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The United States Government Manual
Surface Transportation Board
395 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20423
202-245-0245
http://www.stb.gov | Email: rcpa@stb.gov
BOARD
| CHAIR | Patrick J. Fuchs |
| Vice Chair | Michelle A. Schultz |
| Members | Karen J. Hedlund |
| Members | Ann D. Begeman |
| Robert E. Primus | |
| (vacancy) |
OFFICE DIRECTORS
| Economics | Kristen Monaco |
| Environmental Analysis | Danielle Gosselin |
| General Counsel | Anika Cooper |
| Management | Rachel D. Campbell |
| Passenger Rail | Neil Moyer |
| Proceedings | Scott Zimmerman, Acting |
| Public Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and Compliance | Janie Sheng |
| Equal Employment Opportunity | Camella Woodham |
| (%blankline%) |
The Surface Transportation Board adjudicates and resolves railroad rate and service disputes and reviews proposals for railroad mergers.
The Surface Transportation Board (STB) is the successor agency to the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), which was created in 1887. The ICC Termination Act of 1995 established the STB as an independent adjudicatory body within the Department of Transportation. It remained administratively aligned with the Department for nearly two decades. On December 18, 2015, the Surface Transportation Board Reauthorization Act of 2015 established the STB as a wholly independent Federal agency (49 USC 1301 et seq.).
https://www.stb.gov/about-stbThe STB comprises five members, whom the President appoints and the Senate confirms for 5-year terms. The President also designates one of the members to serve as the Board's chair.
https://www.stb.gov/about-stb/board-membersThe STB posts its organizational chart at the bottom of the "Offices" web page.
https://www.stb.gov/about-stb/officesActivities
The STB adjudicates disputes and regulates interstate surface transportation through various laws governing the different modes of surface transportation. Its general responsibilities include the oversight of firms engaged in interstate and foreign commercial transportation—to the extent that it takes place within the United States, or between or among points in the contiguous United States and points in Alaska, Hawaii, or U.S. Territories or possessions. The STB’s jurisdiction generally extends over railroad rate and service issues, rail restructuring transactions, including mergers and line abandonments, construction, and sales, and labor matters related thereto; some moving van, trucking, and noncontiguous ocean shipping company rate matters; some intercity passenger bus company financial, operational, and structural matters; and pipeline matters that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission does not regulate.
The STB promotes substantive and procedural regulatory reform, provides a forum for the resolution of disputes, and facilitates appropriate market-based business transactions. Through rulemakings and case disposition, it develops improved and efficient ways of analyzing problems, reducing costs associated with regulatory oversight, and encouraging private sector negotiations and resolutions.
Sources of Information
Administrative Issuances
The STB posts administrative issuances that may apply to or affect the public.
https://www.stb.gov/about-stb/administrative-issuancesAgricultural Contracts
Rail carriers must file a summary of each contract entered into for the transportation of agricultural products. Beginning with the first quarter of 2008, filed contract summaries are available on the STB's website in Portable Document Format (PDF) and grouped by railroad.
https://www.stb.gov/reports-data/agricultural-contract-summaries | Email: rcpa@stb.govArchived Records
The "Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States" indicates that Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) records have been assigned to record group 134. The ICC's successor agency is the STB.
https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/134.htmlCareer Opportunities
The STB maintains an employment web page.
https://www.stb.gov/about-stb/jobsSTB job opportunities are also available on USAJobs by searching “Surface Transportation Board.
Contact Information
The STB's address is 395 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20423. Phone, 202-245-0245. TTY, 800-877-8339.
