UCR Plan board asks law enforcement to push deadline to May 1

The Unified Carrier Registration Plan is recommending an extended grace period for 2019 enforcement. UCR is requesting that states delay enforcement to May 1 for the 2019 registration period. The delay is intended to provide motor carriers with ample time to register for the 2019 period.

But that recommendation is no guarantee that truckers who don’t pay won’t be handed a ticket.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance is supporting UCR’s recommendation of delayed enforcement.

Motor carriers are typically required to pay the UCR fee within 90 days of registration opening.

A UCR Plan board member confirmed with OOIDA’s Permits and Licensing Department that the recommendation does not mean that all states have to comply, however. That means carriers that have not paid the UCR registration by April 1 could still be issued a ticket at the state’s discretion.

This is a recommendation by the UCR Plan Board. It is not a guarantee that states will follow the recommendation,” said Crystal Minardi, a supervisor in OOIDA’s Permits and Licensing Department. “Please advise our members if they haven’t filed their 2019 UCR by the end of (April 1) to file as soon as possible to avoid tickets.”

OOIDA members can get assistance with submitting their fees through the Permits and Licensing Department.

UCR fees for 2019 and 2020 were published in the Federal Register last December. FMCSA was delayed in publishing the fee schedule earlier because of a need to reduce fees from previous levels. Since 2016, motor carriers paying into the UCR program have overpaid the revenue due to the 41 participating states. The UCR board recommended reducing starting in 2018. The fees were again reduced in 2019 with the official publication. For example, for the smallest motor carrier the 2019 fees are $14 cheaper than they paid in 2017 and $7 cheaper than in 2018.

Fees for 2020 also were set in the final rule, and, while they show an increase over the 2018 fees, they still remain lower than 2017 fees.

Fees for 2019

Fees for 2020