---
kind: "section"
citation: "49 U.S.C. § 14302"
title: "49"
title_heading: "Transportation"
number: "14302"
heading: "Pooling and division of transportation or earnings"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/49/14302"
units:
  - "Subtitle IV — Interstate Transportation"
  - "Part B — Motor Carriers, Water Carriers, Brokers, and Freight Forwarders"
  - "Chapter 143 — Finance"
---

# §14302. Pooling and division of transportation or earnings

- (a) **Approval Required.—** A [carrier](/usc/49/13102.md?p=3) providing [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) subject to jurisdiction under subchapter I of [chapter 135](/usc/49/chstIV/ptB/ch135.md) may not agree or combine with another such [carrier](/usc/49/13102.md?p=3) to pool or divide traffic or services or any part of their earnings without the approval of the [Board](/usc/49/10102.md?p=1) under this section.
- (b) **Standards for Approval.—** The [Board](/usc/49/10102.md?p=1) may approve and authorize an agreement or combination between or among [motor carriers](/usc/49/13102.md?p=14) of passengers, or between a [motor carrier](/usc/49/13102.md?p=14) of passengers and a [rail carrier](/usc/49/10102.md?p=5) of passengers if the [carriers](/usc/49/13102.md?p=3) involved assent to the pooling or division and the [Board](/usc/49/10102.md?p=1) finds that a pooling or division of traffic, services, or earnings—
  - (1) will be in the interest of better service to the public or of economy of operation; and
  - (2) will not unreasonably restrain competition.
- (c) **Procedure.—**
  - (1) **Application.—** Any [motor carrier](/usc/49/13102.md?p=14) of property may apply to the [Board](/usc/49/10102.md?p=1) for approval of an agreement or combination with another such [carrier](/usc/49/13102.md?p=3) to pool or divide traffic or any services or any part of their earnings by filing such agreement or combination with the [Board](/usc/49/10102.md?p=1) not less than 50 days before its effective date.
  - (2) **Determination of importance and restraint on competition.—** Prior to the effective date of the agreement or combination, the [Board](/usc/49/10102.md?p=1) shall determine whether the agreement or combination is of major [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) importance and whether there is substantial likelihood that the agreement or combination will unduly restrain competition. If the [Board](/usc/49/10102.md?p=1) determines that neither of these 2 factors exists, it shall, prior to such effective date and without a hearing, approve and authorize the agreement or combination, under such rules and regulations as the [Board](/usc/49/10102.md?p=1) may issue, and for such consideration between such [carriers](/usc/49/13102.md?p=3) and upon such terms and conditions as shall be found by the [Board](/usc/49/10102.md?p=1) to be just and reasonable.
  - (3) **Hearing.—** If the [Board](/usc/49/10102.md?p=1) determines either that the agreement or combination is of major [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) importance or that there is substantial likelihood that the agreement or combination will unduly restrain competition, the [Board](/usc/49/10102.md?p=1) shall hold a hearing concerning whether the agreement or combination will be in the interest of better service to the public or of economy in operation and whether it will unduly restrain competition and shall suspend operation of such agreement or combination pending such hearing and final decision thereon. After such hearing, the [Board](/usc/49/10102.md?p=1) shall indicate to what extent it finds that the agreement or combination will be in the interest of better service to the public or of economy in operation and will not unduly restrain competition and if assented to by all the [carriers](/usc/49/13102.md?p=3) involved, shall to that extent, approve and authorize the agreement or combination, under such rules and regulations as the [Board](/usc/49/10102.md?p=1) may issue, and for such consideration between such [carriers](/usc/49/13102.md?p=3) and upon such terms and conditions as shall be found by the [Board](/usc/49/10102.md?p=1) to be just and reasonable.
  - (4) **Special rules for household goods carriers.—** In the case of an application for [Board](/usc/49/10102.md?p=1) approval of an agreement or combination between a [motor carrier](/usc/49/13102.md?p=14) providing [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) of [household goods](/usc/49/13102.md?p=10) and its agents to pool or divide traffic or services or any part of their earnings, such agreement or combination shall be presumed to be in the interest of better service to the public and of economy in operation and not to restrain competition unduly if the practices proposed to be carried out under such agreement or combination are the same as or similar to practices carried out under agreements and combinations between [motor carriers](/usc/49/13102.md?p=14) providing [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) of [household goods](/usc/49/13102.md?p=10) to pool or divide traffic or service of any part of their earnings approved by the Interstate Commerce Commission before January 1, 1996.
  - (5) **Streamlining and simplifying.—** The [Board](/usc/49/10102.md?p=1) shall streamline, simplify, and expedite, to the maximum extent practicable, the process (including any paperwork) for submission and approval of applications under this section for agreements and combinations between [motor carriers](/usc/49/13102.md?p=14) providing [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) of [household goods](/usc/49/13102.md?p=10) and their agents.
- (d) **Conditions.—** The [Board](/usc/49/10102.md?p=1) may impose conditions governing the pooling or division and may approve and authorize payment of a reasonable consideration between the [carriers](/usc/49/13102.md?p=3).
- (e) **Initiation of Proceeding.—** The [Board](/usc/49/10102.md?p=1) may begin a proceeding under this section on its own initiative or on application.
- (f) **Effect of Approval.—** A [carrier](/usc/49/13102.md?p=3) may participate in an arrangement approved by or exempted by the [Board](/usc/49/10102.md?p=1) under this section without the approval of any other Federal, [State](/usc/49/10102.md?p=8), or municipal body. A [carrier](/usc/49/13102.md?p=3) participating in an approved or exempted arrangement is exempt from the antitrust laws and from all other law, including [State](/usc/49/10102.md?p=8) and municipal law, as necessary to let that [person](/usc/49/13102.md?p=18) carry out the arrangement.
- (g) **Continuation of Existing Agreements.—** Any agreements in operation under the provisions of this title on January 1, 1996, that are succeeded by this section shall remain in effect until further order of the [Board](/usc/49/10102.md?p=1).
- (h) **Definitions.—** In this section, the following definitions apply:
  - (1) **Household goods.—** The term “[household goods](/usc/49/13102.md?p=10)” has the meaning such term had under [section 10102(11) of this title](/usc/49/10102.md), as in effect on December 31, 1995.
  - (2) **Transportation.—** The term “[transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9)” means [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) that would be subject to the jurisdiction of the Interstate Commerce Commission under subchapter II of [chapter 105](/usc/49/chstIV/ptA/ch105.md) of this title, as in effect on December 31, 1995, if such subchapter were still in effect.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 104–88, title I, § 103, Dec. 29, 1995, 109 Stat. 895; amended Pub. L. 104–287, § 5(37), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3392.)