Email: rcpa@stb.govEnvironmental Comments
Correspondence and documents that the Office of Environmental Analysis has issued and comments that are part of environmental reviews are accessible online.
https://www.stb.gov/proceedings-actions/environmental-commentsFederal Register
Significant documents and documents that the STB recently published in the Federal Register are accessible online.
https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/surface-transportation-boardFreedom of Information Act (FOIA)
FOIA gives the public the right to access records of the STB, except where the release of the information in those records would harm an interest protected by one or more of the nine FOIA exemptions (such as commercially sensitive information, personal privacy information, investigative documents, ADR materials, etc.) or where release of information is prohibited by law.
https://www.stb.gov/foia | Email: foia.privacy@stb.govThe Board’s FOIA officer may be contacted by phone (202) 254-0271 or email: foia.privacy@stb.gov.
Email: foia.privacy@stb.govYou do not have to file a FOIA request to obtain records that the Board makes routinely available at www.stb.gov, where you may search for filings, decisions, environmental comments, recordations and many other records. You also may seek information about STB matters without submitting a FOIA request or incurring FOIA fees by contacting the Board’s Rail Customer and Public Assistance (RCPA) service (see below).
https://www.stb.gov/foiaLegal Resources
The Board’s website provides information about statutes, legislation, and regulations relevant to the STB, as well as selected other documents.
https://www.stb.gov/resources/legal-resources/Litigation Alternatives
The Board has alternative dispute resolution services available to the public, including mediation and arbitration.
Confidential mediation of formal proceedings before the Board is conducted by trained Board staff. Mediation is not available in Board proceedings in which the agency is required to grant or deny a license or other regulatory approval or exemption, and those that involve labor protection.
The Board’s arbitration program is available to shippers and railroads that opt-in to the arbitration program by submitting a notice to the Board. Five types of matters are eligible for Board arbitration: rates; demurrage; accessorial charges; misrouting or mishandling of rail cars; and disputes over a carrier’s published rules and practices as applied to particular rail transportation. When a party opts into the program, they can limit the types of matters that they are willing to arbitrate and can opt-out at any time with 90-day notice.
The Board also has a Rail Customer and Public Assistance service, which handles a variety of public inquiries and provides confidential informal dispute resolution services.
https://www.stb.gov/resources/litigation-alternatives/Maps
The "Railroad Map Depot" web page has links to railroad maps. The railroad map information is based on publicly available maps and data that government agencies, railroads, and other stakeholders produce.
https://www.stb.gov/resources/railroad-map-depotMoving Companies
A moving company is responsible if it loses or damages a customer’s household possessions during the move. The customer may file a claim with the mover to request financial compensation for the loss or damage. For additional information, individuals should see the Board’s website or may contact the Rail Customer and Public Assistance service, described below, at rcpa@stb.gov.
https://www.stb.gov/resources/need-assistance/hhg-moving/hhg-lost-or-damaged-itemsNews
The STB posts press releases online.
https://www.stb.gov/news-communications/latest-newsOpen Government
The STB supports the three principles of Open Government: transparency, participation, and collaboration.
https://www.stb.gov/about-stb/open-governmentPerformance / Accountability
Starting with the year 2016, the STB posts these annual reports on its "Strategic Plan and Performance & Accountability Reports" web page.
https://www.stb.gov/about-stb/agency-materials/strategic-plan-and-parsRail Customer and Public Assistance
Rail Customer and Public Assistance solves problems in ways ranging from a simple answer to a telephone inquiry to lengthy confidential informal mediation efforts. Topics handled by RCPA include questions on rates and other charges, railroad car supply and service issues, claims for damage, interchange issues, employee complaints, and community concerns. The staff also explains the Board’s jurisdiction and procedures and informally answers questions based on the staff’s knowledge and experience. Phone: (866) 254-1792 (toll free) or (202) 245-0238
https://www.stb.gov/resources/need-assistance/rcpa | Email: rcpa@stb.govReports / Data
Information on the economic data, service data, and other materials that the STB collects or prepares is posted online.
https://www.stb.gov/reports-dataSocial Media
The STB posts newsworthy items and announcements on its pages on X and LinkedIn. https://x.com/STB_Newsroom https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-surface-transportation-board/ The STB also streams hearings and has videos of past hearings on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@surfacetransportationboard8768
https://x.com/STB_Newsroom