Title: Smith Transfer Company v. Alabama Public Service Commission

State: alabama

Issuer: Alabama Supreme Court

Document:

123 So. 2d 28 (1960)
SMITH TRANSFER COMPANY, Inc.
v.
ALABAMA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION et al.
3 Div. 835.

Supreme Court of Alabama.
September 8, 1960.
Jack Crenshaw, Montgomery, for appellant.
John Patterson, Atty. Gen., Wm. C. Younger, Asst. Atty. Gen., and Wm. F. Black, Montgomery, of counsel, for appellee Commission.
Maurice F. Bishop and Robt. S. Richard, Birmingham, and Wm. Inge Hill, Montgomery, for intervener appellees.
GOODWYN, Justice.
This is an appeal by Smith Transfer Company, Inc. (herein referred to as "Smith"), from a final decree of the circuit court of Montgomery County, in equity, affirming orders of the Alabama Public Service Commission denying Smith's application for amendment of its Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity No. 1972, which authorizes it to transport commodities, insofar as pertinent to this appeal, as follows:
*29 Smith, by its application, seeks an extension of its authority so as to permit it to transport the same commodities, in the same manner, and also over irregular routes, "between Mobile and all points and places within ten miles thereon [sic] on the one hand, and all points and places south of a line fifty miles North of U. S. Highway 80 on the other hand."
Smith's application was opposed by several carriers. After a hearing the Commission denied the application. Smith then appealed to the circuit court of Mongomery County, in equity. That court rendered a decree affirming the Commission's orders. Smith brings this appeal from that decree.
While there is no presumption in favor of the decree of the circuit court, based as it is upon the record of the proceedings before the Commission and not upon evidence taken orally before the court (Code 1940, Tit. 48, § 82; Alabama Public Service Commission v. Decatur Transfer & Storage, 257 Ala. 346, 348, 58 So.2d 887), such rule of review is not applicable to orders of the Commission. As said in Railway Express Agency v. Alabama Public Service Commission, 265 Ala. 369, 374, 91 So. 2d 489, 494:
In discussing the review of findings of the Commission, this court, in North Alabama Motor Express v. Rookis, 244 Ala. 137, 140, 12 So. 2d 183, 185, supra, had this to say:
In denying the application, the Commission concluded and found as follows:
While there is evidence from which the Commission could have found a need of additional service for the intrastate transportation of petroleum (crude oil), as sought by Smith, there is also evidence which we think amply supports the Commission's finding that the existing transportation service is adequate.
It seems that the Commission, in finding that adequate transportation service already existed, gave consideration to Certificates Nos. 2501 and 2240, held by W. M. Chambers Truck Line and Hearin Tank Lines, Inc., respectively. (Certificate No. 2240 was held by Liquid Carriers, Inc., at the time of the hearing and later transferred to Hearin Tank Lines, Inc.) In this connection, there was included in the Commission's original order the following:
"`Petroleum
In the Commission's supplemental report, on Smith's petition for rehearing, it was observed:
Smith argues that the Commission is without authority to "construe" certificates issued by it and erred to a reversal in doing so in this proceeding.
There are cases containing statements to the effect that "it is for the courts and not the Public Service Commission to construe the orders of the latter." Deaton Truck Line v. Birmingham-Tuscaloosa-M. M. F. L., 264 Ala. 345, 348, 87 So. 2d 421, 423; Smith Transfer Co. v. Robins Transfer Co., 258 Ala. 406, 409, 63 So. 2d 351; Murray v. Service Transport, 254 Ala. 683, 685, 49 So. 2d 221; Alabama Power Co. v. Patterson, 224 Ala. 3, 5, 138 So. 421. This does not mean that the Commission is prohibited from placing a construction on its orders but, rather, that the ultimate authority to construe such orders rests with the courts. Indeed, this principle was recognized in Smith Transfer Co. v. Robins Transfer Co., [258 Ala. 406, 63 So. 2d 354] supra, from which we quote the following:
The stated principle originated in Alabama Power Co. v. Patterson, [224 Ala. 3, 138 So. 422] supra, but even there the Commission's authority to construe its orders was recognized. As there said:
Before the Commission can determine whether adequate service is already provided for, it is necessary to consider the authority already given, that is, the certificates held by other carriers covering the same area. If such certificates are ambiguous they must be construed. If clear and unambiguous there is, of course, no need for construction. But, in either event, before the Commission can arrive at a conclusion it must necessarily decide whether the existing service is adequate. To so decide, it may be necessary to construe an existing certificate. If so, it is for the Commission, in the first instance, to determine its meaning, that is, to construe it, with the final and ultimate construction resting with the courts.
We think the Commission correctly interpreted the certificates. However, Smith argues that, even so, the authority under Certificate No. 2240 to transport petroleum has not been exercised, but has remained "dormant", and, therefore, there has been no adequate service. On the other hand, there is evidence that up to the time of the hearing the petroleum had been transported in interstate commerce and that Hearin Tank Lines, Inc., the holder of said certificate, is willing and able to furnish adequate transportation service in intrastate commerce.
The decree appealed from is due to be affirmed.
Affirmed.
LIVINGSTON, C. J., and SIMPSON and COLEMAN, JJ., concur.