OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
Honorable Olin Culberaon, Chairman
Railroad Cormnisrlon of Toxaa
Austin, Texas
Opinion No. O-6998
Re: Whether It la
Railroad Commi
tmrvanoe
Dear Sir:
requests the
opinion of this D
livestock feedstuffs, and farm
tlon thereof, to advise the petitlonems that the
Commlsalon Is of the opinion that it should not
assume jurledlctlon OS, or preeorlbe rate8 and .
rules for obaenanor by Speoiallsed Motor Carriers
authorized to transport those oommoditie8r
fionorable Olin Culberson - Tag:, 2
“On Yaroh lk, the attorney for the Texas Llvs-
stook Haulsrs Assoolatlon addrasssd a lrttor to this
Commlsslon, stating that in his opinion the statuts
makes it tha mandatory duty of the Railroad Com-
mission to prssorlbe rates, ~1~8 and regulations
governing the transportation of livestock, 11~~
stock r80d8turr, rarm maohlnery and the other eom-
moditles namsd in 3eotlOn 111, or nouas Bill 351
by the motor oarriers operating under oertlfloates
of oonvenlenos and neoeaslty issued by the Co%-
mlsslon. Said attornap rurther stated:
“‘It la my opinion that the Coamlsslon has
no dlsorstlon t0 exerolao in oonnsctlon with
the qucatlon of whether it shall, or shall
not, presorlbe the rates, but that the Coa.-
mlsslon~~ dlaoretlon arlaes in de.ter%lnlng
what the rate, rules and regulations governing
the transportstlon or such oomoditiea shall
be. No court may aubrtltuta its deo%slon
for the Commlsslon~s deolslon as to what the
rates shall br. Unless the ratrs preaorlbed
by the Commission pursuant to an exerolse of
lta dlaaretlon are dlsorlmlnatorp or aonfls-
c&tory, the oourts may not disturb them.’
*Several years ago and long prior to the pee-
sage of I!. B. Xo. 351 by the Legislature in 1941,
motor oarrlers mgaqed in transporting euoh OOIW
modltles operated untier speolal comodlty pertits
and were not oonsldered or treated by the Co~mlsalon
as either oontraot carriers or oomon oarrlers.
\%llo suoh carrier8 were operating under special
oommodlty permits, and long prior to the enaot&ent
Or H. B. Ko. 351 by the Legislature in 1941, the
Commission held a hearing upon a petition filed by
interested parties seeking to have ratas pra-
sorlbed ror tha transportation of tire same oom-
modltlrs by speoial oommoillty permit holders. 30
Commission held that hearing and pursuant to oon-
sideration thareor entered an order holding that
it was within the Comalssioa~s discretion as to .
whether it would or would not rlx auoh rates and
baoause or ths praotloal dirrioulties involved in
rlxlng suoh rates, oonoluded it should not under-
take to presorlbe such rates.
Honorable Olin Culborson - Pago 3
WIS ~nOr81 oonditioas uadar rhloh li+rstook
are haul04 haro not ahangod, but tha statutr was
usndod by H. 1). No. 351 bf tho Lo~lslaturo or
1941, aad honor tho aoatoatioa thrt it ir the
maadatorr duty oi tho Omissloa to prosorlbo suah
ntos aad that tho Cmlssioa has no dlsontion
to lxorolso with rsspoot to whothor rush ratos
shall, or shall aot, bo prosoribsd.
*This Commlssioa oonsidsrsd tho sp liostloa
of tho Toxss Llrsstook Eaulors Assooist Poa, Num-
borod 1, sboro rsrorrod to snd aonoludsd that
it would not assume jurlsd~otloa and would not set
the applloatlon for hoarlng, a nd lo advised the
pstltlomra.
This Commlsslon would like to hrrs pur ad-
rlos as to whether or not la a situation whoro it
bsllavss it is impraotloabls to iix suoh rates,
the terms and prorlslons of said ststuts nororths-
loss msko it the mandatory duty of this Commls-
slon to prerorlbs mush ratos and whrther or not arid
Livestook Haulers’ oontentloa is oorrsot that the
Commlsslon has no dlsorotlon to rxrrolsa in doter-
mlnlng vðer it ahall, or ah811 not, prosorlk
suah ratos. ”
No will first rorlow ths history or laglslatlon per-
tinent to ths aubjeot of Jour request.
