(a)
(1)No discrimination in charges or facilities for transportation shall be made by any railroad or other transportation company between places or persons, or in the facilities for the transportation of the same classes of freight or passengers within this state. It shall be unlawful for any railroad or other transportation company to charge or receive any greater compensation in the aggregate for the transportation of passengers or of like kind of property for a shorter than for a longer distance over the same line
or route in the same direction, the shorter being included within the longer distance, or to charge any greater compensation as a through rate than the aggregate of the intermediate rates.
(2)
Upon application to the commission company may be authorized by the commission to charge less for longer than for shorter distances for the transportation of persons or property and the commission may from time to time prescribe the extent to which such company may be relieved from the prohibition to charge less for the longer than for the shorter haul. The commission may authorize the issuance of excursion and commutation tickets at special rates.
(3)
Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prevent the commission from ordering and compelling any railroad or other transportation company to make reparation to any shipper on account of the rates charged to such shipper being
excessive or discriminatory, provided no discrimination will result from such reparation.
(b)
Subdivision (a) is not applicable to network railroad transportation.