§37-3-15. Licensing and regulation of brokers.

(a) No person shall for compensation sell or offer for sale transportation subject to this chapter or shall make any contract, agreement or arrangement to provide, procure, furnish or arrange for such transportation or shall hold himself or itself out by advertisement, solicitation or otherwise as one who sells, provides, procures, contracts or arranges for such transportation, unless such person holds a broker's license issued by the commission to engage in such transactions; provided, that no such person shall engage in transportation subject to this chapter unless he holds a certificate or permit as provided in this chapter. In the execution of any contract agreement or arrangement to sell, provide, procure, furnish or arrange for such transportation, it shall be unlawful for such person to employ any carrier by motor vehicle who or which is not the lawful holder of an effective certificate or permit issued as provided in this chapter; and provided further, that the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to any carrier holding a certificate or a permit under the provisions of this chapter or to any bona fide employee or agent of such motor carrier, so far as concerns transportation to be furnished wholly by such carrier or jointly with other motor carriers holding like certificates or permits or with a common carrier by railroad, express or water.

(b) A brokerage license shall be issued to any qualified applicant therefor, authorizing the whole or any part of the operations covered by the application, if it is found, after public hearing of the application, that the applicant is fit, willing and able properly to perform the service proposed and to conform to the provisions of this chapter and the requirements, rules and regulations of the commission thereunder, and the proposed service, to the extent authorized by the license, is or will be consistent with the public interest and the provisions of this chapter; otherwise, such application shall be denied.

(c) The commission shall prescribe reasonable rules and regulations for the protection of travellers or shippers and receivers of property by motor vehicle operated by motor carriers subject to this chapter, to be observed by any person holding a brokerage license, and no such license shall be issued or remain in force unless such person shall have furnished a bond or other security approved by the commission, in such form and amount as will insure financial responsibility and the supplying of authorized transportation in accordance with contracts, agreements or arrangements therefor.

(d) The commission and its special agents and examiners shall have the same authority as to accounts, reports and records, including inspection and preservation thereof, of any person holding a brokerage license issued under the provisions of this section, that they have under this chapter with respect to motor carriers subject thereto.

(e) The word "transportation," as used in this section, means the transportation of property by carriers other than common carriers of passengers.

(Acts 1939, No. 669, p. 1064, §13; Code 1958, T. 48, §301(13).)