Jessee Darnell Truck Service v. State Corp. Commission

397 P.2d 385, 194 Kan. 96, 1964 Kan. LEXIS 456
CourtSupreme Court of Kansas
DecidedDecember 12, 1964
Docket43,857
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 397 P.2d 385 (Jessee Darnell Truck Service v. State Corp. Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jessee Darnell Truck Service v. State Corp. Commission, 397 P.2d 385, 194 Kan. 96, 1964 Kan. LEXIS 456 (kan 1964).

Opinions

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Fatzer, J.:

The appellants are motor common carriers of property for the transportation of a full line of oil field equipment, materials and supplies, between all points and places in Kansas over irregular routes, holding certificates of convenience and necessity from the State Corporation Commission. They seek review of the order of the district court sustaining the order of the commission granting a contract-carrier permit pursuant to G. S. 1961 Supp., 66-1,115, to the Intervenor, Thunderbird Drilling, Inc., for transportation of like property between points and places in Kansas under contract with Mayfield-Smith Drilling, Inc., of Wichita.

The proceeding out of which this appeal arises was commenced when Thunderbird filed its application with the commission for a contract-carrier permit, which was set for hearing on January 11, 1962. Notice of the hearing was issued to all interested parties on December 28, 1961, pursuant to G. S. 1949, 66-1,114. On January 5, 1962, the appellants filed a motion for continuance which was allowed by the commission, and the hearing was continued until February 8, 1962. Thereafter, the appellants filed written protests to the granting of the contract carrier permit and served a copy upon the applicant and its counsel of record.

In the meantime, Thunderbird had entered into a contract with Mayfield-Smith to move its oil field rig and related equipment on January 30, 1962, to a new location. In view of the continuance of its application for contract carrier authority, Thunderbird filed an application for a temporary contract-carrier permit to operate as a contract carrier pending the determination of its application for permanent authority. Thunderbird’s request for an emergency hearing recited in part:

. . the contracting party with applicant, to-wit: Mayfield-Smith Drilling, Inc. have previously planned to have applicant move their drilling rig on or about Tuesday, January 30, 1962, and any delay in making said move would constitute a serious economic hardship to them and the use of any other carrier would be unauthorized under the terms of the contract which has previously been filed in this case.”

The commission granted Thunderbird’s request for temporary [98]*98authority at an ex parte hearing, which authority expired March 31, 1962.

On March 29,1962, a hearing was held on Thunderbird’s application for permanent authority to operate as a contract carrier in Kansas, and on May 9, 1962, the commission issued its order granting that authority.

The appellants filed an application for rehearing pursuant to G. S. 1949, 66-118b, which was allowed, and a rehearing was held by the commission on July 5, 1962. On November 8, 1962, the commission reaffirmed its earlier order of May 9, 1962, granting Thunderbird a permit to operate as a contract carrier.

Thereafter, and on December 20, 1962, the appellants filed their application in the district court of Shawnee County for judicial review of the commission’s order granting Thunderbird permanent authority. A complete transcript of the documents on file with the commission and the evidence heard at tire hearing and rehearing was filed in the district court. The parties filed extensive briefs, and after lengthy oral argument, the district court found the commission’s order was lawful and reasonable and entered its judgment sustaining the validity of the order. This appeal followed.

The pertinent facts developed at the hearings before the commission are summarized: Since about 1953 or 1954, Thunderbird, an independent drilling contractor, owned and operated two oil drilling rigs, one truck, and certain oil and gas drilling and producing equipment. It drilled approximately 30 to 35 wells per year per rig. After a drilling rig completes a drilling assignment, it is necessary to move the rig to the next drilling location. In the past, Thunderbird accomplished that task by utilizing its own truck to haul a portion of the dismantled drilling equipment and hired common carriers to transport the remaining equipment. The evidence showed that Thunderbird’s truck handled about 25 percent of the move and common carriers handled the other 75 percent.

In October, 1961, the stockholders of Thunderbird, C. W. Aikins and J. W. Owen and their wives, determined it would be useful for legal and economic reasons, to divided their operations into two corporations. Accordingly, they requested C. R. Mayfield and Edgar Smith to join them in the formation of a second corporation to be called Mayfield-Smith Drilling, Inc. Thunderbird contributed one of its two rigs for one-third of the stock in Mayfield-Smith and Mayfield and Smith contributed cash for operational capital. The [99]*99evidence further showed that the two legal entities, Thunderbird and Mayfield-Smith, needed some method of using Thunderbird’s one available truck in connection with the moving of their two rigs, since “it’s not economically feasible to run one truck with only one rig.” Being the legal owner of the one truck, Thunderbird could continue to transport its remaining rig under its private carrier permit; however, to transport Mayfield-Smith’s rig, Thunderbird needed contract carrier authority. Accordingly, Thunderbird filed its application for a contract-carrier permit to haul Mayfield-Smith’s drilling equipment. There was evidence at the hearing for permanent authority that Thunderbird would continue to haul 25 percent of Mayfield-Smith’s equipment and that common carriers would continue to haul the remaining 75 percent.

The specific portion of the commission’s order of May 9, 1962, granting Thunderbird permanent authority, here attacked by the appellants, reads:

“The Commission, further finds that the applicant will be able to perform an individualized, specialized motor contract carrier service different from, and more suitable to the needs of the shippers than any common carrier service now available.”

Under Class I Rail Carriers v. State Corporation Commission, 191 Kan. 201, 380 P. 2d 396, the commission’s finding that the specialized type of service rendered by Thunderbird was more suitable to meet the needs of the shippers than any common-carrier service now available, was equivalent to a finding that existing common carrier service was inadequate.

The appellants forcefully argue there was no substantial, competent evidence to sustain the commission’s order granting Thunderbird permanent contract carrier authority. In presenting this question there is no disagreement between the parties concerning the applicable law. Upon judicial review of orders of the commission the principal function of the reviewing court is twofold: (1) To determine whether the commission’s orders are lawful, and (2) to determine whether the orders are reasonable and contain adequate findings supported by substantial and competent evidence. While the appellants attack the commission’s order as being unlawful, in view of conclusions hereafter announced, it is unnecessary to discuss this feature of the appeal, and we now turn our consideration to whether the record contains substantial evidence to support the [100]*100commissions order granting Thunderbird permanent authority to operate as a contract carrier for Mayfield-Smith.

Charles W. Aikins, president of Thunderbird, testified at the rehearing on July 5,1962, as follows:

“Q.

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

Related

Cities Service Gas Co. v. State Corporation Commission
440 P.2d 660 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1968)
Kansas Public Service Co. v. State Corporation Comm.
433 P.2d 572 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1967)
Jessee Darnell Truck Service v. State Corp. Commission
397 P.2d 385 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1964)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
397 P.2d 385, 194 Kan. 96, 1964 Kan. LEXIS 456, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jessee-darnell-truck-service-v-state-corp-commission-kan-1964.