Stb Increases Some User Fees

Railway Age, March, 1999

Congress has ordered the Surface Transportation Board to raise $2.6 million in user fees in FY 1999 to help pay for its cost of doing business. STB's 1999 User Fee Update Schedule, published last month, covers 113 items. "Only 40 (35%) of these fees reflect increases over the Board's 1998 Update, ranging from a small increase of 10 cents for one item, and $1.00 for five other items, to a $27,500 increase for the processing of a formal complaint filed under the Board's railroad coal rate guidelines," STB said.

It added that the increase for coal rate cases is in line with a recent recommendation by the Department of Transportation's Inspector General.