SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

The Surface Transportation Board today announced that it has issued findings and closed the proceeding in Oversight Hearing Pertaining to Union Pacific Railroad Company’s Embargoes, Docket No. EP 772, but will continue to monitor Union Pacific Railroad Company’s (UP) use of embargoes.

In December 2022, the Board held a public hearing to examine UP’s use of more than 1,000 embargoes to relieve congestion on its network, nearly ten times as many embargoes as any other railroad.  The Board convened the public hearing out of concern about the impact that these embargoes were having on UP’s customers and the national rail network.

Today’s decision explains the Board’s review of UP’s embargoes and the Board’s conclusions based on that review.  Today’s decision also points out UP’s repeated and extended failure to provide the Board with information in a timely and responsive manner during this proceeding.  While the Board recognizes that UP has made numerous changes to its embargo-related practices and reduced its use of embargoes, the number of embargoes UP issued in 2023 still exceeded the number issued by all other Class I railroads combined.  The Board expects UP to continue to reduce and minimize its use of embargoes and will monitor its progress.

Today’s decision in Oversight Hearing Pertaining to Union Pacific Railroad Company’s Embargoes, Docket No. EP 772, may be viewed and downloaded here.

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