Who
Is Subject to UCRA?
All motor carriers (for-hire,
private and exempt) – as well as brokers, freight forwarders,
and leasing companies operating in interstate or international
commerce are subject to the new UCRA program. That includes
many businesses that were not subject to SSRS, including
private carriers, exempt carriers, for-hire carriers that did
not travel into SSRS states, and brokers, freight forwarders,
and leasing companies. Carriers based in Canada and Mexico
and operating in the U.S. are also subject to the UCRA.
Participating states are now requiring interstate carriers and
others to register in the UCRA program and pay fees based on
their fleet size. Beginning in late September, motor carriers
and others subject to UCRA were mailed information from states
on the new program. The mailing included a UCRA application
form with instructions, and information on how to register in
the UCRA and pay the UCRA fees on-line (www.ucr.in.gov)
or by mail to a base state.
Like SSRS, UCRA is a Base-State Program.
That is, a motor carrier or other
business subject to UCRA will register with and pay fees to
its base state only, on behalf of all the other UCRA
participating states.
Since Pennsylvania is not yet a participating state,
anyone required to register under the UCR program must apply
through New York or West Virginia. or,
any business subject to UCR may register and pay its fees
on-line through the national on-line registration system
developed and maintained by the Indiana Department of Revenue
on behalf of all UCR states. This online registration is
available at
www.ucr.in.gov.
What Does UCRA Registration Involve?
A
business registers for UCRA by filling out the one-page UCRA
application which calls for contact information, the entity’s
designation of its base state and a statement of what fees it
owes. Submission of this form with payment of fees either to
the base state or through the national on-line system
completes registration for the year. No filing of federal
financial responsibility (insurance coverage) is currently
required.
How Are the Fees Paid?
The
form of payment acceptable to a base state depends on each
individual state; however, the national system will accept
Visa, Master Card and electronic transfers (e-Check), with a
convenience fee charged for the service.
How Are the UCRA Fees Computed?
Unlike SSRS fees, UCRA fees are not computed on a per-vehicle
bases, but are computed based on a carrier’s fleet size. The
UCRA fees do not depend on where a carrier’s vehicles travel
as was the case under the SSRS. Instead, whether an
interstate carrier travels in a few or many states, the amount
of the fee is dependent on the number of commercial motor
vehicles operated. For the purposes of the UCRA program the
definition of a “Commercial Motor Vehicle” is as follows:
A “Commercial Motor Vehicle” (CMV) is
defined as a self-propelled or towed vehicle used on the
highways in commerce principally to transport passengers or
cargo, if the vehicle:
(a) has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight
of at least 10,001 pounds or more, whichever is greater;
(b) is designed to transport 11 or more passengers (including
the driver); or
(c) is used in transporting hazardous materials in a quantity
requiring placarding.
Please
note that the definition of a “Commercial Motor Vehicle”
includes trailing equipment (e.g. trailers) as well as power
units. For example, if a carrier operates 100 tractors and
200 semi-trailers the number of vehicles for the purposes of
calculating the UCRA fee would be 300 CMVs. The total number
of vehicles will in most cases be the same as the reported to
the U.S. Department of Transportation on its latest MCS-150
Form. For the 2007, the UCRA fees are as follows:
THE FEE BRACKETS FOR MOTOR CARRIERS ARE AS
FOLLOWS:
|
Fleet Size
(including
trailers) |
|
Fee Per Company |
| |
|
|
|
From |
To |
|
|
0 |
2 |
$39.00 |
|
3 |
5 |
$116.00 |
|
6 |
20 |
$231.00 |
|
21 |
100 |
$806.00 |
|
101 |
1,000 |
$3,840.00 |
|
1,001 |
200,000 |
$37,500.00 |
Brokers, Freight Forwards and Leasing Companies that do not
operate trucks of their own pay $39.00.
Is There a UCRA Credential?
Although most states will issue
receipts for UCRA payments,
no UCRA credential is required to
be carried in vehicles.
How Will UCRA Be Enforced?
When a business pays its UCRA fees, the base state will convey
that information to FMCSA which will indicate in SAFER that
the carrier has complied with the UCRA. Roadside enforcement
will be able to access UCR information via SAFER, Query
Central, and ISS to determine whether a carrier is current
with its UCRA obligations.
