Terms Used In Michigan Laws 462.40

  • common carrier: as used in this act shall be construed to mean and embrace all corporations, companies, individuals, associations of individuals, their lessees, trustees or receivers appointed by any court whatsoever who now or may hereafter own, operate, manage or control as a common carrier in this state, any railroad or part of any railroad, whether operated by steam, electricity or other motive power, or cars or any other equipment used thereon, or bridges, switches, spurs, tracks, sidetracks, terminal facilities, or any docks, wharves or storage elevators used in connection therewith or any kind of terminal facilities used or necessary in the transportation of persons or property designated herein, and also all freight depots, yards and grounds used or necessary for the transportation or delivery of any said property and whether the same are owned by said railroad or otherwise; or any express company, car loaning companies, freight or freight line companies and all associations or persons, whether incorporated or otherwise, that shall do business as common carriers upon or over any line of railroads in this state, or any common carrier engaged in the transportation of passengers and property wholly by rail or partly by rail and partly by water. See Michigan Laws 462.3
  • Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories belonging to the United States; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the district and territories. See Michigan Laws 8.3o
  • transportation: shall include cars and other vehicles and all instrumentalities and facilities of shipment, or carriage, irrespective of ownership, or of any contract expressed or implied for the use thereof, and all services in connection with the receipt, delivery, elevation, switching and transfer in transit, ventilation, refrigeration or icing, storage and handling of persons or property transported. See Michigan Laws 462.3
   Whenever any property is received by any common carrier subject to the provisions of this act to be transported from 1 place to another in the state, it shall upon demand by the shipper issue a receipt or bill of lading therefor, naming therein the classification of such freight and the rate of freight at which the same is to be carried; and no common carrier shall limit or change its common law liability by contract or otherwise as to its responsibility for the negligent act of its agents and servants with reference to property in its custody as a common carrier: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to abridge or in anywise lessen the liability of any such common carrier as it now is under existing laws. All statements rendered for transportation charges shall show character of shipments, weight, rate and total charges before demanding payment.