STB GRANTS COMPLIANCE DATE EXTENSION IN EX PARTE 656

Surface Transportation Board has granted a request from the HGCB Committee to delay the effective date for ending antitrust immunity for collective ratemaking in the interstate moving industry. The effective date of the new decision has been postponed to Jan. 1, 2008.

Surface Transportation Board has granted a request from the HGCB Committee to delay the effective date for ending antitrust immunity for collective ratemaking in the
interstate moving industry. The effective date of the new decision has been postponed to Jan. 1, 2008.

AMSA took a proactive approach in seeking support from key decision makers in Washington, D.C., to allow the industry a reasonable amount of time to comply with this mandate. We submitted a petition on May 30, 2007.

Today.s notice reflects the requests we made in that petition. The STB took into consideration two key points made in the HGCBC.s petition. First, that the movers are in the peak of the moving season and would have difficulty complying with the earlier Sept. 4, 2007 deadline. And second, the need to seek clarification from the Department of Justice on what the industry needs to do to comply.

The original STB decision handed down on May 7 held that members of the HGCBC and several other trucking industry rate bureaus would no longer be able to legally meet and discuss pricing or other collective rules or practices after Sept. 4. However, HGCBC members who are interstate movers still must maintain tariffs under U.S. Department of Transportation rules. This means that each interstate moving company licensed by DOT will have to publish its own individual tariff when the decision goes into effect.

We are working with federal regulators to implement these significant regulatory changes, but requested much-needed, additional time for moving professionals to meet these new requirements. We are also in the process of developing plans to provide individual tariff publishing opportunities for our members. We are also currently working closely with our attorneys to review these materials and ensure that members can meet their new requirements for tariff compliance and publishing.

The STB.s June 28 decision delaying the effective date for ending antitrust immunity also applies to the activities of the regional freight rate bureaus and the National Classification Committee, which publishes the National Motor Freight Classification, a listing of different categories of freight based on handling and other cost characteristics.