[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 197 (Thursday, October 9, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59706-59707]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-23986]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board


Indexing the Annual Operating Revenues of Railroads

    The Surface Transportation Board (STB) is publishing the annual 
inflation-adjusted index factors for 2007. These factors are used by 
the railroads to

[[Page 59707]]

adjust their gross annual operating revenues for classification 
purposes. This indexing methodology ensures that railroads are 
classified based on real business expansion and not from the affects of 
inflation. Classification is important because it determines the extent 
to which individual railroads must comply with STB reporting 
requirements.
    The STB's annual inflation-adjusted factors are based on the annual 
average Railroad's Freight Price Index, which is developed by the 
Bureau of Labor Statistics. The STB's deflator factor is used to 
deflate revenues for comparison with established revenue thresholds.
    The base year for railroads is 1991. The inflation index factors 
are presented as follows:

     STB Railroad Inflation-Adjusted Index and Deflator Factor Table
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       Year                           Index     Deflator
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1991..............................................     409.50     100.00
                                                                     \1\
1992..............................................     411.80      99.45
1993..............................................     415.50      98.55
1994..............................................     418.80      97.70
1995..............................................     418.17      97.85
1996..............................................     417.46      98.02
1997..............................................     419.67      97.50
1998..............................................     424.54      96.38
1999..............................................     423.01      96.72
2000..............................................     428.64      95.45
2001..............................................     436.48      93.73
2002..............................................     445.03      91.92
2003..............................................     454.33      90.03
2004..............................................     473.41      86.40
2005..............................................     522.41      78.29
2006..............................................     567.34      72.09
2007..............................................     588.27      69.52
------------------------------------------------------------------------


DATES: Effective Date: January 1, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Decker 202-245-0330. [Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) for the hearing impaired: 1-800-877-
8339.] By the board, Leland L. Gardner, Director, Office of Economics, 
Environmental Analysis, and Administration.

Anne K. Quinlan,
Acting Secretary.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Ex Parte No. 492, Montana Rail Link, Inc., and Wisconsin 
Central Ltd., Joint Petition For Rulemaking With Respect To 49 CFR 
1201, 8 I.C.C. 2d 625 (1992), raised the revenue classification 
level for Class I railroads from $50 million (1978 dollars) to $250 
million (1991 dollars), effective for the reporting year beginning 
January 1, 1992. The Class II threshold was also raised from $10 
million (1978 dollars) to $20 million (1991 dollars).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[FR Doc. E8-23986 Filed 10-8-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P