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From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 49USC31101]

 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
             SUBTITLE VI--MOTOR VEHICLE AND DRIVER PROGRAMS
 
                           PART B--COMMERCIAL
 
              CHAPTER 311--COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY
 
 SUBCHAPTER I--STATE GRANTS AND OTHER COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE PROGRAMS
 
Sec. 31101. Definitions

    In this subchapter--
        (1) ``commercial motor vehicle'' means (except in section 31106) 
    a self-propelled or towed vehicle used on the highways in commerce 
    principally to transport passengers or cargo, if the vehicle--
            (A) has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle 
        weight of at least 10,001 pounds, whichever is greater;
            (B) is designed to transport more than 10 passengers 
        including the driver; or
            (C) is used in transporting material found by the Secretary 
        of Transportation to be hazardous under section 5103 of this 
        title and transported in a quantity requiring placarding under 
        regulations prescribed by the Secretary under section 5103.

        (2) ``employee'' means a driver of a commercial motor vehicle 
    (including an independent contractor when personally operating a 
    commercial motor vehicle), a mechanic, a freight handler, or an 
    individual not an employer, who--
            (A) directly affects commercial motor vehicle safety in the 
        course of employment by a commercial motor carrier; and
            (B) is not an employee of the United States Government, a 
        State, or a political subdivision of a State acting in the 
        course of employment.

        (3) ``employer''--
            (A) means a person engaged in a business affecting commerce 
        that owns or leases a commercial motor vehicle in connection 
        with that business, or assigns an employee to operate the 
        vehicle in commerce; but
            (B) does not include the Government, a State, or a political 
        subdivision of a State.

        (4) ``State'' means a State of the United States, the District 
    of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, 
    and the Northern Mariana Islands.

(Pub. L. 103-272, Sec. 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 984; Pub. L. 105-
178, title IV, Sec. 4003(a), June 9, 1998, 112 Stat. 395.)

                                          Historical and Revision Notes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Revised  Section                    Source (U.S. Code)               Source (Statutes at Large)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
31101.................................  49 App.:2301(1), (3)-(6).        Jan. 6, 1983, Pub. L. 97-424, Sec.
                                                                          401(1), (3)-(6), 96 Stat. 2154, 2155.
                                        49 App.:2301(2).                 Jan. 6, 1983, Pub. L. 97-424, Sec.
                                                                          401(2), 96 Stat. 2154; Oct. 30, 1984,
                                                                          Pub. L. 98-554, Sec.  228(a), (b), 98
                                                                          Stat. 2852.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Before clause (1), the words ``unless the context otherwise 
requires'' are omitted as unnecessary. The text of 49 App.:2301(4) is 
omitted as unnecessary because of 1:1. The text of 49 App.:2301(5) is 
omitted as surplus because the complete name of the Secretary of 
Transportation is used the first time the term appears in a section.
    In clause (1), before subclause (A), the words ``(except in section 
31106)'' are added because the source provisions being restated in 
section 31106 of the revised title contain a definition of ``commercial 
motor vehicle''.
    In clause (4), the words ``the Commonwealth of'' are omitted for 
consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United 
States Code.


                               Amendments

    1998--Par. (1)(A). Pub. L. 105-178, Sec. 4003(a)(1), inserted ``or 
gross vehicle weight'' after ``rating'' and substituted ``10,001 pounds, 
whichever is greater'' for ``10,000 pounds''.
    Par. (1)(C). Pub. L. 105-178, Sec. 4003(a)(2), inserted ``and 
transported in a quantity requiring placarding under regulations 
prescribed by the Secretary under section 5103'' before period at end.


                             Savings Clause

    Pub. L. 105-178, title IV, Sec. 4003(h), June 9, 1998, 112 Stat. 
398, provided that: ``Amendments made by this section [amending this 
section and sections 31102 to 31104 of this title] shall not affect any 
funds made available before the date of enactment of this Act [June 9, 
1998].''