U.S. Department of Transportation
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, DC www.dot.gov/affairs/briefing.htm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FMCSA 9-00
Tuesday, June 9, 2000
Contact: David Longo
Telephone: 202-366-0456
New Rule for Marking Large
Trucks To
Ease Identification, Improve Safety
The U.S. Department of
Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has
revised requirements for marking commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) with
FMCSA-issued USDOT identification numbers. The revision will enhance highway and
motor carrier safety by providing a more consistent vehicle identification
method for enforcement officials and the public.
The new rule requires
carriers operating in interstate commerce to display their name and USDOT number
on both sides of the power unit.
Effective July 3, 2000,
all new interstate motor carriers must submit a Form MCS-150 to the FMCSA before
beginning operations. They also must mark the power units of their commercial
motor vehicles before putting them into service. Earlier requirements called for
submission of the form within 90 days after starting operations.
The FMCSA has required the
use of USDOT numbers since 1988, and before that, ICC (Interstate Commerce
Commission) numbers were required on vehicles operated by for-hire carriers.
FMCSA had previously allowed motor carriers authorized by the former ICC to
continue to mark their trucks and buses with the ICC number. If a carrier
displayed the ICC number as of July 3, 2000, the motor carrier will have until
July 3, 2002 to display its USDOT number. All commercial motor vehicles added to
a motor carrier's fleet on or after July 3, 2000 must meet the new marking
requirements before being placed in service.
The rule requires
commercial motor vehicles to be marked with the legal name or a single trade
name of the business that owns or controls the motor carrier operation, and the
name must appear as indicated on the motor carrier's Motor Carrier
Identification Report (Form MCS-150). Carriers have until July 5, 2005 to
display that name on trucks and buses in their fleets. Carriers may verify
information on file with the FMCSA by going to
http://www.safer.fmcsa.dot.gov
on the Internet and accessing the information via their USDOT number, MC number
or name.
Provisions concerning use
of removable marking devices, such as magnetic name tags, are retained in the
new regulation.
Information and the form
used to apply for USDOT numbers can be obtained by calling 1-800-832-5660. The
MCS-150 form also can be downloaded from the Internet at
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/factsfigs/formspubs.htm.
The new regulation was in the June 2, 2000 Federal Register.
# # #
|