PUBLIC LAW 96-448—OCT. 14, 1980
94 STAT. 1903
adequate revenues, as determined by the Commission under section 10704(a)(2) of this title. "(B) The Commission shall, after a hearing on the record, prescribe such rules with respect to joint rates as necessary to ensure that rail carriers which earn adequate revenues, as determined under section 10704(a)(2) of this title, do not receive the rate increases authorized by this subsection unless the Commission determines that it is unable to prescribe such rules without precluding rail carriers not earning adequate revenues from receiving the rate increases authorized under this subsection. "(e)(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 10707 of this title, in the case of any rate increase by a rail carrier that is authorized under subsection (c) or (d) of this section— "(A)(i) the Commission may not suspend such rate increase pending final Commission action; and "(ii) except as provided in p a r ^ r a p h (2) of this subsection, the Commission may not begin an investigation proceeding under section 10707 of this title with respect to the reasonableness of such rate increase; but "(B) an interested party may file a complaint under section 11701(b) of this title alleging that such rate increase violates the provisions of this subtitle. In considering any complaint challenging a rate increase that is authorized under subsection (c) of this section and that results in a revenue-variable cost percentage that is less than the lesser of the percentages described in clauses (i) and (ii) of paragraph (2)(A), the Commission shall, in determining the reasonableness of such rate increase, give due consideration to whether the carrier proposing the rate increase has attained adequate revenues, as determined by the Commission under section 10704(a)(2) of this title, giving regard to preventing a carrier with adequate revenues from realizing excessive profits on the traffic involved and also the policy of bringing to an adequate level the revenues of carriers not having an adequate revenue level. "(2)(A) If a rate increase authorized under this section in any year results in a revenue-variable cost percentage for the transportation to which the rate applies that is equal to or greater than— "(i) 20 percentage points above the revenue-variable cost percentage applicable in that year under section 10709(d) of this title; or "(ii) a revenue-variable cost percentage of 190 percent, whichever is less, the Commission may, on its own initiative, or on complaint of an interested party, begin an investigation proceeding to determine whether the proposed rate increase violates this subtitle. "(B) In determining whether to investigate or not to investigate any proposed rate increase that results in a revenue-variable cost percentage for the transportation to which the rate applies that is equal to or greater than the lesser of the percentages described in clauses (i) and (ii) of subparagraph (A) of this paragraph (without regard to whether such rate increase is authorized under this section), the Commission shall set forth its reasons therefor, giving due consideration to the following factors: "(i) the amount of traffic which is transported at revenues which do not contribute to going concern value and efforts made to minimize such traffic; "(ii) the amount of traffic which contributes only marginally to fixed costs and the extent to which, if any, rates on such traffic can be changed to maximize the revenues from such traffic; and
79-194
O—81—pt. 2
40: QL3
Post, p. 1906. Joint rates, rules.
49 USC 10707.
49 USC 11701.
Ante, p. 1900.
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