July 27, 2011

FORTY SHIPPERS FILE UNIFIED COMMENTS TO THE

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD URGING FURTHER FREIGHT RAIL REFORMS

WASHINGTON- Following the Surface Transportation Board’s June hearing on rail competition, 40 shippers groups submitted joint supplemental comments on Monday reiterating the need for increased access to rail competition and improvements to the rate regulatory process. 

“While the STB’s recent decision to lower filing rates for shippers was a step forward, freight rail reforms cannot stop there.  In order to help create jobs and increase exports, the STB must protect the rights of shippers by increasing access to rail competition and improving the rate regulatory process,” said Glenn English, Chairman of Consumers United for Rail Equity, a coalition of railroad shippers.

In addition to the extensive record and testimonies made by countless rail-dependent shippers across the nation, the supplemental comments offer the STB further information needed to move forward with reforms to the freight rail industry.  Key issues highlighted in the comments include:

·         how the post-1980 regulatory regime impedes competitive access;

·         the benefits of reciprocal switching and bottleneck/through routes;

·         the lack of effective competition for captive shippers served by two railroad systems;

·         the removal of damage limitations in rate challenge cases.

“Access to rail competition is vital for companies and farmers to compete globally and for the overall recovery of the U.S. economy,” said English.  “We strongly urge the STB to move forward with these changes and finally give shippers access to competition and fair rates.”

For complete text of the letter, please click here.

For more information about CURE, please visit www.railcure.org.

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