H. R. 3—622
‘‘(1) COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subparagraph 
(B), the term ‘commercial motor vehicle’ has the meaning 
such term has under section 31101. 
‘‘(B) EXCEPTION.—With respect to a motor carrier 
required to make any filing or pay any fee to a State 
with respect to the motor carrier’s authority or insurance 
related to operation within such State, the motor carrier 
shall have the option to include, in addition to commercial 
motor vehicles as defined in subparagraph (A), any self-
propelled vehicle used on the highway in commerce to 
transport passengers or property for compensation regard-
less of the gross vehicle weight rating of the vehicle or 
the number of passengers transported by such vehicle. 
‘‘(2) BASE-STATE.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subparagraph (B), the 
term ‘base-State’ means, with respect to a unified carrier 
registration agreement, a State—
‘‘(i) that is in compliance with the requirements 
of subsection (e); and 
‘‘(ii) in which the motor carrier, motor private car-
rier, broker, freight forwarder, or leasing company to 
which the agreement applies maintains its principal 
place of business. 
‘‘(B) DESIGNATION
OF
BASE-STATE.—A motor carrier, 
motor private carrier, broker, freight forwarder, or leasing 
company may designate another State in which it main-
tains an office or operating facility to be its base-State 
in the event that—
‘‘(i) the State in which the motor carrier, motor 
private carrier, broker, freight forwarder, or leasing 
company maintains its principal place of business is 
not in compliance with the requirements of subsection 
(e); or 
‘‘(ii) the motor carrier, motor private carrier, 
broker, freight forwarder, or leasing company does not 
have a principal place of business in the United States. 
‘‘(3) INTRASTATE FEE.—The term ‘intrastate fee’ means any 
fee, tax, or other type of assessment, including per vehicle 
fees and gross receipts taxes, imposed on a motor carrier or 
motor private carrier for the renewal of the intrastate authority 
or insurance filings of such carrier with a State. 
‘‘(4) LEASING COMPANY.—The term ‘leasing company’ means 
a lessor that is engaged in the business of leasing or renting 
for compensation motor vehicles without drivers to a motor 
carrier, motor private carrier, or freight forwarder. 
‘‘(5) MOTOR CARRIER.—The term ‘motor carrier’ includes 
all carriers that are otherwise exempt from this part under 
subchapter I of chapter 135 or exemption actions by the former 
Interstate Commerce Commission under this title. 
‘‘(6) PARTICIPATING STATE.—The term ‘participating State’ 
means a State that has complied with the requirements of 
subsection (e). 
‘‘(7) SSRS.—The term ‘SSRS’ means the single state reg-
istration system in effect on the date of enactment of this 
section.
H. R. 3—623
‘‘(8) UNIFIED
CARRIER
REGISTRATION
AGREEMENT.—The 
terms ‘unified carrier registration agreement’ and ‘UCR agree-
ment’ mean the interstate agreement developed under the uni-
fied carrier registration plan governing the collection and dis-
tribution of registration and financial responsibility information 
provided and fees paid by motor carriers, motor private carriers, 
brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies pursuant 
to this section. 
‘‘(9) UNIFIED CARRIER REGISTRATION PLAN.—The terms ‘uni-
fied carrier registration plan’ and ‘UCR plan’ mean the 
organization of State, Federal, and industry representatives 
responsible for developing, implementing, and administering 
the unified carrier registration agreement. 
‘‘(10) VEHICLE REGISTRATION.—The term ‘vehicle registra-
tion’ means the registration of any commercial motor vehicle 
under the International Registration Plan (as defined in section 
31701) or any other registration law or regulation of a jurisdic-
tion. 
‘‘(b) APPLICABILITY OF PROVISIONS TO FREIGHT FORWARDERS.—
A freight forwarder that operates commercial motor vehicles and 
is not required to register as a carrier pursuant to section 13903(b) 
shall be subject to the provisions of this section as if the freight 
forwarder is a motor carrier. 
‘‘(c) UNREASONABLE BURDEN.—For purposes of this section, it 
shall be considered an unreasonable burden upon interstate com-
merce for any State or any political subdivision of a State, or 
any political authority of two or more States—
‘‘(1) to enact, impose, or enforce any requirement or stand-
ards with respect to, or levy any fee or charge on, any motor 
carrier or motor private carrier providing transportation or 
service subject to jurisdiction under subchapter I of chapter 
135 (in this section referred to as an ‘interstate motor carrier’ 
and an ‘interstate motor private carrier’, respectively) in connec-
tion with—
‘‘(A) the registration with the State of the interstate 
operations of the motor carrier or motor private carrier; 
‘‘(B) the filing with the State of information relating 
to the financial responsibility of the a motor carrier or 
motor private carrier pursuant to sections 31138 or 31139; 
‘‘(C) the filing with the State of the name of the local 
agent for service of process of the motor carrier or motor 
private carrier pursuant to sections 503 or 13304; or 
‘‘(D) the annual renewal of the intrastate authority, 
or the insurance filings, of the motor carrier or motor 
private carrier, or other intrastate filing requirement nec-
essary to operate within the State if the motor carrier 
or motor private carrier is—
‘‘(i) registered under section 13902 or section 
13905(b); and 
‘‘(ii) in compliance with the laws and regulations 
of the State authorizing the carrier to operate in the 
State in accordance with section 14501(c)(2)(A); except 
with respect to—
‘‘(I) intrastate service provided by motor car-
riers of passengers that is not subject to the 
preemption provisions of section 14501(a);
H. R. 3—624
‘‘(II) motor carriers of property, motor private 
carriers, brokers, or freight forwarders, or their 
services or operations, that are described in sub-
paragraphs (B) and (C) of section 14501(c)(2). 
