DOT proposes carrier fees for Unified Carrier Registration Agreement

DOT proposes carrier fees for Unified Carrier Registration Agreement    A U.S. Department of Transportation office proposed new rules last week that would establish annual fees and a fee bracket structure for the Unified Carrier Registration Agreement as required under the Unified Carrier Registration Act of 2005.
   The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is accepting public comment on the proposed new rules through June 13.
   The Unified Carrier Registration Agreement is an interstate agreement governing the collection and distribution of registration and financial responsibility information provided and fees paid by motor carriers, motor private carriers, brokers, freight forwarders and leasing companies.
   The UCRA statute created a 15-member board of directors in 2006, with members appointed by the Secretary of Transportation. Among its responsibilities, the board must submit to the secretary a recommendation for the initial annual fees to be assessed motor carriers, motor private carriers, freight forwarders, brokers and leasing companies under the UCR agreement. FMCSA then is directed to set the fees within 90 days after receiving the board's recommendation and after notice and opportunity for public comment.
   The fees recommended by the FMCSA range from a low of $39 for carriers in the lowest bracket (carriers with less than two vehicles) to a high of $37,500 (for the 1,001-or-greater vehicles bracket). These fees are estimated to generate 2007 revenues of $107.3 million, with $101.8 million going to the individual states and $5 million for administrative expenses of the program.