FOR RELEASE	Contact: Dennis Watson
10/24/2001 (Wednesday)	(202) 565-1596
No. 01-51	FIRS 1 (800) 877-8339
	www.stb.gov

Surface Transportation Board Revises Carload Waybill Sampling Procedures to Require Sampling of Export Rail Traffic

Surface Transportation Board (Board) Chairman Linda J. Morgan announced today that the Board has issued a decision revising the procedures used to sample traffic moving over the United States railroad system. The new procedures will require railroads to include export traffic moving through the U.S. to Canada or Mexico in the "annual carload waybill sample."

U.S. railroads annually terminating 4,500 or more carloads (or five percent of the carloads in any state) are required to report data, including revenues, on random samples of individual movements terminating on their lines, per Part 1244.2 of Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (49 CFR Part 1244.2). This waybill sample is used for a variety of purposes by the Board, parties appearing before the Board, other Federal and state agencies, and by the general public. The waybill sample does not, however, capture movements terminating in Canada or Mexico. Because of the increased volume of rail traffic moving between the U.S. and Canada or Mexico, the Board found that its waybill sample will be more complete and accurate if it captures all rail traffic moving through the U.S. Accordingly, it adopted new regulations codified at 49 CFR 1244.3.

The Board's decision was issued today in Modification of the Carload Waybill Sample Reporting Procedures, STB Ex Parte No. 385 (Sub-No. 5). A printed copy of the decision is available for a fee by contacting D~-2-D~ Legal, Room 405, 1925 K Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20006, telephone (202) 293-7776, or via http://Da_To_Da@hotmail.com. The decision also is available for viewing and downloading via the Board's website at http://www.stb.dot.gov.

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