3130, Interstate 
Commerce Commission, Washington, DC 20423. Phone, 202-927-5350.

For further information, contact the Office of Public Services, 
Interstate Commerce Commission, Room 3130, Twelfth Street and 
Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20423. Phone, 202-927-5350.

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