Late UCR payments could get you red-lighted at scales

July 2, 2020

Scott Thompson

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Some truckers who rely on a bypass system provider to get them through weigh stations across the country are being red-lighted for not complying with the Unified Carrier Registration.

States set the “go, no go” criteria for bypass system providers like PrePass, for example. If a UCR participating state wants truckers who haven’t paid their UCR fees pulled into the scale, the criteria will reflect that, and you will get red-lighted.

In a normal year, enforcement starts on Jan. 1. But because of delays in setting the fees and the COVID-19 pandemic, it was pushed back until July 1.

PrePass sent letters out to customers who aren’t in compliance last month.

Dale Watkins, business services manager for OOIDA, says the new deadline caused some confusion.

“My concern is since we’ve got a July 1 deadline of UCR a lot of guys are going to forget about this,” said Dale Watkins of OOIDA’s Business Services Department. “They’ve got other things on their mind this year, and July 1 is not a normal date to renew their UCR.”

Truckers who have forgotten about complying with UCR in 2020 are encouraged to make their UCR payment as soon as possible. After doing so, PrePass should work within 24 hours.

The fees for the UCR 2020 registration year were finalized in February.

“For the third consecutive year, those businesses subject to UCR will see a reduction in fees,” the UCR website stated. “The fee reductions for 2018-20 are based on recommendations from the UCR Board of Directors to FMCSA following several years of higher than expected collections.”

According to the FMCSA’s final rule, the fees will be reduced by 14.45% below the 2018 registration fee level to ensure that fee revenues collected do not exceed the statutory maximum.

Registration can be completed here.

The 2020 UCR fees:

Fleet size Fee
0-2 $59
3-5 $176
6-20 351
21-100 $1,224
101-1,000 $5,835
1,001 and above $56,977

“The fees beginning with the 2021 registration year will remain at the same level as the fees for the 2020, unless there is a future adjustment,” the final rule stated.

OOIDA members with questions or problems are asked to call 816-229-5791.

Here is a video on UCR from OOIDA