‘‘(III) the intrastate transportation of waste 
or recyclable materials by any carrier; or 
‘‘(2) to require any interstate motor carrier or motor private 
carrier that also performs intrastate operations to pay any 
fee or tax which a carrier engaged exclusively in interstate 
operations is exempt. 
‘‘(d) UNIFIED CARRIER REGISTRATION PLAN.—
‘‘(1) BOARD OF DIRECTORS.—
‘‘(A) GOVERNANCE OF PLAN; ESTABLISHMENT.—The uni-
fied carrier registration plan shall have a board of directors 
consisting of representatives of the Department of 
Transportation, participating States, and the motor carrier 
industry. The Secretary shall establish the board. 
‘‘(B) COMPOSITION.—The board shall consist of 15 direc-
tors appointed by the Secretary as follows: 
‘‘(i) FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRA-
TION.—One director from each of the Federal Motor 
Carrier Safety Administration’s 4 service areas (as 
those areas were defined by the Federal Motor Carrier 
Safety Administration on January 1, 2005) from among 
the chief administrative officers of the State agencies 
responsible for overseeing the administration of the 
UCR agreement. 
‘‘(ii) STATE
AGENCIES.—Five directors from the 
professional staffs of State agencies responsible for 
overseeing the administration of the UCR agreement 
in their respective States. Nominees for these 5 direc-
torships shall be submitted to the Secretary by the 
national association of professional employees of the 
State agencies responsible for overseeing the adminis-
tration of the UCR agreement in their respective 
States. 
‘‘(iii) MOTOR
CARRIER
INDUSTRY.—Five directors 
from the motor carrier industry. At least 1 of the 
appointees under this clause shall be a representative 
of a national trade association representing the general 
motor carrier of property industry. At least 1 of the 
appointees under this clause shall represent a motor 
carrier that falls within the smallest fleet fee bracket. 
‘‘(iv) 
DEPARTMENT
OF
TRANSPORTATION.—The 
Deputy Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier 
Safety Administration, or such other presidential 
appointee from the Department, as the Secretary may 
appoint. 
‘‘(C) CHAIRPERSON AND VICE-CHAIRPERSON.—The Sec-
retary shall designate 1 director as chairperson and 1 
director as vice-chairperson of the board. The chairperson 
and vice-chairperson shall serve in such capacity for the 
term of their appointment as directors. 
‘‘(D) TERMS.—
‘‘(i) INITIAL
TERMS.—In appointing the initial 
board, the Secretary shall designate 5 of the appointed 
directors for initial terms of 3 years, 5 of the appointed
H. R. 3—625
directors for initial terms of 2 years, and 5 of the 
appointed directors for initial terms of 1 year. 
‘‘(ii) THEREAFTER.—After the initial term, all direc-
tors shall be appointed for terms of 3 years; except 
that the term of the Deputy Administrator or other 
individual designated by the Secretary under subpara-
graph (B)(iv) shall be at the discretion of the Secretary. 
‘‘(iii) SUCCESSION.—A director may be appointed 
to succeed himself or herself. 
‘‘(iv) END OF SERVICE.—A director may continue 
to serve on the board until his or her successor is 
appointed. 
‘‘(2) RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE UCR AGREE-
MENT.—The board of directors shall issue rules and regulations 
to govern the UCR agreement. The rules and regulations shall—
‘‘(A) prescribe uniform forms and formats, for—
‘‘(i) the annual submission of the information 
required by a base-State of a motor carrier, motor 
private carrier, leasing company, broker, or freight for-
warder; 
‘‘(ii) the transmission of information by a partici-
pating State to the Unified Carrier Registration 
System; 
‘‘(iii) the payment of excess fees by a State to 
the designated depository and the distribution of fees 
by the depository to those States so entitled; and 
‘‘(iv) the providing of notice by a motor carrier, 
motor private carrier, broker, freight forwarder, or 
leasing company to the board of the intent of such 
entity to change its base-State, and the procedures 
for a State to object to such a change under subpara-
graph (C); 
‘‘(B) provide for the administration of the unified car-
rier registration agreement, including procedures for 
amending the agreement and obtaining clarification of any 
provision of the Agreement; 
‘‘(C) provide procedures for dispute resolution under 
the agreement that provide due process for all involved 
parties; and 
‘‘(D) designate a depository. 
‘‘(3) COMPENSATION AND EXPENSES.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except for the representative of the 
Department appointed under paragraph (1)(B)(iv), no 
director shall receive any compensation or other benefits 
from the Federal Government for serving on the board 
or be considered a Federal employee as a result of such 
service. 
‘‘(B) EXPENSES.—All directors shall be reimbursed for 
expenses they incur attending meetings of the board. In 
addition, the board may approve the reimbursement of 
expenses incurred by members of any subcommittee or 
task force appointed under paragraph (5) for carrying out 
the duties of the subcommittee or task force. The 
reimbursement of expenses to directors and subcommittee 
and task force members shall be under subchapter II of 
chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, governing 
reimbursement of expenses for travel by Federal employees.