East Tex. Motor Freight Lines v. United States

96 F. Supp. 424, 1951 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1933
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Texas
DecidedMarch 7, 1951
DocketCiv. A. No. 4174
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 96 F. Supp. 424 (East Tex. Motor Freight Lines v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
East Tex. Motor Freight Lines v. United States, 96 F. Supp. 424, 1951 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1933 (N.D. Tex. 1951).

Opinion

ATWELL, Chief Judge.

In accordance with Sec. 2325, Vol. 28 U.S.C.A., and Sec. 2281, relating to a three-judge court, when either an interlocutory or permanent injunction is sought to restrain any order of the Interstate Commerce Commission, proceedings were had as provided in Sec. 2284, Vol. 28 U.S.C.A.

The complainant seeks to enjoin, annul, and set aside a certain decision of the Interstate Commerce Commission by its division No. 5, embraced in its application and order dated May 23, 1950, which granted to the Strickland Transportation Co., a certificate of public convenience and necessity, authorizing it to engage in operation as a common carrier by motor vehicle in interstate, or, foreign commerce, as defined in Practices of Motor Common Carriers of household goods, commodities in bulk, and those requiring special equipment, between Texarkana, Ark.-Tex., and Houston, Texas, over U. S. Highway 59, serving no intermediate points, as an alternate route for operating convenience only, in connection with its otherwise authorized regular route operations, restricted to the transportation of shipments transported by the applicant to and from points east of Texar-kana, but with no service to or from Shreveport, Louisiana, such report and order being shown in exhibit “A” of the complaint.

It is alleged that the Interstate Commerce Commission, on November 6, 1950, overruled the petition of the complainant for reconsideration and oral argument.

That the plaintiff and defendant Strickland hold a certificate of public convenience and necessity.

That complainant has purchased and owns and operates motor vehicles and equipment of a value exceeding $50,000, used in its said business. That it enjoys a reputation for efficient, adequate and dependable service. That its revenue will be depreciated and lost if the defendant is permitted to carry on the operations attempted to be authorized by the orders of the Interstate Commerce Commission. That such losses will exceed the sum of $50 per day. That complainant has no adequate remedy at law.

That the respondent, Strickland Transportation Company, is a common carrier by motor in interstate and foreign commerce over routes in Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas, including routes between Memphis, St. Louis, Little. Rock, and Houston, Texas, via Texarkana and Dallas, Texas. That the complainant [426]*426is organized and qualified to do business in the states of Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas, and that in Texas, between points in Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, and Houston, Texar-kana, Jefferson, Marshall, Lufkin, Livingston, and Cleveland, Texas, over U. S. Highway 59, and closely paralleling highways between Texarkana and Houston. That it also has authority between other points and places and over other routes in Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas.

That respondent Strickland is authorized to operate over the identical routes that complainant is, between Texarkana and Houston, to-wit, over U. S. Highway 59, to Marshall; thence over Highway 43 to Henderson; thence over Highway 26 to Junction of Highway 59; thence over Highway 59 to Houston, a distance of 294 miles. The respondent Strickland has a circuitous route via Highway 67 to Dallas, and thence over U. S. Highway 75 to Houston, a distance of 432 miles.

Complainant contends that its direct routes between St. Louis, Memphis, Little Rock and Houston, make a second-morning service between St. Louis and Houston, not less than truckload shipments, and first-afternoon service on truckload shipments between Memphis and Houston, and overnight service with early next morning delivery, between Little Rock and Houston. That the respondent’s service is a third-morning service between St. Louis and Houston, and a third-morning service between Memphis and Houston, and a second-morning service between Little Rock and Houston.

That such authorization to respondent between such places is to the enhancement and advantage of respondent, and to the detriment and disadvantage of complainant by the natural and normal diversion of substantial quantities of freight from complainant to respondent.

That the certificate issued to respondent to carry freight heretofore mentioned, between Texarkana and Houston over Highway 59, a distance of 301 miles, and a route practically identical with the route of complainant, was assigned for hearing before and heard by a joint Board under Sec. 205 (b) of the Interstate Commerce Act, as amended, 49 U.S.C.A. § 305(b). At such hearing, interested motor carriers by railway and motor appeared and introduced evidence in opposition to such application.

That the Interstate Commerce Commission on May 23, 1950, issued the order and report complained of in the bill.

That thereafter complainant duly and timely filed with the Interstate Commerce Commission a petition for reconsideration which application the Commission denied on November 6, 1950.

The bill further alleges that in connection with the proceeding before the Interstate Commerce Commission there was no offer of evidence of record whatsoever relating, in any manner, to any inadequacy or deficiency in the existing carrier service, and no evidence relating to any need or requirement for carrier service proposed by respondent Strickland. That respondent did offer testimony that by use of its routes heretofore mentioned, it is handling some freight traffic between St. Louis, Memphis, and Little Rock, via Dallas, and that it wanted a certificate of public necessity and that it would thereby afford shippers quicker service and competition.

That such order by the Commission authorizing the service by respondent is, “.unreasonable, arbitrary, capricious, unlawful, and unjust” to complainant and was an abuse of the Commission’s discretion and “a transcendency of its statutory power and authority,” for the following reasons, to-wit:

“1. There was no substantial evidence * * *
“2. The Commission erred, as a matter of law, in including that based upon the facts and circumstances of record in the subject proceeding, the public convenience and necessity, required the operation of respondent Strickland * * * over Highway 59 between Texarkana and Houston.
“3. The findings contained in exhibit ‘A’ on which the Commission based its conclusion were made and entered without relevant, substantial, legal, or, competent [427]*427proof, and are contrary to the evidence record. of
“4. The conclusions of law * * * in said matter were contrary to applicable law and principles.
“5. The uncontroverted evidence establishes that the existing common carrier service between the points and places involved was and is adequate to meet the demands of the public generally.
“6. The uncontroverted evidence establishes there is no need, or, requirement for proposed services * * *.
“7. The controverted evidence establishes that the proposed service of respondent will materially and substantially enhance the better competitive relationship with reference to complainant and provide additional and non-competitive service to complainant.”

A prayer for the temporary and permanent enjoining follows.

Exhibit “A” attached to the complaint shows considerable research by Division No.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Alabama v. King
532 So. 2d 1045 (Court of Civil Appeals of Alabama, 1988)
Enterprise, Inc. v. Nampa City
536 P.2d 729 (Idaho Supreme Court, 1975)
Canty v. Board of Education
312 F. Supp. 254 (S.D. New York, 1970)
West Nebraska Express, Inc. v. Pirnie
67 N.W.2d 342 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1954)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
96 F. Supp. 424, 1951 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1933, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/east-tex-motor-freight-lines-v-united-states-txnd-1951.