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Email: Chapter 24A, Article 6

ARTICLE 6. DUTIES AND PRIVILEGES OF MOTOR CARRIERS SUBJECT TO REGULATION OF THE COMMISSION.

§24A-6-1. Adequate facilities; safety appliances; discontinuance or change; interchange of traffic; joint use of terminal facilities.

Every motor carrier subject to this chapter shall establish and maintain adequate and suitable facilities, safety appliances, and other suitable appliances and shall perform such service in respect thereto as shall be reasonably safe and sufficient for the security and convenience of the public, and the safety and comfort of its employees and in all respects just and fair, and without any unjust discrimination or preference. Every motor carrier may be required by the commission to establish and maintain such suitable public service facilities and conveniences as may be reasonable and just. No motor carrier shall discontinue any regular passenger or other public service facility, or change any passenger schedule or timetable without first obtaining authority from the commission so to do, unless the same be done under uniform rules and regulations filed by such motor carrier with the Public Service Commission and approved by said commission. All motor carriers subject to this chapter shall, according to their respective powers and facilities, afford all reasonable, proper, and equal facilities for the interchange of traffic between their respective lines, and for the receiving, forwarding, and delivery of passengers and property to and from their several lines, and those connecting therewith, including common carriers not subject to this chapter, and shall not discriminate in their rates and charges or methods or manner of service between such connecting lines. The commission may require such interchange of traffic and the joint use of terminal facilities as may be reasonable and just.

§24A-6-2. Rate schedules and reports.

Every motor carrier subject to the provisions of this chapter shall file with the commission, and keep open to public inspection, schedules showing all the rates and charges for service to be rendered by it or by other persons in connection with it: Provided, however, That the reports and tariffs filed by an interstate motor carrier with the commission may be copies of its reports and tariffs filed with the interstate commerce commission, but nothing herein shall preclude the commission from requiring interstate motor carriers to furnish information bearing upon any complaint or question before said commission and with which it has a right to deal.

§24A-6-3. Procedure as to certificates of convenience and necessity and permits issued prior to chapter.

Certificates of convenience and necessity and permits issued to motor carriers by state authorities under the authority of the laws of this state in effect prior to the date this chapter becomes effective shall remain in effect until confirmed, revoked or suspended by the commission, but persons who are the holders of such certificates and permits shall be subject to all provisions of this chapter. The procedure for confirming such certificates and permits shall be the same as is herein provided for issuing certificates and permits in the first instance: Provided, That if any common or contract carrier by motor vehicle of passengers, except by taxicab, was in operation on or prior to March 1, 1937, and any common or contract carrier by motor vehicle of property and of passengers by taxicab for hire was in operation on or prior to January 1, 1939, over the route or routes or within the territory for which application is made and has so operated since the respective dates, except as to interruptions over which the applicant has no control, the commission shall issue such certificate or permit without requiring further proof that the public convenience and necessity will be served by such operation and without further proceedings if application for such certificate or permit to operate is made to the commission within ninety days from the effective date of this chapter: Provided, however, That the applicant in the case of a common carrier or contract carrier by motor vehicle of passengers, except by taxicab, shall be required to submit proof of operation on or prior to March 1, 1937, and in the case of a common or contract carrier by motor vehicle of property and of passengers by taxicab, of operation on or prior to January 1, 1939, and continuously thereafter: Provided further, That pending determination of any application hereunder, the continuance of operation in which a common or contract carrier by motor vehicle of passengers, except by taxicab, was so engaged on or prior to March 1, 1937, and the continuance of operation in which any common or contract carrier by motor vehicle of property and of passengers by taxicab was so engaged on or prior to January 1, 1939, shall be lawful.

§24A-6-4. Uniform vehicle identification card.

The commission shall prescribe a uniform vehicle identification card which shall be displayed within the cab of each power unit operated by any motor carrier, showing thereon the description and serial number of the vehicle for which it is issued and the number given to the vehicle by the commission, and may contain such other information as may be required by the commission. Such cards shall be issued annually and displayed in each such power unit not later than July first of each year. It shall be unlawful for any motor carrier to operate any power unit within this state unless said identification card is displayed within such vehicle. It shall be unlawful for the motor carrier, his agent, servant, or employee, or any other person to use or display said identification card or other insignia of authority from the commission at any time after the certificate or permit issued to said motor carrier has expired or has been cancelled, suspended, revoked, or otherwise disposed of.

§24A-6-5.

Repealed.

Acts, 1961 Reg. Sess., Ch. 117.

§24A-6-6.  Special annual assessment against motor carriers for expenses of administering chapter; Public Service Commission Motor Carrier Fund.

