(a) The Commissioner of Transportation is authorized to prescribe and establish such reasonable regulations for household goods carriers and motor contract carriers operating in intrastate commerce as the commissioner deems necessary with respect to rates and charges, issuance of certificates or permits, classification of carriers, abandonment or suspension of service, routes, speed, adequacy of service, financial responsibility, insurance covering personal injury, property damage and cargo, uniform system of accounts, records, reports, safety of operation and equipment and the public convenience and safety. Not later than July 1, 2003, the commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, establishing a procedure for the resolution of claims disputes between household goods carriers and motor contract carriers operating in intrastate commerce and their customers. To prevent unjust discrimination, undue preference or prejudice between shippers or consignees and household goods carriers transporting household goods in intrastate commerce, the commissioner may prescribe and establish settlement of claims governing the payment of tariff charges, including regulations for weekly or monthly settlement, in the delivery or transfer of possession or title of household goods between shippers, consignees and household goods carriers transporting household goods in intrastate commerce. This authorization shall not be construed to prohibit any household goods carrier from extending credit in connection with rates and charges on household goods transported for any branch of the government of the United States or any department of the state, or for any county, city, borough or town.

(b) The commissioner, after notice and hearing, may impose a civil penalty of not more than one hundred dollars for each violation of a provision of the regulations adopted pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. Each day on which the violation occurs shall be deemed a separate offense.

(1949 Rev., S. 5698; 1955, S. 2640d; P.A. 75-486, S. 1, 69; P.A. 77-614, S. 162, 610; P.A. 80-482, S. 151, 348; P.A. 88-249, S. 2, 9; P.A. 95-126, S. 18, 25; P.A. 99-181, S. 7, 40; P.A. 02-123, S. 7.)

History: P.A. 75-486 replaced public utilities commission with public utilities control authority; P.A. 77-614 replaced public utilities control authority with division of public utility control within the department of business regulation, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 80-482 made division an independent department and deleted reference to abolished department of business regulation; P.A. 88-249 transferred powers and duties from public utility control department to transportation department, amending section as required by section 2 of the act (codified as Sec. 13b-387a), effective July 1, 1989. (Revisor's note: Statute published in both Title 16 and Title 13b in the Connecticut General Statutes, Revision of 1958, revised to 1989; Sec. 16-304 transferred to Sec. 13b-410, effective July 1, 1989); P.A. 95-126 authorized commissioner to prescribe such regulations for household goods carriers and motor contract carriers operating in intrastate commerce as he deems necessary, substituted “household goods carriers” for references to “motor common carriers” and “household goods” for references to “property” and “general commodities” and deleted the phrase “particular commodities or groups of particular commodities”, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 99-181 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a), amending same to make a technical change, and added Subsec. (b) re imposition of civil penalties, effective June 23, 1999; P.A. 02-123 amended Subsec. (a) to require adoption of regulations establishing a procedure for resolution of claims disputes between household goods carriers and motor contract carriers operating in intrastate commerce and their customers, effective July 1, 2002.

Annotation to former section 16-304:

Cited. 149 C. 486.