Evening star., 1932-01-07
MOTOR CARRIERS
CONTROL IS URGED
Drastic Legislation Proposed
in Report to Interstate Com,
merce Commission.
BY GEORGE E. DOYING.

The most sweeping regulation of mo-
tor carriers in interstate commerce yet
| proposed is expected to be recommended
| to Congress by the Interstate Commerce
| Commission on the basis of the report
| made by Leo J. Flynn, one of its
examiners. Transportation experts here
+! expressed the opinion today that the
commission will adopt the Flynn report
substantially as it stands.
| The report, covering about $50 pages
is an exhaustive review of the motor
| carrier situation and is based upon a
series Of Nation wide hearings con-
Quoted by Mr.. Flynn for the commits
| sion last year.
Cites Court Decision.
In addition to reiterating previous
recommendations by the commission
for Federal legislation to regulate inter-
state motor busses, the present report
| includes not only the common carrier
| trucks, but contract carriers as we'll
| Mr.. Flynn cites a decision of the
| Supreme Court of the United States
| handed down more than half q century
ago, in the case of Mum VS.. Illinois,
to support his contention that con-
| tract carriers can and should be con-
! trolled by Congress. In that decision,
relating to warehouses, the court de-
! clared that statute for their regula-
ton simply extended the law to meet
new development Of commercial
| progress.
The regulation of contract trucks"
says Mr.. Flynn, would by merely ex-
| tending a principle of law to meet a
new development of commercial PROCESS.
Considering the effect of unregu-
| lated contract motor carriers engaged
| in intarSfata
merce," he continues, they are clothed
with public interest and Congress has
the power and the duty to protect and
insure the continuance, permanency
| and steady operation of transportation
| by all agencies of interstate commerce.
| If warehousemen, stockyards, packers,
boards of trade and fire insurance are
clothed with public interest, it is rea-
Sonable to say that motor vehicles oper-
ating for hire and using the highways
which belong to the public and are
| primarily for the use OF the public as
| places Of business are clothed with a
public interest"
| Insurance Provision.
| 1t is proposed that these contract
| carriers be required to register with the
| Interstate Commerce Commission and
| to carry liability insurance or indem-
nifty bond for the protection of the
public. The commission, according to
the report should be authorized to fix
the minimum but not the maximum
rates to be charged by such carriers.
! Similar regulation, except as to rates,
would be provided for the anywhere
/ for hire" carrier operating interstate.
| The railroads and water lines, it is
! recommended, should be specifically
authorized to engage in interstate
commerce by means of motor vehicles,
but would be required to secure certifi-
Gates of convenience and necessity, the
same as independent operators. Modi-
! fication of the Clayton antitrust act is
proposed to the extent necessary to per-
nit carriers to acquire competing lines
in the interest of economy and eff
ciency and carriers subject to the in
terstate commerce act would be per-
nitted but not required to participate
in through routes and joint rates with
authorized motor carriers.
1t is suggested also that the rail-
roads should consider whether economy
and efficiency could be promoted by
utilizing the Railway Express agency
as a medium for handling all less
than-carload freight with expedition in
service and reduction in charges to
the shipper.
Copyright, 1922