Unified Carrier Registration Updated

By Brian J Riker 

Perhaps you have heard of the Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) before but were unsure if it applies to your towing company, or maybe you are based in a non-participating state and slightly confused. Either way, below are some basics on the UCR program and its applicability to towers. 

UCR is a program administered by the UCR Board to monitor interstate motor carriers, truck rental companies and Brokers of Property for compliance with the Federal insurance and operating authority requirements. In its simplest form UCR applies to anyone that operates a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce. The catch is how they define a commercial vehicle. 

Commercial vehicle is defined as a self-propelled vehicle used on the highways in commerce principally to transport passengers or cargo, if the vehicle has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of at least 10,001 pounds, whichever is greater; or when connected to trailing equipment has a gross combination weight rating or gross combination weight of at least 10,001 pounds, whichever is greater; or carries placarded amounts of hazardous materials, regardless of the vehicle’s weight; or is designed to carry more than 10 passengers, including the driver. 

What this means to towers is most all of your on-highway vehicles will be qualified under the UCR Plan if you engage in any interstate commerce. As I have discussed in previous articles, most towers do engage in interstate commerce almost daily given the broad definition of interstate commerce which includes any trade or traffic originating from out of state, destined for out of state or even part of the traffic within one state that is known to have originated or be destined for out of state. This is what gets even the local tower, when servicing an out of state motorist it is known, or likely to be known that they are from out of state or are leaving the state. 

Yes, emergency services ordered by law enforcement and some disabled or wrecked vehicles may be exempt from Federal regulation, but there are plenty of instances where the vehicle or its cargo are not exempt; it is my recommendation to always error on the side of caution when dealing with compliance issues that could place a company or vehicle out of service. 

The 2022 UCR registration period is scheduled to open on October 1, 2021 and registration must be completed no later than December 31, 2021. Enforcement will begin on January 1, 2022 and can result in significant fines. If you are an interstate motor carrier (have a US DOT number registered as interstate) roadside enforcement officers may check for compliance. Fees are based on the number of qualified vehicles a carrier operates and you may exclude vehicles used solely in intrastate operations. Fees are tier based and range from $59 for 0-2 vehicles up to $56,977 for over 1,000 vehicles. 

All but ten states participate in UCR. If you are based in one of these ten states and engage in interstate commerce you must register for UCR using a neighboring state to be in compliance. 

Lastly, don’t fall for the unsolicited letters and emails you receive over the next few months. You do not need to pay a service to file UCR for you. It is an easy online application with nothing but a small credit card convenience fee. UCR can be filed online at their official website www.ucr.gov