United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1999-02-26 monographic deposited born digital 114 p. GA 1.13:RCED-99-46 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-RCED-99-46 P0b002ee18038200d f:rc99046 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-RCED-99-46 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-RCED-99-46 RCED-99-46 Freight transportation rates Railroad regulation Railroad transportation operations Transportation costs Competition Interstate commerce Administrative remedies Railroad industry Dispute settlement Chapter Report RCED As a result of mergers, bankruptcies, and the redefinition of what constitutes a major railroad, the number of major freight railroads in the United States collectively known as class I freight railroads declined from 63 in 1976 to nine in 1997. These major railroads moved almost 1.6 billion tons of freight in 1997, generating $35 billion in revenue. Some shippers and their associations have raised concerns that mergers and consolidations in the railroad industry have significantly reduced competition and have given large railroads wide latitude in controlling the rates that they charge companies that use rail to transport their commodities. This report describes (1) the Surface Transportation Board's rate relief complaint process and how it has changed since the Interstate Commerce Commission's Termination Act of 1995 became law, (2) the number and the outcome of rate relief cases pending or filed since 1990, and (3) the opinions of shippers about the barriers they face when bringing rate complaints to the Board and the potential changes to the process to reduce these barriers. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-RCED-99-46/html/GAOREPORTS-RCED-99-46.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-RCED-99-46/pdf/GAOREPORTS-RCED-99-46.pdf GAO/RCED-99-46 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-RCED-99-46 Chapter Report GAO/RCED-99-46; Railroad Regulation: Current Issues Associated With the Rate Relief Process; Freight transportation rates Railroad regulation Railroad transportation operations Transportation costs Competition Interstate commerce Administrative remedies Railroad industry Dispute settlement Public Law 94-210 Public Law 96-448 Title 49 Part 1002through 1115 49 CFR Part 1002through 1115