§13102 Definitions

Summary

Lists and explains the words used in the rules about moving people and goods. Board means the Surface Transportation Board. Broker means someone (not a motor carrier or its employee) who, for pay, sells, arranges, or advertises motor-carrier transportation. Carrier means a motor carrier, a water carrier, or a freight forwarder. Contract carriage means service under the old permit system for trips before January 1, 1996, and under an agreement under section 14101(b) for trips after December 31, 1995. Control means actual or legal power to direct another person, whether by shared officers, owners, voting trusts, holding companies, or other ways. Foreign motor carrier means a person (including a property motor carrier but not a private motor carrier) based in or owned/controlled by people of a neighboring foreign country who, if not itself a motor carrier, moves property under an agreement with a motor carrier of property. Foreign motor private carrier means a person (including a motor private carrier but not a motor carrier of property) based in or owned/controlled by people of a neighboring foreign country who, if not a motor private carrier, moves property under an agreement with a person described above. Freight forwarder means a business (not a pipeline, rail, motor, or water carrier) that offers to the public to move goods for pay, that assembles and breaks shipments, takes responsibility from pickup to delivery, and uses a carrier under this law; it does not include one using air carrier transport under part A of subtitle VII. Highway means a road, street, or way in a State. Household goods means personal items and home supplies moved for use in a dwelling when the homeowner arranges and pays (with a limited exception for newly purchased goods) or when someone else arranges and pays. Household goods freight forwarder means a freight forwarder that handles household goods, unaccompanied baggage, or used cars. Household goods motor carrier means a motor carrier that normally moves household goods and also offers services like binding or nonbinding estimates, inventories, packing/unpacking at homes, and loading/unloading at homes; it also covers persons treated that way under FMCSA rules in effect when the Household Goods Mover Oversight Enforcement and Reform Act of 2005 was enacted, but does not include carriers that use containers or trailers loaded and unloaded entirely by an individual who is not the carrier’s employee or agent. Individual shipper means the person named as shipper, consignor, or consignee on the bill of lading who owns the goods and pays the tariff charges. Motor carrier means a person who moves people or goods by motor vehicle for pay. Motor private carrier means a person (not a motor carrier) who transports their own property by motor vehicle under the rules in section 13501, and who is the owner, lessee, or bailee of the goods moved for sale, lease, rent, bailment, or to support a business. Motor vehicle means a vehicle, machine, tractor, trailer, or semitrailer driven or towed by mechanical power and used on a highway, or a combination the Secretary decides, but not rail-only vehicles or trolley buses run from an overhead wire like a street railway. Noncontiguous domestic trade means moves under chapter 135 to or from Alaska, Hawaii, or a U.S. territory or possession. Person includes individuals and entities and also a trustee, receiver, assignee, or personal representative acting for someone else. Pre-arranged ground transportation service means prebooked or regularly scheduled passenger transport in a motor vehicle that seats no more than 15 people including the driver. Secretary means the Secretary of Transportation. State means the 50 States and the District of Columbia. Taxicab service means passenger rides in a motor vehicle that seats no more than 8 people including the driver, not on a regular route, and either licensed as a taxicab or offered locally with fares mainly based on distance and not mainly to or from airports. Transportation includes the vehicles, vessels, warehouses, docks, yards, equipment, and facilities used to move people or goods and the services tied to that movement (like arranging, handling, packing, storing, refrigeration, and delivery). United States means the 50 States and the District of Columbia. Vessel means a watercraft or other craft used or meant to be used for water transportation. Water carrier means a person who provides transportation by water for pay. Over-the-road bus means a bus with a raised passenger deck above a baggage compartment.