§271-16 Temporary authority. To enable the provision of service for which there is an immediate and urgent need to a point or points or within a territory having no carrier service capable of meeting the need, the public utilities commission may, in its discretion and without hearings or other proceedings, grant temporary authority for service by a common carrier or a contract carrier by motor vehicle, as the case may be. The temporary authority, unless suspended or revoked for good cause, shall be valid for the time that the commission shall specify, but for no more than a period of one-hundred-twenty days for any one immediate and urgent need. If an application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity or a permit seeking corresponding permanent authority is filed in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and instructions not later than thirty days after the issuance date of temporary authority, then the commission shall determine at a public hearing held not later than one-hundred-twenty days after the issuance date of temporary authority upon its own motion, or upon motion or upon request by any interested party, whether any temporary operating authority granted under this section shall be continued in force beyond the expiration date specified therein, and until the determination of the application filed by the holder of the temporary operating authority for a certificate of public convenience and necessity or a permit to engage in operations authorized by the temporary operating authority. [L 1961, c 121, pt of §2; Supp, §106C-14; HRS §271-16; am L 1998, c 77, §1 and c 217, §1; am L 1999, c 16, §1]