House Bill 335 of ths 42nd Leglslatura (Aots 1931,
42nd Leg., pags 480, ohaptsr 277) amended the original motor
oarrlor aot of thr 41st Lsgl8lsture (Aotr 1929, Wet Leg.,
ohapter 314, pago 698; Aots 1929, Wet bg., 2nd C. S.,
ohaptsr 24, pago 38) and is tho prosrnt baslo oommon osrrlsr
motor oarrlor law (Artlolo 91lb, V. A. C. 9.). Sootion 4
or the 1929 not was amended b7 the 1931 rot to road in part
as r0ii0w8:
“The Commission is hereby rostod with power
and authority and it is horoby mado it8 duty to
s~ponlss and regulate tho transportation Of Propar-
ty for oompensatlon or biro by motor tshiols on
an7 pub110 highwar in this Stato, to Six, prosori~
or rpproro the ssxlmum or mlnlmum or maxlmum and .
minimum rates, fares and shsrgos o? lash motor
o a r r io in
r lo o o r da na
with
o th a 8poOiiiO p r o visio ns
947
Honorable Olin Culbsrron - Pegs 4
heroin oontslnod, to promoribs all rulos aad rogu-
latloas no~ossar~ for tho uorornnomt l? motor oar-
rlors, to pnsorlbo rules ud regul~tIo8s ior tha
lr0t7 oi oporatloar of lsoh oi au& motor olrrlom,
to roqulre tho filing oi suoll moathl~, an8ual or
othor ro orts aad otholr dab of motor oarrlsrs as
tho Oon PasIon m7 doom aooossary, to prororlbo tho
rohodulos and sonIoor of rotor oarrlors operatIn
as oomoa owrlors, rad to suporvIso md to&date
motor oarrlors In all uttors lftootlag tho rslatlon-
ship botroon ruoh oarriors snd tho shlpplag publio
whothsr heroin spooIfloal msntlonod or sot.”
(Artlolo Ollb, Ssotloa &(a‘I , V. A. 0. 8.)
Sootloa 6(d) of t&o 1931 set prorldod iOr what bs-
oaw known as ~spoolal oomm0dIt7 pornItem. The sot did not
oxprosoly subjoot spoolal oommodltl oarrlors to tho various
roqulromonto of Houso Bill 335 portaialng to oowoa sarrier
motor sarrlsrs and se a oonsoquenoo, a lolal oommodltr por-
rite booamo tho subjoot of litigation Pa our oourts whloh
was psndl~ In 1941.
Th I 47th Loglslaturo bg Houso Bill 351 (note 1941
:1th64x~ j, P ‘g* 713. ohaptor 4421 Artiols 911b, Seotloa L(if,
au Iplanted spoolal oommodltr oarrlors br orrating
a iprolal 01 18s ot ooiunoa orrrior motor oarriors doslgnatod
se aspoolalI ;od motor osrrlors*. Spsolallrod motor oarrlers
wore aado au hjeot to the bar10 motor oarzlu law by Sootlon 4
of Bouso Bll . 351 whlah awndod the original motor oarrior
lo tbf lddln 1 8ootlon 58. Subsootlan (a) of the added SOO-
tloa 5a road it
‘(01 Exoopt vttoro otheniso praridod, appll-
eatlons for and holdors of oortliIoate@’ of ublla
oonroalanos and nooossit~, ma prorldrd for i a this
Bootion, shall bo subjoat to all of tho prorlsIons
of thr Act relating to oommonoarriors b7 motor
tehlolo.”
Rates for spoolalIssd motor oarriors an not “other-
rims prm1dsd* In House Bill 351, or slsodaon.
