TITLE 40 MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC

Section 1. Identification and Regulation, 40-1-1 through 40-1-200.

ARTICLE 3 MOTOR CARRIERS

40-1-127. Actions for recovery of overcharges; rates, charges, and claims for loss or damage.

1. All actions at law against motor carriers operating in this state, which actions seek to recover overcharges accruing on intrastate shipments, shall be initiated within a period of three years after the time the cause of action accrues, and not thereafter, provided that, if a claim for the overcharge is presented in writing to the carrier within the three-year period of limitation, the period shall be extended to include six months from the time notice in writing is given by the carrier to the claimant of disallowance of the claim or any part thereof.
2. A motor carrier of property may, upon notice to the commissioner of public safety, elect to be subject to the following requirements regarding rates, charges, and claims for loss or damage:
   1. A motor carrier of property shall provide to the shipper, upon request of the shipper, a written or electronic copy of the rate, classification, rules, and practices upon which any rate agreed to between the shipper and carrier may have been based. When the applicability or reasonableness of the rates and related provisions billed by a carrier is challenged by the person paying the freight charges, the commissioner of public safety shall determine whether such rates and provisions are reasonable or applicable based on the record before it. In cases where a carrier other than a carrier providing transportation of household goods seeks to collect charges in addition to those billed and collected which are contested by the payor, the carrier may request that the commissioner of public safety determine whether any additional charges over those billed and collected must be paid. A carrier must issue any bill for charges in addition to those originally billed within 180 days of the original bill in order to have the right to collect such charges;
   2. If a shipper seeks to contest the charges originally billed by a motor carrier of property, the shipper may request that the commissioner of public safety determine whether the charges originally billed must be paid. A shipper must contest the original bill within 180 days in order to have the right to contest such charges; and
   3. Claims for loss of or damage to property for which any motor carrier of property may be liable must be filed within nine months after the delivery of the property, except that claims for failure to make delivery must be filed within nine months after a reasonable time for delivery has elapsed.
3. The commissioner of public safety shall adopt rules regarding rates, charges, and claims for loss or damage applicable to carriers of household goods.

(Code 1981, §40-1-127, enacted by Ga. L. 2012, p. 580, § 1/HB 865.)