Sec. 25. (a) This section applies whenever there is filed with the department by the contract carrier any schedule or contract stating a charge for a new service or a reduced charge directly, or by means of any rule or practice, for the transportation of passengers or household goods in intrastate commerce.

(b) Upon complaint of interested parties or upon its own initiative at once and, if it so orders, without answer or other formal pleading by the interested party, but upon reasonable notice, the department may enter upon a hearing concerning the lawfulness of the charge, rule, or practice. Pending the hearing and the decision on the complaint, the department, by filing with the schedule and delivering to the carrier affected thereby a statement in writing of its reasons for the suspension, may from time to time suspend the operation of the schedule and defer the use of the charge, rule, regulation, or practice, but not for a longer period than one hundred eighty (180) days beyond the time when it would otherwise go into effect. After hearing, whether completed before or after the charge, or rule or practice goes into effect, the department may make the order with reference thereto as would be proper in a proceeding instituted after it had become effective.

(c) If the proceeding has not been concluded and an order made within the period of suspension, the proposed change in any charge or rule, regulation, or practice goes into effect at the end of the period.

As added by P.L.99-1989, SEC.13. Amended by P.L.110-1995, SEC.20.