DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AND INDUSTRY SERVICES

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

INFORMAL REPARATION DOCKET CASES BEFORE COMMISSION


(By authority of Act No. 300 of the Public Acts of 1909, being S462.2 et
seq. of the Michigan Compiled Laws)


R 460.1 Application for reparation.
Rule 1. The commission will entertain claims for applications for
reparation, if filed with it within 2 years after the delivery of any
shipment of freight at destination, under an informal docket when such
applications are presented to it by the carrier, or carriers, which
participated in the transportation of the property in which it is admitted
that the rate charged was irregular or exorbitant, and supports such
admission by a statement of the facts and uses as a basis for adjustment,
a tariff which was subsequently published naming a rate lawfully
applicable via the route over which the shipments moved. (See R 460.2.)

History: 1944 AC; 1954 AC; 1979 AC.


R 460.22 Informal reparation.
Rule 2. Informal reparation will be allowed in the following cases:
(a) Reparation on account of error in publishing rate.
(b) Reparation on account of the reestablishment of a rate formerly in
effect, which rate was unintentionally omitted in a reissue of a tariff
and the cancellation of which was overlooked when shipments moved.
(c) Reparation on account of rate or charge as assessed (which rate was
lawful at time shipment was moved), which rate is admitted by the carrier
or carriers to be irregular or exorbitant, and should not have exceeded
the rate subsequently established via the same route over which the ship-
ments involved moved. (NOTE: Reparation will be allowed on this
account only when the subsequently published rate was established to
meet new traffic conditions, or circumstances, which the rate as
assessed did not take into account or contemplate. This should not be
construed to include cases in which a rate is reduced simply to meet
competition or another carrier. Any regulation or rule which is used
in connection with a rate or charge may be used as a basis for refund
in informal reparation cases when such refund is sought on account of
conditions or circumstances as outlined in subdivisions (a), (b), and
(c) of this rule.)

History: 1944 AC; 1954 AC; 1979 AC


R 460.3 Application for informal reparation; form.
Rule 3. All applications for informal reparation must conform to the
commission's standard form in such cases.

History: 1944 AC; 1954 AC; 1979 AC.


R 460.4 Extension of principle upon which informal reparation order
based.
Rule 4. When an informal reparation order has been made by the
commission, the principle upon which it is based shall be extended to all
like shipments, but no refunds shall be made upon such like shipments
except upon specific authority from the commission therefor.

History: 1944 AC; 1954 AC; 1979 AC.


R 460.5 Reparation award; assignment.
Rule 5. In awarding reparation, the commission will recognize an
assignment by a consignor to a consignee or by a consignee to a consignor.

History: 1944 AC; 1954 AC; 1979 AC.


R 460.6 Order for refund.
Rule 6. The commission's order for refund on account of a reduced rate
or changed tariff regulation will require the maintenance of such rates or
regulation for at least 1 year as a maximum from the date on which the
rates or rules sought to be applied became effective except that when
refund is made, on account of error in publishing a rate or rule, the
commission's order will not carry the 1-year clause. (NOTE: Attention is
called to the fact that where carriers and shippers cannot agree in claims
involving informal reparation, it is necessary under the statute in case
the aggrieved person desires to submit the claim to the commission for
adjustment, that the complaint be filed with this commission within 2
years after the delivery of the freight at destination.)

History: 1944 AC; 1954 AC; 1979 AC.


R 460.7 Applications; forms.
Rule 7. Applications on the commission's informal docket shall be made
in the following form and all the requirements of this form must be
complied within in every case:

INFORMAL DOCKET NO.

______________________________ Complaintant's No. ________________
Complaintant ____________ Co. Claim No. ________
vs. ____________ Co. Claim No. ________
______________________________ ____________ Co. Claim No. ________
______________________________ Request for authority to pay $_____
Defendant

To Michigan Public Service Commission:
The _______________________________________________________ company
respectfully requests an order herein authorizing the payment to the
above-named claimant, of ________________________, state of ____________,
of the sum of _________________ dollars ________ ($__________), as special
reparation in connection with the following shipment:
Commodity ________________________________________________________________
Number of shipments or carloads____________, aggregate weight ____________
From ____________________________________ to _____________________________
(Point of origin) (Destination)
Consignor ________________________ Consignee_____________________________
Bill of lading issued by _____________________ Co., at ___________________
(Use initials)
Date __________________, 19_______. Shipment moved as follows:
_____________ Co., from ____________ to ____________, via ________________
_____________ Co., from ____________ to ____________, via ________________
_____________ Co., from ____________ to ____________, via ________________
Aggregate freight charges actually collected, $______, date paid____, 19__
By whom paid to carrier_______________ Date of delivery ____________, 19__
Give reference to previous cases which involved the same rate situation __
__________________________________________________________________________
(If combination rate legally applicable, show each factor thereof.)
ton
Rate legally applicable ____ per or ____ carload min. ____ for ___ ft. car
cwt.
Tariff authority_________ M.P.S.C. No.______, page______, effective_______
Rate sought ton carload
To be applied __________per or _________min wt.________for________ft. car
cwt.
Tariff authority__________M.P.S.C. No.______, page______, effective_______
__________________________________________________________________________
Aggregate freight charges at claimed rate would be $_______________.
(Insert here such explanation as the case may require. If shipment was
reconsigned, state date of reconsigning order, point of reconsignment, and
tariff authority for reconsignment. If shipment was misrouted by carrier,
state routing instructions given by consignor, and the proper route in
detail; with specific admission that misrouting was caused by carrier's
agent.)___________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

