To
avoid delays, it is highly recommended that you register online. Go to www.ucr.in.gov to register online.
If
you operate a truck or bus in interstate or international commerce, or if you
make the arrangements for the transportation of cargo and goods, there is a new
federal law that applies to your business.
The
Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) Program requires individuals and companies
that operate commercial motor vehicles in interstate or international commerce
to register their business with a participating state and pay an annual fee
based on the size of their fleet.
Companies operating solely as brokers, freight forwarders or leasing
companies are also required to register and pay a fee of $76.00. Companies providing both motor carrier
services as well as broker, freight forwarder or leasing services are required
to pay the fee level set at the motor carrier level.
A
“commercial motor vehicle” is defined as a self-propelled or towed vehicle used
on the highways in commerce principally to transport passengers or cargo if the
vehicle:
has a gross vehicle weight of 10,001 pounds or more;
is designed to transport 11 or more passengers (including the driver); or
is used in transporting hazardous materials in a quantity requiring placarding.
If you are registering for the following year, you must pay UCR
fees before December 31 to legally operate in other UCR participating states.
FEE
BRACKETS FOR MOTOR CARRIERS:
Fleet Size
|
|
Fee
Per Company
|
|
|
|
FROM
|
TO
|
|
0
|
2
|
$76.00
|
3
|
5
|
$227.00
|
6
|
20
|
$452.00
|
21
|
100
|
$1,576.00
|
101
|
1,000
|
$7,511.00
|
1,001
|
200,000
|
$73,346.00
|
Example: A motor carrier operating four tractors and
nine straight trucks has a fleet size of 13 commercial motor vehicles and
pays $452.00.
Click
here for contact information for UCR participating states.
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What is the law that governs the UCR Agreement?
The
UCR Agreement is established by federal law in the UCR Act, which is part of
the federal highway reauthorization bill known as the Safe, Accountable,
Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act, A Legacy for Users
(“SAFETEA-LU”), Public Law 109-59, enacted August
10, 2005. The UCR Act is
sections 4301 through 4308 of SAFETEA-LU.
In particular, the structure of the UCR Agreement is set forth in
section 4305 of the UCR Act, which enacts §14504a as a new section in 49 United
States Code (“USC”).
Will there be a credential for UCR registrants under the
UCR Agreement?
No. There is no UCR Agreement credential
requirement. Section 4306 of the UCR Act includes a general prohibition against
State requirements on interstate motor carriers, motor private carriers,
freight forwarders, or leasing companies to display any credentials in or on a
commercial motor vehicle. Although there
are a number of exceptions to this general prohibition, none apply to the UCR
Agreement.
What entities are not subject to the UCR fees?
There
are two types of entities that are not subject to UCR fees: (1) entities that
receive USDOT numbers under the PRISM program as “registrants” but have no
interstate operating authority; and (2) purely intrastate carriers; that is,
those that do not handle interstate freight or make interstate movements, unless
the State has elected to apply the provisions of the UCR Agreement to such
intrastate carriers.
What entities based in Canada,
Mexico or any
other country are subject to the UCR Agreement?
Motor
carriers, motor private carriers, freight forwarders, leasing companies and
brokers based in Canada, Mexico or any other country that operates in
interstate or international commerce in the United States are subject to the
UCR Agreement.
What will UCR
registrants under the UCR Agreement have to do to comply?
A
UCR registrant will be required to register annually for the UCR Agreement and
pay its UCR fees at the same time. This can be accomplished by going to www.ucr.in.gov and registering.
What vehicles are considered commercial motor vehicles for
purposes of the UCR fees?
The
number of commercial motor vehicles for purposes of determining a carrier’s UCR
fees is the number of commercial motor vehicles (power units and towed vehicles
such as trailers) the carrier reported in the most recent Form MCS-150 it filed
with FMCSA or the total number of commercial motor vehicles it owned or
operated under long-term lease for the 12-month period ending on June 30
immediately prior to the beginning of the UCR Agreement registration year for
which the fees are being determined. A
commercial motor vehicle is one that is operated in commerce and has a GVW or
GVWR of at least 10,001 pounds or, in the case of a passenger vehicle, is one
built to carry more than 10 persons, including the driver. It also includes a vehicle that transports hazardous
materials in a quantity that requires placarding. It does not include, for this purpose, a
vehicle that operates wholly in intrastate commerce.
Will a motor carrier or
motor private carrier subject to the UCR fees be required to file a supplemental
report and fees if the size of its fleet increases or decreases during the year?
No. UCR fees will be set through a graduated
structure of rates according to the number of commercial motor vehicles
operated by a motor carrier or motor private carrier during the preceding
year. Changes during the UCR Agreement
registration year in the number of vehicles operated will not be reflected
until the following year and the carrier will not need to report them currently.
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