Rule change requires USDOT numbers for all Iowa intrastate carriers

AMES, Iowa – Feb. 8, 2010 –The Iowa Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Office of Motor Vehicle Enforcement (MVE) announces adoption of a new audit program for intrastate commercial motor carriers. Implementation of this program requires all motor carriers operating in Iowa to display their company or farm operation name and USDOT registration number on their vehicles. This includes commercial motor carriers previously exempted from displaying their name and USDOT registration number. This procedural change applies only to intrastate operators. Carriers crossing state lines and intrastate for-hire carriers have been required to have and display a USDOT number for the past several years.

 

This new requirement applies to anyone transporting persons or property in commerce with a vehicle that qualifies as a commercial motor vehicle. This includes vehicles that meet certain gross vehicle weight standards; haul hazardous materials; seat 16 or more passengers, including the driver (private or for-hire); or are used for compensation with seating capacity of nine to 15 passengers, including the driver. 

 

MVE initiated the intrastate audit program two years ago, when MVE staff began discussions with the Iowa Motor Truck Association, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and other interest groups about developing an intrastate compliance review program. Data indicates compliance reviews have a significant impact on safety in the 25 states that have such programs, including Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Missouri.

 

Registering vehicles through the USDOT system is one of the components of a quality program. It does not subject intrastate commercial motor carriers to additional or different safety requirements, but allows law enforcement to efficiently assess and track a commercial motor carrier’ s safety rating by tying the vehicles operated within a carrier’s fleet to a common identifying number.

 

MVE Chief Dave Lorenzen stated, “This concept is similar to the driver’s license system where the DOT may take corrective actions toward a person that has an excessive number of moving violations or some critical violation. Given the large number of commercial motor vehicles registered in Iowa, it makes sense, and is the best and most efficient use of our resources, to direct enforcement efforts to carriers that are having problems. Our staff believes the new program will make an impact on safety and be a major component in reaching the Iowa DOT’s goal of reducing commercial vehicle-related fatalities by 24 persons in five years.”

 

There is no cost to obtain a USDOT number. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issues USDOT numbers. To apply, visit the FMCSA’s Web site or call 800-832-5660.  

The new registration requirement for intrastate commercial motor carriers went into effect Feb. 1, 2010. MVE staff will issue verbal warnings until Jan. 1, 2011, to allow intrastate commercial motor carriers adequate time to obtain the USDOT number and appropriately mark their vehicles. No citations or written warnings related to this new requirement will be issued during this time.

 

Additional information about the new registration requirement is available on the Iowa DOT’s Web site at iowadot.gov/usdotnumbers.html; or carriers may call MVE at 800-925-6469, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Monday-Friday.

 

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Media contact: Dave Lorenzen, 515-237-3219 or david.lorenzen@dot.iowa.gov