The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has announced an interim final rule to revise its requirements for motor carriers to file the Motor Carrier Identification Report, Form MCS-150.
As of Dec 26, 2000, the FMCSA will require motor carriers to update the information in this form every 24 months. Previously, only new motor carriers were required to complete and submit the form before they began to operate in interstate commerce.
This change is required by the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999. A provision in that law requires periodic updating of the motor carrier identification report - not more frequently than once every two years.
Form MCS-150 is a single-page report that all motor carriers subject to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations must complete and submit to the FMCSA before they begin to operate in interstate commerce. Motor carriers must provide name, address, telephone number, cargo classifications, any types of hazardous materials carried, numbers and types of equipment (trucks, tractors, trailers, passenger vehicles) used, number of drivers, and types of operations.
FMCSA enters the MCS-150 information into the Motor Carrier Safety Information System (MCMIS) and assigns the carrier a Department of Transportation identification number. FMCSA uses the information contained in MCMIS to track motor carrier safety performance, assess motor carrier safety trends, and evaluate effectiveness of motor carrier programs.
Key provisions of the interim final rule include:
- The month and year to file the update are set according to the last and next-to-last digits of a motor carrier's DOT number.
- The last digit determines the filing month. If it is "1," a motor carrier must file by the end of January; if it is "2," by the end of February, and so on. If it is a zero, a motor carrier must file by the end of October. No filings will be required in November and December.
- The next-to-last digit determines the filing year. If it is even, a motor carrier must file its update in an even-numbered year. If it is odd, it must file in an odd-numbered year.
For calendar-year 2001 only, motor carriers normally required to file by the end of January or February 2001, have until March 30, 2001, to file.
Some interstate motor carriers are required to submit similar information to states as part of their annual vehicle registration requirement under the FMCSA's PRISM program, which links state commercial motor vehicle registration to a carrier's safety fitness. These motor carriers will not be required to file it also with the FMCSA.
The interim final rule is in the Nov 24, 2000, Federal Register. Written comments on this interim final rule should be sent by Jan 23, 2001, to the DOT Docket Facility, Attn: Docket No. FMCSA-2000-8209, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh St SW, Washington DC. 20590-0001. The rule also can be viewed after searching at http://dms.dot.gov/. Comments also may be submitted electronically at this site.