It is admitted that the rates or rules legally applicable at the time
and over the route shipment moved were, under all circumstances and
conditions then existing, irregular and exorbitant.
It is agreed that the order of the commission authorizing refund herein
may require that the published tariff rates and rules upon which
adjustment is based shall be maintained (as maximum) for a period of not
less than one year from the date on which the rates or rules sought to be
applied became effective.
The undersigned who makes this application in the name of his company
certifies that he has familiarized himself with all the facts and figures
upon which this application for reparation is made and knows the same to
be correct.
Respectfully submitted,
__________________________ company
Defendant
______________, ______________, By ____________________________________
(City) (state) (Personal signature)
_____________________, 19_____ Its ______________________________


The undersigned companies join in the foregoing application:
__________________________ company
Defendant
By ____________________________________
(Personal signature)

__________________________ company
Defendant
By ____________________________________
(Personal signature)

The foregoing application must be personally signed by an executive or
general officer of the accounting or traffic department, and not a
subbordinate.
I, ________________________, have carefully read the foregoing
application and certify that the facts as therein set forth have been
verified by a check against the accounts affected as audited under my
direction, and I now certify that the records of this company show:
1. That the aggregate weight was __________ pounds.
2. That the aggregate freight charge actually collected and retained was
$ ________.
3. That the amount of the refund to which the above-named complaintant
is/are entitled, on the basis of the reduced rate, is $__________ and that
the present weight is $_______ per ton/cwt.
4. The attached statement of billing, exhibit 1, corresponds to the
checked billing of the auditing department.
__________________________________
(Personal signature)

___________________________________
(Comptroller or general auditor)

This certificate must be personally signed by the comptroller or the
accounting officer in charge of freight revenue accounts, and not by a
subordinate.

The foregoing certificate by the accounting officer of the applicant
carrier must be used in every case and must show the aggregate charges on
the shipments. But if the charges, or part of the charges were collected
by another carrier or carriers, the following certificates will also be
used, and in that event the above certificate, so far as the charges
collected are concerned, will be understood to be based on and qualified
by the assumed correctness of the following certificates.
If the applicant carrier did not collect the freight charges, the
carrier which made the collection will use the following supplemental
certificate; and if a third carrier collected part of the charges, the
special certificate will also be used, and the supplemental certificate
will be understood to be based on and qualified by the assumed correctness
of the special certificate.

SUPPLEMENTAL CERTIFICATE

I, ___________________________________, the ____________________ of the
______________________________ Rail __________ company, have carefully
read the foregoing application and now certify that the records and
accounts of this company, as audited under my direction, show:
1. That the aggregate weight was __________ pounds.
2. That the aggregate freight charge, actually collected and retained,
was $_________.
3. That the attached statement of billing, exhibit 1, corresponds to the
checked billing of the auditing department of this company.

__________________________________
(Comptroller or general auditor)

This certificate must be personally signed by the comptroller or the
accounting officer in charge of freight revenue accounts, not by a
subordinate.


When a carrier, other than the applicant and not the carrier using the
supplemental certificate, has collected any part of the charges, the
following special certificate will also be used:

SPECIAL CERTIFICATE

I, ___________________________________, the ____________________ of the
______________________________ Rail __________ company, have carefully
read the foregoing application and now certify that the records and
accounts of this company, as audited under my direction, show:
1. That the aggregate weight was _______________ pounds.
2. That additional freight charges were collected by this company to the
amount of $___________, no part of which has been refunded.

__________________________________
(Personal signature)

__________________________________
(Comptroller or general auditor)

This certificate must be personally signed by the comptroller or the
accounting officer in charge of freight revenue accounts, not by a
subordinate.



COMPLAINANT'S CERTIFICATE

I hereby certify that charges of $_______________ on the shipments
involved herein were paid and borne as such by
______________________________ Co., and by no other.
By _____________________________ Its__________________________________.


Subscribed and sworn to before me this_______day of_______, A.D. 19___.
(Seal) Notary Public____________________

_________________________________________________________________

Instructions--Read carefully

1. Under section 10G of Act No. 300, Public Acts of 1909, as amended,
and as interpreted by the commission, all claims for reparation are
absolutely barred if not filed within 2 years from the date property was
delivered.
2. This application should be accompanied by the original paid freight
bills, which will be returned by the commission after the claim has been
acted upon.
3. The commission will authorize payment only to the party who paid and
bore the charges and not to an assignee. Where the application is for
authority to refund to the consignee when the paper shows that the charges
were paid by the consignor, or vice versa, the commission requires that a
stipulation be filed with the application signed by the consignor, by the
consignee, and by an executive or general officer of the carrier in
substantially the following form:
Title. (Here insert names of complainant and defendants as in
application to which stipulation relates.)

The undersigned _________________________, the consignor of the
following described shipments (here insert date, car number, commodity,
and points of origin and destination) and _______________, the consignee
thereof, and the undersigned ____________________ Rail
____________________ Company, stipulate and agree that any order entered
in the above-entitled informal complaint for a refund on account of the
excessive freight charges collected on said shipment shall be in favor of
(here insert name of consignor or consignee, as case may be).

____________ (Signature of cosignor,)_____________
____________ (Signature of cosignee,)_____________
_____________ Rail _____________ Co.______________
By _______________________________________________
Its ______________________________________________

History: 1944 AC; 1954 AC; 1979 AC.