Thoro is a olsar and &~olsIts loglslatiro purpose
~a EOUSOBill 351 that speola.Urod rotor oarrlors ahall bo
oonridoroa as oomoa oarrlor motor larrlors snd subJWt to
8ho bmlo rotor larrlsr law. Tho aaptlon to the lot roads
Ia pati ~prmidlly that spoolalIssd wtor oarriors shall
Honorabh Olin Oulbaraon - PWJO 5
bo rubjoot to thr lawa rdOtin(l to oomaion oarrlera” an&
&otion 1 or tbo oat rOada 80 rollouar
‘se*tlon 1. D.ol~?atioa of Polio~. It ia haro-
by doolaro~ to k tho goliar of tho Loglalatrrro to
rroatr a 01000 or ocmmon 00rrl.r motor 00rr10r0
dorl6nat*~ 00 ~apOolallsab motor oanlora~ to UI-
gaga In the bualn*aa of tranaportlng tor oomputaatlon
or hlrr over the hlgbn~a in thla Statr ofw lrry-
ular routoa OILlnr ulmr lohoduloo dtb ~apoolaliOod
lpulmOat,* oil rla f a lqulpont, houaahola gooaa,
and uaod offlor iumlturo and lqulpmont, llrr~took,
muk, iir00t00k r00aOtwr, gtOin ru0 FdiinOrr,
timber la lta natural atata, wad, mohair, pipe uaod
In the oonatruotlon and malntrnanoo o? star liner
ana plpo llnoa, 0116 in addition, 011 00mioditior
rhloh br roaaoa O? 10 th, width, ral&t, halght,
01~8, or othrr phraloaY ahhuaoterlatlo, roqulro tho
use or l proial detloaa, raallitlo~, o rlqulpmnt for
thrir loadin or unlt.maing:, ma all 0oaot0aiti00 *ioh
roquln ape0 f al ~aol~ltl*a or apeolal motor rehioloa
for ldo q ua to l??loloat
, or rare tranaportatlon~ to
ragilato luah oarrlam in the pub110 interrat to the
on& t&at tho highua~a lna~ be rendered aafor for t&a
uao or thr gonbral publlo, that the wear or lUM
hlgbt~a may be reduoed, that oongration of traffio
on the hl&wayr may br mlnl~.lard, ana that t&r uaa
of the h&hrata aat bo reatrlotad to tha extent ro-
qulna by the naoraalt~ o? the general publlog pro-
tiao rogilatlon ror all oosunon oarrlrra, without un-
just dlsorlmlnatlona, unaua prrforsno~a or adtan-
tagea, unfair ar dratruotirm 00mpetltlTo pra0tl0eO;
lmprore the relation8 betworn and ooordinatr trana-
portrtlon b$ thr rrylatlon of luoh motorroarrlera -
and other o-on orrriers1 proserve thr oommon oar-
rlera 00ming the publlo In thr tr~naportatlon 0r
owodltlea gonorally over regular mutea; drt010p
and prra*n-rr a ocukplatr tranrportatlon lyatem prop-
lrl a& tad to the noeda of tha oommoroa of thla
8ta t l anB ot the National Dofrnaa Program;m
8ppraklng of wmnon oarrlar motor oarriora ana ape4olal-
IrwI motor aarrlora thr oourt raid in Vlotory Truok Liner .v*
Rod Arrow FreQht Lb00, 186 9. W. (24) 988 90th of there
ora treated aa @oommon oarrlorat and lubjrot $ 0ro6UlatlOn ia
lUOh.’
~peoiallited oarrlera are thu8 lubdO0t to th0 OIP,
!349
Bonorablo Olin Culbrrron - Pago 6
rel;ulatlona am had obtalnod with raapaot to regular oommon
oarrlar motor oarrlora, and am it lp~olallrad motor oarrlora
had boon a part of tho orl&nal motor oarrlor sofa.
It tharoforr fOllowa from thr l paolflo pro+ialona
of Subaaotlon (01 of Sootlon So, quoted above, and all tha
lntondmonta of Houar bill 351, that tha power, authority, and
duty of the Rollroad Ocmmlaaion with roforanoa to thr pro-
mulgation or rotor la now ldontloal with rdoronoo both to
regular oommoa oarrlor motor oarrlora and to oomon oarrlrr
lpoolallzrd rotor oarriora, *ad that thrao oarrlrra am equally
lubjoot to the rata8 praaorlbrd br thr Cmnlaaion.
