2005 Washington Revised Code RCW 81.28.080: Published rates to be charged — Exceptions.

No common carrier shall charge, demand, collect or receive a greater or less or different compensation for transportation of persons or property, or for any service in connection therewith, than the rates, fares and charges applicable to such transportation as specified in its schedules filed and in effect at the time; nor shall any such carrier refund or remit in any manner or by any device any portion of the rates, fares, or charges so specified excepting upon order of the commission as hereinafter provided, nor extend to any shipper or person any privileges or facilities in the transportation of passengers or property except such as are regularly and uniformly extended to all persons and corporations under like circumstances. No common carrier shall, directly or indirectly, issue or give any free ticket, free pass or free or reduced transportation for passengers between points within this state, except its employees and their families, surgeons and physicians and their families, its officers, agents and attorneys at law; to ministers of religion, traveling secretaries of railroad Young Men's Christian Associations, inmates of hospitals, charitable and eleemosynary institutions and persons exclusively engaged in charitable and eleemosynary work; to indigent, destitute and homeless persons and to such persons when transported by charitable societies or hospitals, and the necessary agents employed in such transportation; to inmates of the national homes or state homes for disabled volunteer soldiers and of soldiers' and sailors' homes, including those about to enter and those returning home after discharge; to necessary caretakers of livestock, poultry, milk and fruit; to employees of sleeping car companies, express companies, and to linemen of telegraph and telephone companies; to railway mail service employees, post office inspectors, customs inspectors and immigration inspectors; to newsboys on trains; baggage agents, witnesses attending any legal investigation in which the common carrier is interested; to persons injured in accidents or wrecks and physicians and nurses attending such persons; to the National Guard of Washington when on official duty, and students going to and returning from state institutions of learning: PROVIDED, That this provision shall not be construed to prohibit the interchange of passes for the officers, attorneys, agents and employees and their families, of railroad companies, steamboat companies, express companies and sleeping car companies with other railroad companies, steamboat companies, express companies and sleeping car companies, nor to prohibit any common carrier from carrying passengers free with the object of providing relief in cases of general epidemic, pestilence, or other calamitous visitation: AND PROVIDED, FURTHER, That this provision shall not be construed to prohibit the exchange of passes or franks for the officers, attorneys, agents, employees, and their families of such telegraph, telephone and cable lines, and the officers, attorneys, agents, employees, and their families of other telegraph, telephone or cable lines, or with railroad companies, express companies or sleeping car companies: PROVIDED, FURTHER, That the term "employee" as used in this section shall include furloughed, pensioned, and superannuated employees, persons who have become disabled or infirm in the service of any such common carrier, and the remains of a person killed or dying in the employment of a carrier, those entering or leaving its service and ex-employees traveling for the purpose of entering the service of any such common carrier; and the term "families" as used in this section shall include the families of those persons named in this proviso, also the families of persons killed and the surviving spouses prior to remarriage and minor children during minority, of persons who died while in the service of any such common carrier: AND PROVIDED, FURTHER, That nothing herein contained shall prevent the issuance of mileage, commutation tickets or excursion passenger tickets: AND PROVIDED, FURTHER, That nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the issuance of free or reduced transportation by any street railroad company for mail carriers, or policemen or members of fire departments, city officers, and employees when engaged in the performance of their duties as such city employees.

Common carriers subject to the provisions of this title may carry, store or handle, free or at reduced rates, property for the United States, state, county or municipal governments, or for charitable purposes, or to or from fairs and exhibitions for exhibition thereat, and may carry, store or handle, free or at reduced rates, the household goods and personal effects of its employees and those entering or leaving its service and those killed or dying while in its service.

Nothing in this title shall be construed to prohibit the making of a special contract providing for the mutual exchange of service between any railroad company and any telegraph or telephone company, where the line of such telegraph or telephone company is situated upon or along the railroad right of way and used by both of such companies.

[1973 1st ex.s. c 154 § 117; 1961 c 14 § 81.28.080. Prior: 1929 c 96 § 1; 1911 c 117 § 18; RRS § 10354. Formerly RCW 81.28.080 through 81.28.130, 81.28.150 through 81.28.170, and 80.36.130.]

Severability -- 1973 1st ex.s. c 154: See note following RCW 2.12.030.