[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 49, Volume 5]
[Revised as of October 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 49CFR379.13]

[Page 148-151]
 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
                      DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
 
PART 379_PRESERVATION OF RECORDS--Table of Contents
 
Sec.  379.13  Disposition and retention of records.

    The schedule in appendix A to this part shows periods that 
designated records shall be preserved. The descriptions specified under 
the various general headings are for convenient reference and 
identification, and are intended to apply to the items named regardless 
of what the records are called in individual companies and regardless of 
the record media. The retention periods represent the prescribed number 
of years from the date of the document and not calendar years. Records 
not listed in appendix A to this part shall be retained as determined by 
the management of each company.

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  Appendix A to Part 379--Schedule of Records and Periods of Retention

------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Item and category of records               Retention period
------------------------------------------------------------------------
   A. Corporate and General

1. Incorporation and
 reorganization:
    (a) Charter or             Note A.
     certificate of
     incorporation and
     amendments.
    (b) Legal documents        Note A.
     related to mergers,
     consolidations,
     reorganization,
     receiverships and
     similar actions which
     affect the identity or
     organization of the
     company.
2. Minutes of Directors,       Note A.
 Executive Committees,
 Stockholders and other
 corporate meetings.
3. Titles, franchises and
 authorities:
    (a) Certificates of        Until expiration or cancellation.
     public convenience and
     necessity issued by
     regulating bodies.
    (b) Operating              Until expiration or cancellation.
     authorizations and
     exemptions to operate.
    (c) Copies of formal       Note A.
     orders of regulatory
     bodies served upon the
     company.
    (d) Deeds, charters, and   Until disposition of property.
     other title papers.
    (e) Patents and patent     Note A.
     records.
4. Annual reports or           3 years.
 statements to stockholders.
5. Contracts and agreements:
    (a) Service contracts,     Until expiration or termination plus 3
     such as for operational    years.
     management, accounting,
     financial or legal
     services, and agreements
     with agents.
    (b) Contracts and other    Until expiration or termination plus 3
     agreements relating to     years.
     the construction,
     acquisition or sale of
     real property and
     equipment except as
     otherwise provided in
     (a) above.
    (c) Contracts for the      Until expiration.
     purchase or sale of
     material and supplies
     except as provided in
     (a) above.
    (d) Shipping contracts     Until expiration.
     for transportation or
     caretakers of freight.
    (e) Contracts with         Until expiration.
     employees and employee
     bargaining groups.
    (f) Contracts, leases and  Until expiration or termination plus 1
     agreements, not            year.
     specifically provided
     for in this section.
6. Accountant's auditor's,
 and inspector's reports:
    (a) Certifications and     3 years.
     reports of examinations
     and audits conducted by
     public accountants.
    (b) Reports of             3 years.
     examinations and audits
     conducted by internal
     auditors, time
     inspectors, and others.
7. Other.....................  Note A.

         B. Treasury

1. Capital stock records:
    (a) Capital stock ledger.  Note A.
    (b) Capital stock          Note A.
     certificates, records of
     or stubs of.
    (c) Stock transfer         Note A.
     register.
2. Long-term debt records:
    (a) Bond indentures,       Until redemption plus 3 years.
     underwritings,
     mortgages, and other
     long-term credit
     agreements.
    (b) Registered bonds and   Until redemption plus 3 years.
     debenture ledgers.
    (c) Stubs or similar       Note A.
     records of bonds or
     other long-term debt
     issued.
3. Authorizations from         Note A.
 regulatory bodies for
 issuance of securities
 including applications,
 reports, and supporting
 papers.
4. Records of securities       Until the securities are sold, redeemed
 owned, in treasury, or held    or otherwise disposed of.
 by custodians, detailed
 ledgers and journals, or
 their equivalent.
5. Other.....................  Note A.

 C. Financial and Accounting

1. Ledgers:
    (a) General and            Until discontinuance of use plus 3 years.
     subsidiary ledgers with
     indexes.
    (b) Balance sheets and     3 years.
     trial balance sheets of
     general and subsidiary
     ledgers.
2. Journals:
    (a) General journals.....  Until discontinuance of use plus 3 years.
    (b) Subsidiary journals    3 years.
     and any supporting data,
     except as otherwise
     provided for, necessary
     to explain journal
     entries.
3. Cash books:
    (a) General cash books...  Until discontinuance of use plus 3 years.
    (b) Subsidiary cash books  3 years.
4. Vouchers:
    (a) Voucher registers,     3 years.
     indexes, or equivalent.
    (b) Paid and canceled      3 years.
     vouchers, expenditure
     authorizations, detailed
     distribution sheets and
     other supporting data
     including original bills
     and invoices, if not
     provided for elsewhere.
    (c) Paid drafts, paid      3 years.
     checks, and receipts for
     cash paid out.
5. Accounts receivable:
    (a) Record or register of  3 years after settlement.
     accounts receivable,
     indexes thereto, and
     summaries of
     distribution.

