BEFORE THE WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

In the matter of application to publish and file an individual special 
permission tariff for the transportation of pianos, organs, and keyboards by 
The Piano & Organ Moving Co., Inc., 
HG-35140,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 	)
	)         DOCKET TV-001425
	)
	)         ORDER GRANTING PERMISSION 
	)         TO PUBLISH AND FILE A TARIFF 
	)         FOR TRANSPORTATION OF 
	)         PIANO, ORGANS, AND
	)         KEYBOARDS
	)

                                                     
BACKGROUND 
                  On September 18, 2000, The Piano & Organ Moving Co., Inc., 
(Company), holder of WUTC Household Goods permit number HG-35140, filed with 
the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (Commission) a petition 
requesting permission to publish and file an individual special permission 
tariff (SPT) applying on the intrastate transportation of pianos, organs, and 
keyboards.
                  RCW 81.80.150 provides that it is the Commission’s 
responsibility to compile, promulgate, publish, and distribute tariffs 
containing compilations of rates, charges, classifications, rules, and 
regulations to be used by all common carriers transporting freight in 
Washington intrastate commerce. The same statute also provides, however, that 
the Commission may by order authorize common carriers to publish and file 
tariffs with the Commission and be governed by those tariffs in respect to 
certain designated commodities and services when, in the opinion of the 
Commission, it is impractical for the Commission to make, fix, construct, 
compile, publish, and distribute tariffs covering such commodities and services.
                  The Commission has not established a tariff applying on the 
operations of companies whose operations are limited solely to the 
transportation of pianos, organs, and keyboards. The Commission has found that 
to do so would be impractical, primarily because: (1) there are so few 
companies providing this type of specialized transportation; (2) these 
companies' operations are local in nature; and (3) the expenses incurred in one 
local geographical area are dissimilar from those incurred in other local 
areas, thus making determination of rates to be used statewide by all common 
carriers impractical. The Commission has therefore allowed companies whose 
operations are limited solely to the transportation of pianos, organs, and 
keyboards to publish and file SPT tariffs covering their operations. 
                  Concurrent with its petition for permission to file an 
individual tariff, The Piano & Organ Moving Co., Inc., submitted a proposed SPT 
tariff. Commission Staff reviewed the tariff and found that it complies with 
statutes, rules, and Commission policies and that the rates and provisions 
contained in the tariff appear to be reasonable.
                  This matter was brought before the Commission at its 
regularly scheduled open meeting on October 11, 2000. At that meeting, 
Commission Staff recommended that The Piano & Organ Moving Co., Inc., be 
granted permission to publish and file a SPT tariff applying on the 
transportation of pianos, organs, and keyboards. The Commission, having been 
fully advised in the matter, and having determined the following order to be 
consistent with the public interest, directed the Secretary to issue the 
following order:
ORDER
        THE COMMISSION ORDERS: 
               1.          The Piano & Organ Moving Co., Inc., holder of permit 
HG-35140, is authorized to publish and file with the Commission a special 
permission tariff applying on the transportation of pianos, organs, and 
keyboards in Washington Intrastate Commerce. 
  2. The operations of the Piano & Organ Moving Co., Inc., will be governed by 
the provisions of the special permission tariff filed with, and approved by, 
the Commission. 
  3. Proposals to amend the tariff must be filed with the Commission at least 
thirty days before the planned implementation date of those amendments. All 
amendments will be subject to Commission review and approval. 
  4. The proposed tariff filed by The Piano & Organ Moving Co., Inc., on 
September 18, 2000, shall be allowed to become effective on October 12, 2000, 
as filed. 
         Dated at Olympia, Washington, and effective the 11th day of October, 
2000.
         WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION
                                                     CAROLE J. WASHBURN, 
Secretary