common carrier (plural common carriers)

1. (transport, rail transport) A person or company that undertakes to transport goods for the general public or passengers on regular routes at agreed rates.
   • 1959, David P. Morgan, editor, Steam's Finest Hour, Kalmbach Publishing Co., page 41:

     Baldwin built the biggest by virtue of its rapport with the U.S. Steel roads. The largest of these properties is the Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range. The Missabe is, to be sure, no granger; indeed DM&IR is only technically a common carrier.

   • 1961 December, “Editorial: Führerprinzip for nationalised transport”, in Trains Illustrated, page 705:

     Equally to be expected, in view of the trend of Government legislation and pronouncements over the past few years—but no less epoch-making for that—is the proposal that the railways and canals shall cease to be common carriers and be entirely free to fix their own passenger and freight charges, [...].

   • 2021 August 25, Richard Foster, “The rise and fall of railway's Big Four...”, in RAIL, number 938, page 56:

     The railways were 'common carriers' - they had to move any load they were offered, even if it was uneconomic to do so. Road hauliers could pick and choose their loads.

2. (US, telecommunications) A company providing public telecommunications facilities.

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