FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FMCSA 20-00
Tuesday, November 7, 2000
Contact: Dave Longo
Telephone: 202-366-0456
FMCSA Announces Electronic Insurance Filings For Motor
Carriers via the Internet
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has modified its licensing and insurance
information database and web site to allow registered insurance companies and
other financial institutions to file information for motor carriers' about their
insurance policies directly online.
Financial institutions may now enter certificates of
insurance, notices of cancellation, surety bonds, trust fund agreements and
other evidence of security via the Internet. The web site address is: http://fmcsa-li.volpe.dot.gov
The FMCSA is at the forefront of the move toward
e-government. "I am especially proud to expand our user-friendly,
do-it-yourself web site that allows business to be conducted in a secure
environment with the federal government," said FMCSA Acting Deputy
Administrator Clyde J. Hart Jr.
The FMCSA web site already allows commercial truck and bus
operators to use the Internet to apply for registration and to pay fines for
violations of federal motor carrier safety regulations.
All for-hire motor carriers, freight forwarders, and
brokers conducting operations in interstate or foreign commerce must maintain on
file, with the FMCSA, evidence of insurance in the required amounts. This
evidence of insurance is filed for motor carriers by insurance companies and
other financial institutions. Currently, about 130,000 motor carriers' insurance
policies are submitted to the agency on paper forms. Another approximately
300,000 motor carriers' insurance policies are submitted through the use of
computer software that allows financial institutions and insurance companies to
input the information directly to an electronic database.
Both of these methods, filing paper reports and filing
into the electronic database via the Internet, will be retained. However, the
FMCSA will no longer accept new filing applications via the electronic database
system, which is being replaced by the new Internet filing system.
The Internet filing procedure will enable companies to
receive insurance confirmation immediately following information submission.
Companies using the paper filing system usually receive confirmation in
approximately 10 days due to the large volume of submissions. An added benefit
of Internet filing is that it expedites carriers' compliance requirements with
federal motor carrier insurance regulations.
Additional information regarding the Internet insurance
filing system may be obtained by contacting the FMCSA's Insurance Compliance
Division at (202) 358-7028 or (202) 358-7029.
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