(FMCSA) Online Unified Registration System Update -- FMCSA has announced a three-month extension of the URS effective date. Implementation of the final stage of the URS is delayed until January 14, 2017. By April 14, 2017, all companies with a USDOT number must register for a portal account for URS to register and update their information with FMCSA. To learn more about upcoming changes regarding insurance and process agents, click here.

OSW - Holiday Travel Restriction -- Vehicles with Overweight Commodity Permits are no longer subject to holiday travel restrictions and may travel continuously during holiday periods. Overweight Commodity Permits apply to those vehicles with a permit to haul metal commodities up to 120,000 pounds or agricultural commodities up to 97,000 pounds. All other permitted oversize and/or overweight vehicles remain subject to all holiday travel restrictions. 

OSW - Change to Permitting Requirements for Fluid Milk Products -- A recent change in federal law declared vehicles carrying fluid milk products to be non-divisible loads. As a result, Indiana is no longer able to issue Overweight Commodity Permits for these vehicles. Vehicles carrying fluid milk products with a GVW greater than 80,000 pounds must obtain standard Overweight Permits for travel in Indiana; all requirements, limitations, permit provisions and permit fees for standard Overweight Permits apply.

New Dashboard! -- A new Motor Carrier Services dashboard to assist you with your Motor Carrier account needs in Indiana is available. This dashboard includes many beneficial features, such as area account notifications for all Motor Carrier sections, pre-renewal and payment reminders, and general notifications. To learn more about the new dashboard, click here to view an introductory video.

Base Plate Registration Moves to MCS -- Beginning January 2016, the Indiana Department of Revenue’s Motor Carrier Services Division will assume responsibility for base plate registrations from the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles for companies with 25 or more commercial vehicles weighing 16,000 lbs. or more. For more information visit www.in.gov/dor/5027.htm.

Charter Buses to Register with IRP -- Effective Jan. 1. 2016, Indiana charter buses traveling interstate with three or more axles or a weight of more than 26,000 pounds must register for license plates with IRP, through the Indiana Department of Revenue Motor Carrier Services Division. Previously, buses meeting these criteria registered for license plates through the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV). For more information, read the article in the May issue of Trucking Tips.

Full Reciprocity Plan -- Effective Jan. 1, 2015, all new IRP accounts will be registered for every jurisdiction on their cab cards and pay a per-vehicle distance percentage to each jurisdiction. On the next renewal, the accrued distance in each jurisdiction will be reported and carriers will only be billed for states in which they travelled. All jurisdictions will remain on the cab card thereafter to allow flexibility to travel into other states when necessary, and be charged for that jurisdiction on the next renewal for actual distance accrued.

Read the Latest Trucking Tips -- This edition features stories about the new Unified Registration System, Base Plate Registration, and much more. To read the latest edition, click here.

Biennial Updates -- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires all entities under its jurisdiction to update their information every two years. You are required to provide this update every two years even if your company has not changed its information, has ceased interstate operations since the last update, or is no longer in business and you did not notify FMCSA. You now have a filing schedule when to update your MCS150 form: click here to see when you are scheduled to update your USDOT number.

CNG Annual Fuel Permit Notice --  As of Jan. 1, 2014 trucks using Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as fuel, may haul their max load of 80,000 pounds and up to an additional 2,000 pounds for a total gross weight of 82,000 pounds. To be exempt, a carrier must obtain a CNG Annual Fuel Permit through the Indiana Department of Revenue Oversize/ Overweight Division. This annual permit is no cost but allows carriers to carry the extra weight through Indiana. Carriers may contact the department for additional information at (317) 615-7320.

Additional Notices

• International Registration Plan (IRP)
• Base Plate Registration (BPR)
• Oversize/Overweight (OSW)
• Fuel Tax- Indiana Motor Carrier Fuel Tax License (MCFT) and
  International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA)
• United States Department of Transportation Number (USDOT)
• Unified Carrier Registration (UCR)
• Frequently Asked Questions

• IFTA/MCFT Fuel Tax System
• International Registration Plan (IRP)
• Oversize/Overweight (OSW)
• Unified Carrier Registration (UCR)