By Staff, Go By Truck News, January 4, 2018
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration finalized the Unified Carrier Registration fees for 2018 and 2019 just as December came to an end.
Members of the UCR board were notified late Friday, Dec. 29, that the agency had submitted a direct final rule to the Office of the Federal Register to be published as soon as possible. It is expected to be published tomorrow, Jan. 5, and may immediately open the registration process. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance has said it will not begin enforcement of 2018 registration until 90 days after FMCSA publishes the Final Rule, meaning carriers and independent owner-operators will have until April 5 to register and pay their annual fees.
Independent owner-operators will then be able to complete the annual federal registration process for 2018 and pay their annual registration fees.
Unified Carrier Registration board has reduced the registration fees, cutting 2018’s fees by 9.1 percent across the board. Fees will climb slightly for 2019, but will still be 4.6 percent lower than 2017’s fees. All carriers operating in interstate trucking are required to register and pay an annual registration fee each year. Brokers, private carriers and freight forwarders are also required to register and pay.
The board recommended reducing the fees because, for the last two years, motor carriers paying into the UCR program have overpaid the revenue due to the 41 participating states.
Small operations will see minimal decreases in 2018 and 2019. For example, in 2017, operations with up to two trucks paid $76. There will be a $7 decrease for 2018 and a $3 decrease in 2019 when fees are to be raised slightly.
Source: Land Line
