N.Y. Transportation Law § 112: Routing of shipments by shipper of goods

§ 112. Routing of shipments by shipper of goods. In all cases where at

the time of the delivery of property to a common carrier, for

transportation subject to the provisions of this chapter, to any point

of destination, between which and the point of such delivery for

shipment two or more through routes shall exist, the person, firm or

corporation making such shipment shall have the right to designate in

writing by which of such routes such property shall be transported to

destination, and it shall thereupon be the duty of the initial carrier

to route such property and issue a through bill of lading therefor as so

directed, and to transport such property over its own line or lines and

deliver the same to the connecting carrier by rail or water, and it

shall be the duty of such connecting carrier to receive such property

and transport it over such line or lines and deliver the same to the

next succeeding carrier or consignee according to the routing

instructions of such bill of lading, provided that nothing in this

section shall be construed to make a common carrier liable for injury to

or loss of goods in transit on the line of another carrier. The shipper

shall in all instances have the right to determine where competing lines

of railroad or of carriers by water constitute portions of a through

line or route, over which of said competing lines so constituting a

portion of such through line or route his freight shall be transported.

The commissioner shall have the power to make such reasonable exceptions

and regulations as he may determine and shall have power to enforce the

above provisions. Where the route adopted by the shipper is by rail and

water lines, some of which have no physical connection, the property

carried shall be delivered at the point on the route where the transfer

is to take place by the initial or succeeding carrier to an agent of the

connecting carrier.