To regulate the trucking industry in the United States, the state has an agency named as The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The real mission of the FMCSA is to reduce injuries, crashes and fatalities regarding the large trucks and buses on the road.
If you currently don’t have FMCSA UCR, it is important to get one as unregistered motor carriers crossing the state lines will be fined heavily and can expect their trucks to be pulled off the road by the FMCSA.
What is UCR?
UCR is an abbreviation for the Unified Carrier Registration program.it is a federal bases system that registers commercial vehicle operators who are linked international or within and in interstate travel. The annual registration is renewed by 31st December each year and registration dates differ every other year.
Who needs UCR?
Motor drivers, individuals or companies who are responsible for arranging goods shipments such as brokers, freight forwarders and companies, driving commercial vehicles and carrying goods are subjected to the UCR fee and permit. Each must pay the standard UCR fee to avoid FMCSA and DOT penalties and fines.
So how much is the UCR fee for the motor carrier? The total amount depends on the number of vehicles the fleet has. Companies and brokers pay the lowest registration fee which is also less than the fee for carriers.
Commercial motor vehicle
Under UCR a commercial motor vehicle is any towed or self-propelled highway vehicle. Commercial vehicles that take part in interstate travel must register for UCR permit. The vehicle could transport eleven members and the gross weight should be near or exceeding 10,001 pounds then it is said to be a commercial motor.
Penalties for UCR
If you are caught driving over state lines without paying UCR, the officials will detain your vehicle and payment of an additional fine and penalty around $100-$5000 can be expected, depending on the state you live in. This amount is for the first time offenders. For smooth on the road travel, make sure you get registered for UCR on time and save yourself from loss of money and time.
The states may also conduct an audit for your company in order to check compliance and determine it under its rules. Lack of compliance will result in various actions depending upon the state in which your vehicles are stopped and penalties will be offered.
What if my state does not participate?
In the U.S currently, 41 states take part in the UCR program. The states where the application does not apply directly are:
• Arizona
• Florida
• Hawaii
• Maryland
• Nevada
• New Jersey
• Oregon
• Vermont
• Wyoming
• And the District of Columbia.
Even if your state is not participating does not mean you are exempted from the permit. If your motor vehicle travels over the state line then you are required to purchase a UCR from the nearest participating state.
However, a motor carrier does not receive any certificate for UCR registration. During roadside routine checks, you can prove your registration by gaining access to a national database. Officers of law enforcement also have access to such a database, so you can prove your registration.
Applying for registration
When registering for UCR make sure to contact a trusted service agency that has the FMCSA tools and they reduce your errors for rejection.
To start the process:
1. Determine the number of qualified commercial motor vehicles in your fleet that meet the commercial motor criteria of weight, passenger, and placarding of hazardous vehicles.
2. Contact your base jurisdiction UCR or register online with the help of your local registration offices.
3. Register and count your total fees: depending on your state fee and the total vehicle in the fleet you can calculate the amount.
4. Pay your fee and you ready to go on the move.
Final thoughts
To ensure a safe travel with no or fewer fatalities and injuries, the FMCSA brought UCR to keep a check on commercial motors, brokers are freight hauls. It is necessary to register for the program or else one may face consequences resulting only in loss of the freight haul. Contact a well-known agency to get registered in time.