## Notes

### Historical and Revision Notes

### Pub. L. 104–287, § 5(37)(A), (B)

This sets out the effective date of 49:14302.

### Pub. L. 104–287, § 5(37)(C), (D)

This amends 49:14302(h)(1) and (2) for clarity and consistency.

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Section 10102(11) of this title, referred to in subsec. (h)(1), was omitted and a new section 10102 enacted in the general amendment of this subtitle by Pub. L. 104–88, title I, § 102(a), Dec. 20, 1995, 109 Stat. 804, 806, effective Jan. 1, 1996.

Subchapter II of chapter 105 of this title, referred to in subsec. (h)(2), was omitted in the general amendment of this subtitle by Pub. L. 104–88, title I, § 102(a), Dec. 29, 1995, 109 Stat. 804, effective Jan. 1, 1996.

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in sections 11341 and 11342 of this title prior to the general amendment of this subtitle by Pub. L. 104–88, § 102(a).

### Amendments

1996—Subsec. (c)(4). Pub. L. 104–287, § 5(37)(A), substituted “January 1, 1996” for “the effective date of this section”.

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 104–287, § 5(37)(B), substituted “January 1, 1996,” for “the effective date of this section”.

Subsec. (h)(1). Pub. L. 104–287, § 5(37)(C), substituted “December 31, 1995” for “the day before the effective date of this section”.

Subsec. (h)(2). Pub. L. 104–287, § 5(37)(D), substituted “December 31, 1995” for “the day before such effective date”.

### 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.

### Abolition of Interstate Commerce Commission

Interstate Commerce Commission abolished by section 101 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as a note under section 1301 of this title.