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    (b) Bills issued for       3 years after settlement.
     collection and
     supporting data.
    (c) Authorization for      1 year.
     writing off receivables.
    (d) Reports and            1 year.
     statements showing age
     and status of
     receivables.
6. Records of accounting       3 years after discontinuance.
 codes and instructions.
7. Other.....................  Note A.

  D. Property and Equipment

  Note.--All accounts, records, and memoranda necessary for making a
complete analysis of the cost or value of property shall be retained for
the periods shown. If any of the records elsewhere provided for in this
schedule are of this character, they shall be retained for the periods
shown below, regardless of any lesser retention period assigned.

1. Property records:
    (a) Records which          3 years after disposition of property.
     maintain complete
     information on cost or
     other value of all real
     and personal property or
     equipment.
    (b) Records of additions   3 years after disposition of property.
     and betterments made to
     property and equipment.
    (c) Records pertaining to  3 years after disposition of property.
     retirements and
     replacements of property
     and equipment.
    (d) Records pertaining to  3 years after disposition of property.
     depreciation.
    (e) Records of equipment   3 years after disposition of property.
     number changes.
    (f) Records of motor and   3 years after disposition of property.
     engine changes.
    (g) Records of equipment   Only current or latest records.
     lightweighed and
     stenciled.
2. Engineering records of      3 years after disposition of property.
 property changes actually
 made.
3. Other.....................  Note A.

   E. Personnel and Payroll

1. Personnel and payroll       1 year.
 records.

   F. Insurance and Claims

1. Insurance records:
    (a) Schedules of           Until expiration plus 1 year.
     insurance against fire,
     storms, and other
     hazards and records of
     premium payments.
    (b) Records of losses and  1 year after settlement.
     recoveries from
     insurance companies and
     supporting papers.
    (c) Insurance policies...  Until expiration of coverage plus 1 year.
2. Claims records:
    (a) Claim registers, card  1 year after settlement.
     or book indexes, and
     other records which
     record personal injury,
     fire and other claims
     against the company,
     together with all
     supporting data.
    (b) Claims registers,      1 year after settlement.
     card or book indexes,
     and other records which
     record overcharges,
     damages, and other
     claims filed by the
     company against others,
     together with all
     supporting data.
    (c) Records giving the     3 years.
     details of authorities
     issued to agents,
     carriers, and others for
     participation in freight
     claims.
    (d) Reports, statements    3 years.
     and other data
     pertaining to personal
     injuries or damage to
     property when not
     necessary to support
     claims or vouchers.
    (e) Reports, statements,   1 year.
     tracers, and other data
     pertaining to unclaimed,
     over, short, damaged,
     and refused freight,
     when not necessary to
     support claims or
     vouchers.
    (f) Authorities for        3 years.
     disposal of unclaimed,
     damaged, and refused
     freight.
3. Other.....................  Note A.

           G. Taxes

1. Taxes.....................  Note A.

   H. Purchases and Stores

1. Purchases and stores......  Note A.

    I. Shipping and Agency
          Documents

1. Bills of lading and
 releases:
    (a) Consignors' shipping   1 year.
     orders, consignors'
     shipping tickets, and
     copies of bills of
     lading, freight bills
     from other carriers and
     other similar documents
     furnished the carrier
     for movement of freight.
    (b) Shippers' order-to-    1 year.
     notify bills of lading
     taken up and canceled.
2. Freight waybills:
    (a) Local waybills.......  1 year.
    (b) Interline waybills     1 year.
     received from and made
     to other carriers.
    (c) Company freight        1 year.
     waybills.
    (d) Express waybills.....  1 year.
3. Freight bills and
 settlements:
    (a) Paid copy of freight
     bill retained to support
     receipt of freight
     charges:
        (1) Bus express        1 year.
         freight bills
         provided no claim
         has been filed.
        (2) All other freight  1 year.
         bills.
    (b) Paid copy of freight
     bill retained to support
     payment of freight
     charges to other
     carriers:
        (1) Bus express        1 year.
         freight bills
         provided no claim
         has been filed.
        (2) All other freight  1 year.
         bills.

