GAO Study Looks at Shipping Rates to Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and other noncontiguous U.S. lands
Fast Facts
Almost 6 million people living in Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and other noncontiguous U.S. lands depend on ships to deliver goods from the mainland. U.S. policy encourages reasonable shipping rates, and the Surface Transportation Board can determine reasonableness.
The Board can start a review of shipping rates itself or in response to complaints. It has 3 methods for determining whether a rate is reasonable. Those who file complaints can specify which method they’d like the Board to use.
The Board last received a formal complaint in 1999 and hasn’t self-initiated a rate review.
