§271-9  General duties and powers of thecommission.  (a)  The general duties and powers of the public utilitiescommission shall be:

(1)  To regulate common carriers by motor vehicle, andto that end the commission shall establish reasonable requirements with respectto continuous and adequate service, leasing of motor vehicles, uniform systemof accounts, records, and reports, and preservation of records.

(2)  To regulate contract carriers by motor vehicle,and to that end the commission shall establish reasonable requirements withrespect to leasing of motor vehicles, uniform system of accounts, records, andreports, and preservation of records.

(3)  To administer, execute, and enforce this chapter,to make all necessary orders in connection therewith, and to prescribe rules,regulations, and procedures for the administration.

(4)  For purposes of the administration of thischapter, to inquire into the management of the business of motor carriers, andinto the management of the business of persons controlling, controlled by, orunder common control with, motor carriers to the extent that the business ofthese persons is related to the management of the business of one or more motorcarriers, and the commission shall keep itself informed as to the manner andmethod in which the same are conducted, and may obtain from the carriers andpersons such information as the commission deems necessary to carry out theprovisions of this chapter.

(5)  To investigate any person acting in the capacityof or engaging in the business of a motor carrier within the State, withouthaving a certificate of public convenience and necessity or other authoritypreviously obtained under and in compliance with this chapter or the rulespromulgated thereunder.

(b)  The commission may from time to timeestablish such just and reasonable classifications of groups of carriersincluded in the term "common carrier by motor vehicle" or"contract carrier by motor vehicle", as the special nature of theservices performed by the carriers shall require, and such just and reasonablerules, regulations, and requirements, consistent with this chapter, to beobserved by the carriers so classified or grouped, as the commission deemsnecessary or desirable in the public interest.

(c)  Upon complaint in writing to thecommission by any person or body politic, or upon its own initiative withoutcomplaint, the commission may investigate whether any motor carrier has failedto comply with any provision of this chapter, or with any regulation,requirements, or order established or issued pursuant thereto.  If thecommission, after notice and hearing as prescribed in section 271-31, findsupon any investigation that the motor carrier has failed to comply with anyprovision, regulation, requirements, or order, the commission shall issue anappropriate order to compel the carrier to comply therewith.  Whenever thecommission is of the opinion that any complaint does not state reasonablegrounds for investigation and action on its part, it may dismiss the complaint.[L 1961, c 121, pt of §2; am L 1962, c 12, §5; am L 1963, c 137, §1 and c 193,§34; Supp, §106C-7; HRS §271-9; am L Sp 1977 1st, c 20, §5; am L 1991, c 57,§12]