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    (c) Records of unsettled   1 year after disposition.
     freight bills and
     supporting papers.
    (d) Records and reports    1 year.
     of correction notices.
4. Other freight records:
    (a) Records of freight     1 year.
     received, forwarded, and
     delivered.
    (b) Notice to consignees   1 year.
     of arrival of freight;
     tender of delivery.
5. Agency records (to include
 conductors, pursers,
 stewards, and others):
    (a) Cash books...........  1 year.
    (b) Remittance records,    1 year.
     bank deposit slips and
     supporting papers.
    (c) Balance sheets and     1 year.
     supporting papers.
    (d) Statements of          1 year.
     corrections in agents'
     accounts.
    (e) Other records and      1 year.
     reports pertaining to
     ticket sales, baggage
     handled, miscellaneous
     collections, refunds,
     adjustments, etc..

      J. Transportation

1. Records pertaining to
 transportation of household
 goods:
    (a) Estimate of charges..  1 year.
    (b) Order for service....  1 year.
    (c) Vehicle-load manifest  1 year.
    (d) Descriptive inventory  1 year.
2. Records and reports
 pertaining to operation of
 marine and floating
 equipment:
    (a) Ship log.............  3 years.
    (b) Ship articles........  3 years.
    (c) Passenger and room     3 years.
     list.
    (d) Floatmen's barge,      2 years.
     lighter, and escrow
     captain's reports,
     demurrage records,
     towing reports and
     checks sheets.
3. Dispatchers' sheets,        3 years.
 registers, and other records
 pertaining to movement of
 transportation equipment.
4. Import and export records   2 years.
 including bonded freight and
 steamship engagements.
5. Records, reports, orders    3 years.
 and tickets pertaining to
 weighting of freight.
6. Records of loading and      2 years.
 unloading of transportation
 equipment.
7. Records pertaining to the   2 years.
 diversion or reconsignment
 of freight, including
 requests, tracers, and
 correspondence.
8. Other.....................  Note A.

    K. Supporting Data for
    Reports and Statistics

1. Supporting data for
 reports filed with the
 Federal Motor Carrier Safety
 Administration, the Surface
 Transportation Board, the
 Department of
 Transportation's Bureau of
 Transportation Statistics
 and regulatory bodies:
    (a) Supporting data for    3 years.
     annual financial,
     operating and
     statistical reports.
    (b) Supporting data for    3 years.
     periodical reports of
     operating revenues,
     expenses, and income.
    (c) Supporting data for    3 years.
     reports detailing use of
     proceeds from issuance
     or sale of company
     securities.
    (d) Supporting data for    3 years after disposition of the
     valuation inventory        property.
     reports and records.
     This includes related
     notes, maps and
     sketches, underlying
     engineering, land, and
     accounting reports,
     pricing schedules,
     summary or collection
     sheets, yearly reports
     of changes and other
     miscellaneous data, all
     relating to the
     valuation of the
     company's property by
     the Federal Highway
     Administration, the
     Surface Transportation
     Board, the Department of
     Transportation's Bureau
     of Transportation
     Statistics or other
     regulatory body.
2. Supporting data for         3 years.
 periodical reports of
 accidents, inspections,
 tests, hours of service,
 repairs, etc..
3. Supporting data for         3 years.
 periodical statistical of
 operating results or
 performance by tonnage,
 mileage, passengers carried,
 piggyback traffic,
 commodities, costs, analyses
 of increases and decreases,
 or otherwise.

       M. Miscellaneous

1. Index of records..........  Until revised as record structure
                                changes.
2. Statement listing records   For the remainder of the period as
 prematurely destroyed or       prescribed for records destroyed.
 lost.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note A--Records referenced to this note shall be maintained as
  determined by the designated records supervisory official. Companies
  should be mindful of the record retention requirements of the Internal
  Revenue Service, Securities and Exchange Commission, State and local
  jurisdictions, and other regulatory agencies. Companies shall exercise
  reasonable care in choosing retention periods, and the choice of
  retention periods shall reflect past experiences, company needs,
  pending litigation, and regulatory requirements.


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