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STB
Surface Transportation Board
The Surface Transportation Board was established in 1996 as the successor to the Interstate Commerce Commission. The Board was administratively aligned with the Department of Transportation until enactment of the Surface Transportation Board Reauthorization Act of 2015 established the Board as a fully independent agency. The Board consists of five members, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate for 5-year terms. The Board is charged with the economic regulation of various modes of surface transportation, primarily freight rail. The Board has regulatory jurisdiction over railroad rate reasonableness, mergers, line acquisitions, new rail line construction, and abandonments of existing rail lines. While most of the Board’s work involves freight railroads, the Board also has certain responsibilities with respect to passenger rail matters; the intercity bus industry; pipelines other than water, gas, or oil; household goods carriers’ tariffs; and rate regulation of non-contiguous domestic water transportation (i.e., freight shipping between mainland United States and Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. territories and possessions).
Recent Regulations
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STB
Recent Regulations
View all →RuleFeb 3, 2026
Nomenclature Corrections Due to Office Reorganization, Removal of Obsolete References, and Payment Processing Changes
RuleJan 14, 2026
Civil Monetary Penalties-2026 Adjustment
ProposedJan 9, 2026
Eliminating Regulatory Barriers to Competition: Review of Part 1144
ProposedNov 18, 2025
Updating Class I Rail Carrier Reporting Requirements; Extension of Comment Period
ProposedSep 30, 2025
Updating Class I Rail Carrier Reporting Requirements
RuleSep 5, 2025
Fees for Services Performed in Connection With Licensing and Related Services-2025 Update
RuleJun 6, 2025
Final Offer Rate Review; Expanding Access to Rate Relief
RuleJan 14, 2025
Civil Monetary Penalties-2025 Adjustment
About
The Surface Transportation Board was established in 1996 as the successor to the Interstate Commerce Commission. The Board was administratively aligned with the Department of Transportation until enactment of the Surface Transportation Board Reauthorization Act of 2015 established the Board as a fully independent agency. The Board consists of five members, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate for 5-year terms. The Board is charged with the economic regulation of various modes of surface transportation, primarily freight rail. The Board has regulatory jurisdiction over railroad rate reasonableness, mergers, line acquisitions, new rail line construction, and abandonments of existing rail lines. While most of the Board’s work involves freight railroads, the Board also has certain responsibilities with respect to passenger rail matters; the intercity bus industry; pipelines other than water, gas, or oil; household goods carriers’ tariffs; and rate regulation of non-contiguous domestic water transportation (i.e., freight shipping between mainland United States and Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. territories and possessions).