Watson Bros. Van Lines & Heavy Hauling Co. v. Hart
Watson Bros. Van Lines & Heavy Hauling Co. v. Hart
Opinion of the Court
This is an appeal from an order of the Nebraska State Railway Commission sustaining complaint No. 954 and revoking the certificate of public convenience and necessity issued to Hart Construction Company, and in denying the application of Heavy Haulers, Inc., for the acquisition of the Hart Construction Company certificate of public convenience and necessity. The only assignment of error is that the commission erred in finding that the certificate was as a matter of fact and as a matter of law dormant. •
The evidence shows that Ted H. Hart, doing business as the Hart Construction Company, acquired, on July
On April 10, 1963, the director of the motor transportation department of the commission filed a complaint alleging that Ted H. Hart had willfully discontinued the service authorized by his certificate contrary to statutes applicable thereto. In response thereto the trustee in bankruptcy alleged the existence of an order of suspension of the certificate, that the Jack L. Butler Construction Company is the holder of a contract to purchase the certificate which contract has been assigned to Heavy Haulers, Inc., which will forthwith file an application to transfer, and prayed for an order extending the suspension for 90 days in order that the transfer of the certificate to Heavy Haulers, Inc., could be acted upon.
On September 11, 1963, the commission dismissed the complaint for the reason that the certificate was suspended when the complaint was filed. No suspension of the certificate was granted. While the application to transfer the certificate was finally denied on March 13, 1963, the commission concluded that the right to appeal to the Supreme Court did not terminate until May 24, 1963, and the certificate was suspended until such
Pending the decision on the complaint of the director of the motor transportation department, Watson Bros. Van Lines & Heavy Hauling Co., LeRoy L. Wade and Sons, Inc., and Sullivan Transfer and Storage Company, on June 13, 1963, filed their complaint, and on June 17, 1963, their amended complaint, alleging the dormancy of the Hart Construction Company certificate and the failure of the trustee in bankruptcy to comply with section 75-240.06, R. R. S. 1943, and praying for the revocation of the Hart Construction Company certificate. On August 5, 1963, the application of Heavy Haulers, Inc., to acquire the certificate of Hart Construction Company was filed. The same complainants in the pending complaint filed their formal protest to the application of Heavy Haulers, Inc., making the same allegations as in their formal complaint.
The complaint and the application of Heavy Haulers, Inc., were consolidated for hearing. The hearing was held and resulted in the order from which this appeal is taken.
The record discloses that the last suspension of the certificate of the Hart Construction Company was granted on November 7, 1962, and that such suspension order expired on May 24, 1963, as found by the commission. Whether or not the suspension order expired on May 24, 1963, or any date prior thereto, is not material to a decision in this case. The complaint of Watson Bros. Van Lines & Heavy Hauling Company et al., was filed on June 13, 1963, and the application to transfer the certificate to Heavy Haulers, Inc., was filed on August 5, 1963.
The evidence shows that the Hart Construction Company filed a petition in bankruptcy more than a year prior to January 31, 1962, the exact date not being reflected by the record. Under section 75-240.06, R. R. S. 1943, the trustee in bankruptcy could operate the busi
The evidence shows that there was a hiatus between the terminations of the various suspension orders and the grant of new ones during which periods no attempt was made to render the service authorized by the certificate. Nor was there any service rendered after the termination of the last suspension order. In fact, no service was ever rendered as authorized by the certificate subsequent to 1961, and apparently not before. There is no evidence in this record that the Hart Construction Company had any equipment to perform the service authorized by the certificate. When the Hart Construction Company listed its assets in the bankruptcy proceeding, it contained no equipment with which the certificated service could be performed. Under the provisions of section 75-238.01, R. S. Supp., 1961, service under a certificate of public convenience and necessity may not be suspended without commission approval. Under section 75-238, R. S. Supp., 1961, a certificate may be suspended, changed, or revoked, after hearing, for willful failure to comply with statutory provisions or the lawful orders, rules, or regulations, or with any
For the reasons stated, the order of the commission sustaining the complaint of Watson Bros. Van Lines & Heavy Hauling Company et al., is irregular, and therefore unreasonable and arbitrary for failure to make a finding of willfulness. The order of the commission revoking the certificate of public convenience and necessity is therefore reversed.
Reversed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- In re Application of Heavy Haulers, Inc. Watson Bros. Van Lines & Heavy Hauling Co. v. Ted H. Hart
- Status
- Published