General Jurisdiction Over Freight Forwarder Service

Summary: This NPRM proposes changes to existing regulations regarding the issuance of bills of lading by freight forwarders and also gives notice of the FHWA's general jurisdiction over all segments of the freight forwarding industry (not just household goods freight forwarders), in accordance with the ICC Termination Act of 1995 (ICCTA), Public Law 104-88, 109 Stat. 803. Before the ICCTA became effective on January 1, 1996, the former Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) had both general and licensing jurisdiction over household goods freight forwarders only, because the non-household goods segment of the freight forwarding industry had been substantially deregulated in 1985. The ICCTA abolished the ICC and gave the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) general jurisdiction over all freight forwarder service, requiring freight forwarders to register with the Secretary to provide the transportation or service they seek to provide. The Secretary has delegated this authority over all freight forwarder service to the FHWA. This NPRM proposes to amend 49 CFR 373.201, which governs the issuance of bills of lading by household goods freight forwarders, by expanding its coverage to include the non-household goods segment of the freight forwarder industry.