---
kind: "section"
citation: "49 U.S.C. § 10741"
title: "49"
title_heading: "Transportation"
number: "10741"
heading: "Prohibitions against discrimination by rail carriers"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/49/10741"
units:
  - "Subtitle IV — Interstate Transportation"
  - "Part A — Rail"
  - "Chapter 107 — Rates"
  - "Subchapter III — Limitations"
---

# §10741. Prohibitions against discrimination by rail carriers

- (a)
  - (1) A [rail carrier](/usc/49/10102.md?p=5) providing [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) or service subject to the jurisdiction of the [Board](/usc/49/10102.md?p=1) under this part may not subject a [person](/usc/49/13102.md?p=18), place, port, or type of traffic to unreasonable discrimination.
  - (2) For purposes of this section, a [rail carrier](/usc/49/10102.md?p=5) engages in unreasonable discrimination when it charges or receives from a [person](/usc/49/13102.md?p=18) a different compensation for a service rendered, or to be rendered, in [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) the [rail carrier](/usc/49/10102.md?p=5) may perform under this part than it charges or receives from another [person](/usc/49/13102.md?p=18) for performing a like and contemporaneous service in the [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) of a like kind of traffic under substantially similar circumstances.
- (b) This section shall not apply to—
  - (1) contracts described in [section 10709 of this title](/usc/49/10709.md);
  - (2) rail [rates](/usc/49/10102.md?p=7) applicable to different routes; or
  - (3) discrimination against the traffic of another [carrier](/usc/49/13102.md?p=3) providing [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) by any mode.
- (c) Differences between [rates](/usc/49/10102.md?p=7), classifications, rules, and practices of [rail carriers](/usc/49/10102.md?p=5) do not constitute a violation of this section if such differences result from different services provided by [rail carriers](/usc/49/10102.md?p=5).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 104–88, title I, § 102(a), Dec. 29, 1995, 109 Stat. 819.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 10741, Pub. L. 95–473, Oct. 17, 1978, 92 Stat. 1390; Pub. L. 96–296, § 33(d), July 1, 1980, 94 Stat. 825; Pub. L. 96–448, title II, § 212, Oct. 14, 1980, 94 Stat. 1912; Pub. L. 99–521, § 7(h), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2995, related to prohibitions against discrimination by common carriers, prior to the general amendment of this subtitle by Pub. L. 104–88, § 102(a). See sections 10741 and 15505 of this title.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 1996, except as otherwise provided in Pub. L. 104–88, see section 2 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as a note under section 1301 of this title.