In addition to the license fees, registration fees, or any other taxes required by law to be collected from motor carriers subject to this chapter, each such motor carrier shall be subject to, and shall pay to the Public Service Commission, a special annual assessment for the purpose of paying the salaries, compensation, costs and expenses of administering and enforcing this chapter. All proceeds or funds derived from such assessment shall be paid into the State Treasury and credited to a special fund, designated Public Service Commission Motor Carrier Fund, to be appropriated as provided by law for the purposes herein stated. Each member of the commission shall receive a salary in the amount set forth in section three, article one, chapter twenty-four of this code as compensation for the administration of this chapter in addition to all other salary or compensation otherwise provided by law, to be paid from said fund at least twice per month. The special assessment against each motor carrier shall be apportioned upon the number and capacity of motor vehicles used by said carrier, computed as hereinafter provided.

(a) For each uniform identification card $ 3.00

(b) Upon each power unit of such carriers of property, in accordance with its capacity as rated by its manufacturer, in addition to amount of subdivision (a):

of one ton or less capacity. $ 9.00

of over one to one and one-half tons capacity 13.50

of over one and one-half tons to two tons capacity 18.00

of over two tons to three tons capacity 22.50

of over three tons to four tons capacity 27.00

of over four tons to five tons capacity 31.50

of over five tons to six tons capacity 36.00

of over six tons to seven tons capacity .40.50

of over seven tons to eight tons capacity 45.00

of over eight tons to nine tons capacity 49.50

of over nine tons to ten tons capacity 54.00

of over ten tons capacity, $54.00 plus $4.50 for each additional ton of capacity in

excess of ten tons.

(c) Upon each trailer and semitrailer of such carriers of property, in accordance with its capacity as rated by its manufacturer, in an amount of two thirds of the amount provided for vehicles of its capacity in subdivision (b) of this section.

(d) Upon each power unit of such carriers of passengers, in accordance with the seating capacity thereof, in addition to amount in subdivision (a):

of ten passengers or less $13.50

of eleven to twenty passengers, inclusive 22.50

of twenty-one to thirty passengers, inclusive 31.50

of thirty-one to forty passengers, inclusive 45.00

of over forty passengers 54.00

(e) The annual assessment of each motor carrier shall be paid on or before July 1 of each year. Additional assessments shall be collected upon the placing in use of any additional motor vehicle: Provided, That such additional assessments shall be subject to a reduction in the amounts shown in subdivisions (b), (c) and (d) of this section corresponding to the unexpired quarterly periods of the fiscal year, but shall not in any event be less than one fourth of such amount plus the sum of $3 provided in subdivision (a) of this section.

(f) Upon payment by any motor carrier of the assessment provided for, the Public Service Commission shall advise the Division of Motor Vehicles by notice in writing that such assessment has been paid, whereupon the Division of Motor Vehicles may issue motor vehicle license for the vehicles described in said notice.

(g) Prior to the beginning of any fiscal year the Public Service Commission, after taking into consideration any unexpended balance in the Motor Carrier Fund, the probable receipts to be received in the ensuing fiscal year, and the probable costs of administering and enforcing this chapter for the ensuing fiscal year, may fix the assessments provided for in this section for the ensuing fiscal year in amounts which, in the commission’s judgment, will produce sufficient revenue to administer and enforce this chapter for said fiscal year: Provided, That in no event shall such assessments exceed the amounts set up in this section.

§24A-6-7. Indemnity agreement in motor carrier transportation contracts void.

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, a provision, clause, covenant or agreement contained in, collateral to or affecting a motor carrier transportation contract entered into on or after July 1, 2006, that purports to indemnify, defend or hold harmless, or has the effect of indemnifying, defending or holding harmless, the promisee from or against any liability for loss or damage resulting from the negligence or intentional acts or omissions of the promisee is against the public policy of this state and is void and unenforceable.

(b) In this section:

(1) "Motor carrier transportation contract" means a contract, agreement or understanding covering:

(A) The transportation of property for compensation or hire by the motor carrier;

(B) Entrance on property by the motor carrier for the purpose of loading, unloading or transporting property for compensation or hire; or

(C) A service incidental to activity described in paragraph (A) or (B), including, but not limited to, storage of property.

(2) "Promisee" means the promisee and any agents, employees, servants or independent contractors who are directly responsible to the promisee except for motor carriers party to a motor carrier transportation contract with promisee and such motor carrier's agents, employees, servants or independent contractors directly responsible to such motor carrier.

(3) The term "motor carrier transportation contract" shall not include the Uniform Intermodal Interchange and Facilities Access Agreement administered by the Intermodal Association of North America, as that agreement may be amended by the Intermodal Interchange Executive Committee, or other agreements providing for the interchange, use or possession of intermodal chassis, containers or other intermodal equipment.