(a) Except as provided under (b) of this section, information in the possession of the corporation is public and is open to public inspection at reasonable times.
(b) The corporation may by rule designate and withhold public disclosure of matters of a privileged or proprietary nature. Those matters include personnel records, communications with and work product of legal counsel, and, consistent with the standards and practices of the United States Surface Transportation Board for the protection of these matters, other information including proprietary information associated with specific shippers, divisions, and contract rate agreements.