It la noted that original Sootion b of tho 1931
Aota (Artlolo pllb, Sootlon 4) oontalnoa Subaootlon (a) (b)
(whloh was ro lalod by tho 47th Logi#latura), (01, and Id).
Subarotlon (a P quoted horolnboforr ltaolf lnumeratea seven
dutloa or thr Coamlaslon, flro of whloh, lnoludlng the flx-
lng 0r ratoa, or0 l p 00ir f0. The purpose 0r sootion b-8
to anpowor and dlrrot thr Railroad Commlaaion to rogulato
oomon oarrlrr motor oarrlora, In the various named reapeota,
for the purpose or aohioring a lound aa lntodr~trd motor
oarrlrr l~atem in tha pub110 lntrr~rt. Eaoh of tho rubaoo-
tlona oontalna tho mandatory language *thr Coumlaslon la
hereby rooted with power and authority and it la harrbr made
Its dutyWl this language la llkrwlao prosrnt in original
Seotlon 6aa, Seation 8, ana Sootlon 13a. The dutloa or the
Commlaalon uhlah era l peolflod In those rarloua lootlona ropre-
rant foma of ragulatlon oonaldorod by the Lo lalature to be
laaontlal and lmparatlrr to the looompllahmon & of thr purposes
or the mot. The autloa onusorated aro of equal statutory
dlgnltr and forob; the language used boom not prrmit tho oon-
ltruotlan of some of tho dutloa am permlaalrr--aubjoot to the
dlaorrtlon of tha Coamlaalon am to whrthor or not thry will
be porformod--and othora am mnndatory. If thr dutloa are not
oonaldorrd am mandatory, the poaltiro a ndlOtlve regulation
and lupsnialon or oonimon oarrlmr motor oarrlora In all rem-
poota would ba left to the solo dieoration of the Railroad
Commission am to whet&or or not au& re ulatlona would or
would not br looompllrhod. Qultr olear f y It was not tho in-
tontion or tha Loglalaturo that the Canmlasion would havo
the dioorotion to mot or not to lot in the various nmod
reapeota but rather that tho Commia8lon UOUld lxorohe dla-
oration 1n the miknnerof aotlng Only- .
In Tour Motor ~oaohoa, Ino., t. Ballroad Com-
a.laalon, at al, &l 9. Tf. 2a) 10 4, #a Austin Oourt of Clrll
95
Honorable Olin Culb8rron - Pago 7
Apprala oonaldarod th8 nqulr8ment in Saotlona 6 8na 7 or
thr Yotorbua Aof (Artlo 91!8, V. A. 0. -9.1 that thf- Oom-
r la a lo n la o o r ta lna nd abtrrmlnr o o r ta lnr a o ta p r ~a o r lb ea In
the mot in ooanaotlon with an rpplloatlon for a motorbua
oertlfloata of oonrmlrno* and nroraolt~. Seotlon 6 or t&e
mot oontalna the ldrntloal opening language whloh, am pointed
o ut lborn, la prraent In the rat.0 arotlon (b(8)) and in other
lrotlona of thm motor oarrlrr aot (Art1818 9llb): *Thr Com-
mlaalon la horabp rratrd wlth power 8nd luthorltr, and It la
herrby m8ar Its duty*. Tha oourt hold that the duties are
mandat?rJ upon the Commlaalon:
While the oommlaslon 1s given oonsldrrablo
latltudo in the m8nn8r in whloh it m8y prooe8d to
aaoertain the faota preaoribed In the statute am
prrroqulaita to thr granting of auoh permit, the
duties of thr oommiaa~o~ gr8sorlbed in the aot are,
we think, mandatory, *
Thr name oourt in Texas & P. Ry. Co, v. Railroad
Commlsalon, 138 S. W. (24) 927, spoke am follows of the duties
of the Commlaalon under the Motor Carrier Aot (Art1018 911b,
V. A. C. S.):
‘In brief, when the Aot la oonaldor8d In its
ratlroty, it lmpo88a upon tha Ccmml8alon the manda-
tory duty, whrrr the phy8loal atruoturr of th8 hlgh-
rays and the rafrty and oonranI8noe of th8 pub110
will powlt auoh transportation of freight for hire
ovor them, to so regulate, oontrol, and limit auoh
motor tranrportatlon to the nrada of thr publlo;
and to ac rrgulatm and oontrol mama am not to im-
pair rxlatlng oporatlona therrtnL zi8thrr by private
oarrlar or by oommon oarrlrr.
