(1) For the purpose of these rules a "forwarder" shall be defined as a person engaged in the business of soliciting, collecting or assembling shipments for the purpose of combining the same into a shipment of such size as to be entitled to a quantity rate and who forwards such shipment in his own name and at his own risk by a common carrier at such quantity rate.

(2) A "broker" is a person engaged in the business of providing, contracting for or undertaking to arrange for, transportation of property by two or more common carriers.

(a) A broker's compensation shall be in the form of a fixed fee or percentage of the total tariff charges which shall be fixed and established by the commission based upon evidence submitted by the affected party or parties, which in every instance must be collected from the shipper by the broker and no charge for any service shall be collected from the carrier. Every common carrier broker shall collect his fee, or percent of the total revenue charges, as a separate item and in accordance with the provisions of WAC 480-12-340 credit, extension of, by common carriers. Unless specifically authorized by the commission no common carrier broker authorized to collect charges from shippers for common carrier brokerage service shall collect from said shipper the common carrier tariff charges arising from the highway transportation of the property: Provided, That these provisions will not apply to any person holding a broker permit issued by the commission prior to April 16, 1971. Such brokers may continue to operate under the terms and conditions specified in their broker permit and under the commission rules which were in effect at the time their broker permit was issued.

(3) A carrier holding a highway transportation permit or an agent of such carrier, may not act as a shipper's agent, except as may be specifically authorized by a common carrier forwarder permit or a common carrier broker permit.

(4) A permit shall not be issued authorizing any one person to operate both as a broker and a forwarder.

(5) A forwarder shall not be permitted to charge rates which are lower than those prescribed for common carriers by motor vehicle. Such forwarder shall ship only over the lines of common carriers holding permits authorizing the transportation of general freight by motor vehicle.

(6) A common carrier broker, who also holds a common carrier permit authorizing highway transportation, may not perform highway transportation of the property of a shipper for which a common carrier brokerage service is rendered in equipment acquired by lease from another common carrier holding its own authority to provide the service.

(7) Every shipper, or group or association of shippers engaged in consolidating or distributing freight for themselves or for their members, and who wish to claim exempt status under chapter 138, Laws of 1979 ex. sess. [RCW 81.80.045] , shall notify the commission promptly upon beginning such services and, in addition, shall comply with the following:

Complete and file with the commission, by April 1 following each year in which an exemption is claimed, a statement of nonprofit status, notarized and dated, in substantially the following form: