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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 | Martin J. Oberman |
| Vice Chair | Robert E. Primus |
| Members | Ann D. Begeman |
| Patrick J. Fuchs | |
| Michelle A. Schultz |
OFFICE DIRECTORS
| Economics | William J. Brennan |
| Environmental Analysis | Danielle Gosselin, Acting |
| Management | Rachel D. Campbell |
| Proceedings | Scott Zimmerman, Acting |
| Public Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and Compliance | Michael Higgins, Acting |
| Jannie Sheng, Acting | |
| Chief Economist | William J. Brennan |
| Equal Employment Opportunity | Camella Woodham |
| General Counsel | Craig Keats |
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/jobsIn 2020, the STB ranked 13th among 29 small Government agencies in the Partnership for Public Service's Best Places To Work Agency Rankings.
https://bestplacestowork.org/rankings/detail/?c=TX00Contact 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)
The FOIA provides that a person may request access to Federal agency records or information. The STB must disclose records that any person properly requests in writing. Pursuant, however, to one or more of nine exemptions and three exclusions that the Act contains, a Federal agency may withhold certain records or parts of them. The FOIA applies only to Federal agencies and does not create a right of access to records held by the U.S. Congress, the courts, State or local government agencies, and private entities.
https://www.stb.gov/foia | Email: foia.privacy@stb.govGlossary
The STB website has a glossary of terms associated with environmental issues.
https://www.stb.gov/resources/environmental/environmental-glossaryHistoric Preservation
The National Environmental Policy and National Historic Preservation Acts and other Federal environmental laws require the STB to consider the impact of its licensing decisions on historic properties. The Office of Environmental Analysis develops guidance that clarifies the STB's historic preservation review requirements and posts it on the STB's website.
https://www.stb.gov/resources/environmental/historic-preservation-overviewMaps
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. If the moving company denies the claim—in whole or in part—the customer may need to file a lawsuit or pursue arbitration to obtain compensation. In this type of situation, the customer may need to hire an attorney.
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: collaboration, participation, and transparency.
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
The Rail Customer and Public Assistance Program handles questions on rates and other charges, railroad-car supply and service issues, claims for damage, interchange issues, employee complaints, and community concerns.
https://www.stb.gov/resources/need-assistance/rcpaReports / 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-data