Sutherland on Statutory Conatruotlon, 3rd Ed.,
Vol. 3, page 66, Seotlon 5808, quotes am follows from the
Unit84 Statoa Supreme Court oaao of Board of Suprrrlsors, Rock
;;la;;9Company v. U. S., 4 Wall. (71 U. S.) 435, 446, 18 L.
. : .
When #tatutoa prorldafor the doing of acts
or the rxorolar of power or authority by pub110
orrlosra, aad prlvato rights or the pub110 lnterset
require the doing 0r auoh aota or thr lx43rolas 0r
auoh power or authority, they arm mandatory, IWard-
loam of whether they err phraaod In lmporatlto or
Honorable Olin Culberron - Page 8
p4rmlaalr4 tarns. This rulr baa boon l nunolated br
the Unltrd States Supremo Court, speaking through
Mr. Juatloo Swayno, am rollauar * The oonolualon
to bo drduord from the luthorltlea la, that Herr
pourr la given to publlo Offloara * * *--uhenrvor
the publlo lnt4roat or lndlrldual rights oall for
its 4xarola4--the language uaad, though padaslrr
in form, la in ra0t pr4-omptory.qw
It la well aettlod that if statutory languago la
mandatory, there la no diaoretion in thr admlnlatretlro body
touohing thr question of whether oz not the power &all be
performed, there being dlaoretlon only in the manner of Its
ox4rolao. 43 Am. Jur. page 77, pare. 259.
It la also well settled that the promulgation, ob-
servanoe and 4nforoolc4nt 0r oommon oarrler motor oerrlrr rrolght
rater la In the pub110 lntereat. Thla ham b4en 1eglalatlvelp,
judIoIally, and admInlatratlvrlg reoognlzea and no one would
lerlouely ~eatlon the ralldltg of thla prlnolple.
from all the tOregOIng, we oonolude that the statutes
of Texas pboe the Railroad Conmission under a mandatory duty
to perform the power of preeorlblng rater Sor obasrvanoe by
oommon oarrior motor octrriora, Inoludlng oommon oarrler
apeolallzed motor oerrlers, and that this legj alatlve delo-
gatlon ot power end pleoement OS duty renders it lnoumbent
upon the CommiaaIon to fix, presorlbe, or approve the m~xFmum
or minimum, or maximum and minimum, rat.8 to be obswvsd by
lp4olallz4d motor oarrlera authorized tot renaport llveatook,
llreatook fe4daturra, and farm maohlnery.
