It shall be the duty of the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department:
(1) To regulate common carriers by motor vehicle as provided in this subchapter. To that end, the department may establish reasonable requirements with respect to continuous and adequate service and transportation of baggage and express. It may establish reasonable requirements with respect to uniform systems of accounts, records, and reports, preservation of records, and safety of operation and equipment which shall conform as nearly as may be consistent with the public interest to the systems of accounts, records, and reports and the requirements as to the preservation of records and safety of operation and equipment now prescribed or which from time to time may be prescribed by the Interstate Commerce Commission [abolished] for common carriers by motor vehicles engaged in interstate or foreign commerce;
(2) To regulate contract carriers by motor vehicle as prescribed by this subchapter. To that end, the department may establish reasonable requirements with respect to uniform systems of accounts, records, and reports, preservation of records, and safety of operation and equipment now prescribed or which may from time to time be prescribed by the Interstate Commerce Commission [abolished] for contract carriers by motor vehicles engaged in interstate or foreign commerce;
(3) To regulate private carriers, as defined in this subchapter, with respect to safety of their operations and equipment;
(4) To regulate brokers as provided in this subchapter. To that end, the department may establish reasonable requirements with respect to licensing, financial responsibility, accounts, records, reports, operations, and practices of any such persons;
(5) To avail itself of the assistance of any of the several research agencies of the federal government and of any agency of this state having special knowledge of any such matter, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions pertaining to safety;
(6) To administer, execute, and enforce all other provisions of this subchapter, to make all necessary orders in connection therewith, and to prescribe rules, regulations, and procedures for such administration; and
(7) Upon complaint in writing to the department by any person, state board, organization, or body politic, or upon the department's own initiative without complaint, to investigate whether any motor carrier or broker has failed to comply with any provisions of this subchapter or with any requirements thereof. If the department finds upon investigation that the motor carrier or broker has failed to comply therewith, the department shall issue appropriate order to compel the carrier or broker to comply therewith. Whenever the department is of the opinion that any complaint does not state reasonable grounds for investigation and action on its part, it may dismiss that complaint.
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