Seek early warning on classification changes

By Ray Bohman -- Logistics Management, 9/1/2000

At least four times a year, changes are made in classification descriptions, ratings, shipping rules, and packaging requirements in the trucking industry's National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC), some of which may affect your company's operations. These are worth keeping an eye on-about the worst thing that could happen would be to find out about unwelcome changes after they take effect, after it's too late to do anything.

Fortunately, the National Classification Committee (NCC), which is responsible for approving all changes in the NMFC, has set up procedures that can tip you off to any changes in the offing as much as six months in advance. These procedures also ensure that you have more than one opportunity to argue your cause, if necessary.

Every three months, the NCC issues a public docket. The next one-National Classification Committee Docket 2000-4-will be issued in mid-October. It will list all proposals for changes that will be considered by an NCC Classification Panel (composed of one-fourth of the NCC's membership) at an open meeting in Alexandria, Va., on Tuesday, Nov. 7. Also included will be any appeals from the August docket that are to be considered and voted on by the full NCC, which will meet on Monday, Nov. 6.

It's important to check out the Classification Review Matters section of each docket, which lists all commodities that have been under study by the NCC staff and could well be made subject of a formal proposal for change on the next docket. (The August docket listed 18 different commodities in that section.) At the public meeting, the NCC staff presents a report on the transportation characteristics and packaging of each of those articles. Interested parties in attendance are given an opportunity to question the staff member making the report as well as present arguments and make comments. After a question and comment period, panel members vote whether to place a proposal for a change on the next docket, to initiate-or continue-a research study, or if no motion is made, to drop the matter. A written copy of the staff report is also made available at the meeting.

If a panel should vote to have a formal proposal included in the next docket three months hence, interested parties will have a further opportunity to appear before the next panel to argue their position. If the proposal should be approved as docketed or approved as modified and is not appealed to the full committee within 30 days, the change will be published to take effect about two and one-half months later. (If appealed, the matter will be held up for another three months until the full committee can consider it.)

As you can see, if you keep a close watch over each NCC docket, you'll not only know well in advance what may be coming down the pike, but you also will have ample opportunity to argue your cause before the NCC. NCC dockets are published in a condensed version in Transport Topics magazine. Full versions are available on an annual subscription basis. For more information, contact Matthew Welsh at (703) 838-1869, or write to him at National Classification Committee, 2200 Mill Road, Alexandria, VA 22314.

Ray Bohman is a well-known consultant and author. Mr. Bohman is editor of several highly successful newsletters on transportation and is a consultant to a number of national trade associations. He is president of The Bohman Group, consultants and publishers in the freight-transportation field. His offices are located at 27 Bay Lane, Chatham, MA 02633. Phone: (508) 945-2272.