14 have heretofore observed that the power, auth-
orlty, and duty of the Rallroad Ccamiiaaion with roferenoe to
the promulgation of rates la Identloal with referenoe both
to regular oommon oarrler motor oerriera and to apeoIalIz4a
common carrier motor oarrler4. The eaaentIal dirferenoe
between the two types of oarriars 10 that the regular motor
oarrler la required to opereto over regular routes on regular
aohedules, wherean the apoolalIzed oarrier la authorized to
operate over Irregular routea and with Irregular aoheaulea~~
In many, it not most, Inrtenoer tho lpeolallz4d oarrler
duplloat4a and la in dlreot oompetltlon uIth tho railroada
ana regular rout4 motor oarrlors. The Commlaalon has of
oourae without exoeption preaorlbed retoa for obrervanoe
by the mllroeda and the regular rout4 motor oarriera. Xt
la at onoo manlfeot that if it la praotloable for the Com-
mlaalon to preaorlbe rates for cbaorvanoe by the rellroada
952
Honomblo Olin Culberaon - Peg8 9
and the regular oommon oarrlera, It would llkewlae be prao-
tloable for the Commlaalon to preaorlbo rat08 for l peolallz4d
oarrlora porformlng 4aaantially thr same transportation am-
vloo. It follows that for thr Commiralon to rrfU@o to do
so In auoh oaar #could pore the quoatlon of unlawful dlaorlml-
nation agalnat the rallr~da and the regular rout0 oommon oar-
rlera. On@ of the oxproaa purposes of the 1941 apeolallzed
motor oarrler aot la stated in Seotlon 1, herelnbeforr quoted,
00 roll0wa:
qrovld4 regulation for all oommon oarriera,
without unjust dlaorlminatlon, undue praf-
lrenooa or adventagea, unfati or deatruotlvo
oompetltlv4 praotloea~ lmprovo the relationa
between and ooordlnats tranaportatlon by the
regulation of auoh motor oarrlera and other
oommon oarrlera; preserve the common oarrlera
serving the pub110 In the transportation of
~o~*o~ltl4a generally over regular rout00
To illustrate, we will assume that the l peoIzllze$
oarrier la authorlz4d to transport llveato~k and livestook
r4odatufra from and to Tort Worth and Sweetwater and that
auoh oarrler transports feed from Fort Worth to Sweetwater
and llveatook from Swretwater to lort Worth. lb10 oarrlage
la alreotlr oampetitivo with tho railroads and with regular
route motor oarrlera authorized to operato between there points
and the Oomm.laalon has preaorlbed rater for obaervanoe by
the rellroeda and the regular route motor oarrlera. If the
CozMoalon refuaea to preaorIbe rater for a l peolallzed oerrler
in auah 4 oaae, It Is obvloua that dlaorlmlnatlon will result
and that the l peolallzed oarrler would have an undue advantage
and oould institute unfair and ae@truOtlvo oompetltlro rate
praotloea,
In Texaa & P. Ry. Co., et al v. Raliroed CommlaaIon,
et al, 138 S. Iv. (2d) 927, the Auetln Court of Civil A?peala
oonaldered the question of the validity of tho aotlon of the
Oommlaalon In granting l peolal ocmioditp permlta under Sea- ,
tlon 6 (a) or the 1931 aot without oonslderatlon of the
ubllo oonvenlenoe and neoraalty for ouch 34rv104. Seotlon
z (4) of the 1931 not did not expreaaly ma kl e
peolzl oommodity
oarrlera aubjeot to the provlalona of the ICOtOr Carrier Aot
am $14 tho aot of 1941 oreatlng apeolallzod oarrlrra. The
o o urheld
t lpeolal oommodity oarrlere nevertheleaa aubjeot
953
Honorable Olin Culberaon - Peg4 10
to thr provision8 of thr mot and partloular emphaala wgg laoed
by thr oourt u OIL the ratter of ratr rogulatlon of ape018 P
omodlty oarrlpora* The o o ur l tO@ umothr
a mandatory dutr
of thr Oaamlaalon to preaorlbr rotor and hold that Seotlon
6(d) of thr 1931 lot would br Invalid upon grounds or dia-
orimiaatlon in favor of spoolal ocmaodlt~ oarriora, ana denial
to other oarrirra of oqual proteotlon of 141, if oonatrurd am
authorizing th0 granting Of a lpOOi4l oommodlt~ permit With-
out regulation am to rat., and without regard to the ability
of exlatlng oarrlrra In this aroa to rondrr the same lrrvloo~.
The following faotora are lmpllolt in the uniform
rato aJratem eloh it war the purpoaa ob thr L4glaletur4 to
aohlero #rough the lnatrumentality of the Railroad Oommla-
alon: The pub110 lnteroat In sound, efflolent, and solvent
oarrlera; non-dlaorImlnation between oarrlera; the right of
indlvl&uiL 04rrlera to oharge reaaonab14 rates and to be
proteotrd from undrroharges, robetea, and unfair OoPrpetltlon;
minlmum use of the highways by thr maximum utilization of
exlatlng oarrlera; and thr right of the shipping pub110 to
unlformlt~ in rates from lll oarrlera for the rem8 tranapor-
tatlon a4nloe.
