Dive Brief:
- The Unified Carrier Registration board is looking to replace its entire slate of motor carrier industry representatives: Terms for all five current members will expire May 31.
- The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is considering nominations for or expressions of interest to fill the positions. The industry reps are one-third of a board that recommends annual registration fees to the federal government for approval, among other duties.
- Applications are due as of May 10, and the terms last for three years.
Dive Insight:
Involving 41 states, the UCR Act, a federal law, affects interstate motor carriers, freight forwarders, brokers and leasing companies.
The law allows states to use money generated from registration fees and acts as a state revenue program for motor carrier safety programs and enforcement.
Congress enacted the law in 2005 to replace a previous program known as Single State Registration System. The revamp expanded the types of businesses subject to the fee, adding brokers, freight forwarders and leasing companies, after motor carriers complained about costs.
Fees now can generate about $108 million annually for states and are capped, meaning over-collected amounts discount future rates. The money pays for motor carrier safety programs and enforcement, and additional revenue can cover administrative costs of the UCR program. Many states use the money to pay for motor carrier enforcement programs, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
The current board members representing the industry are David Bauer for the American Trucking Associations, Brandon Buchanan for the American Bus Association, Chris Burroughs of the Transportation Intermediaries Association, Corey Keating of KBar Trucking, and Monte Wiederhold of Reever Transport, who also serves as an Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association board member.