We are olear in the opinion that no question of
prsotloablllt~ OCUIrelieve the Oommlaalon of its duty to
preaorlbe rates for apeoIallzrd motor oarrlera where rater
for raa4ntlally tho aeme transportation aerrlor have been
preaorlbed for obaervanoo br the rellroeda and by regular
route motor oarrlera.
Them are, however, lnatanoea whore a pertloular
lpeolellzed oarrler transportation a4rvlo4 does not duplloate
a roll or motor oarrler aenloo and for rrhloh the Ocmmiaalon
ham not preaorlb4d rater for obaenanoe br the Milr04dO or
by regular route motor oarrlera. To employ our illustration
again, suppose that in addition to the transportation of
llvaatook from Sweetwater to Fort Worth. and the feed from
Fort Worth to Sweetwater, the lpeolallzed oarrier gooa to a
farm or ranoh some dlatanoe from Sweetwater to piok up the
livestook and to deliver the feed. The otmdltlona Of this
oarrlage will vary in mattora 0r alatanoo, typo or made,
variable weather oondltlona, types of equipment that will ,
trar4ra* UIS roads, *to. whioh present praotloable dlrfl-
oultI4a in the pr4aorlpt~on 0r ratoa. Ner4rth414aa in
Honorrblr Olin Culborron - Page 11
Utifrin( the OhOrt hrti problar, the following mu8t be moog-
nlrodt
_- _tlrrt, the short haul partaker of oomp6it~O+ with the
ruiroaa8 rnQ regular route emon oarrlerr, though le88
aireot, in th a thlr t l6d.d senloe enabler the rpeol8118e~
OUTiOr to 88oure the long hrti burlnerrl 8ooon4, it rat88
lr8 not prrrerlbed Sor the 8hort haul zpeolzllz~d oarrlerr
will be rubjeot to uarertralwd *bld& for thr bu8lnesm"
Mona thmm8elrer~ third, the farmer or rumhar would hate
no l88uranQ8 of orrtalnty or t~lrnerr in the rate8 he would
hare to w from tlmr to tImeI and fourth, if the rpeolallmoa
oarrler oontrolr the matter of rater for the rhort haul, ho
oan in lffrot undermine the preaarlbed rate8 ror the long
haul (Srom Tort Worth to Sweetwoter in our lllurtratlon) bl
rp8olal oonoesrlonr in the short haul, Therefore, for the
lohletoment of an orderly and lrrrotlre rate ryatem, it 18
lrrentl81 that ratem be prerorlbed ror the oomplete trsnrpor-
ktlon renloe.
We as8ume that the rhort haul lllu8tratlon nprerentr
the situation in whloh the Conmlrrlon belletrr It "lmpraotl-
oable" to ilx rater for the namedrpeolallsedmotor oarrlerr.
mImpraotloable*,of oourle, mean8 8omethl between *nol t
aally
done= and %mnot be Done". Hot being tam"fliar with the reoord
made In the hrarlng hold rereral yonrr ago by the Comnlrrlon or
with thr rooord whloh will be made under the present l pplloa-
tlon, we aanlfeatly oamot oategorloallrmower the quertlon
OS lmpraotloablllty. The law doer not, oi oour8e, require
thr doing ot an lmpormlble thing., but we oon8true rour letter
a8 not intending to rtste t&at the tiring oi rater ror the
named rpeolallzed motor oarrlen would be lmpomrlble. We are
o? the opinion that hot8 OS dlifloulty and %Ot lMl1J donew
would not relieve the Commlr8lon of the obligation8 Of the
mmndatory duty under revlbu, and that If oap8ble of aooom-
pli8hment, it 18 the legal duty of the Colamirrion t4 ilX, pre-
lo r lb oe,
r a p p r otheve
aulmum or mla lmum,
o rma x ima
and m
mlnl-
mum, rate8 Sor observanoe by rpeolallzedmotor oarrlerr
authorized to transport llreatook, llrertoak fr~d~tuffr, and
farm maohlnery.
Tour8 rerl tNly
ATrcRPisY 0-t OF mxm
.