§31101 — Title 49 Transportation | U.S. Code

Summary

Defines key words used in the subchapter. A "commercial motor vehicle" is a self‑propelled or towed highway vehicle used mainly to move passengers or cargo in commerce that either has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of at least 10,001 pounds; is made to carry more than 10 passengers including the driver; or carries hazardous material that must be placarded under section 5103. An "employee" is a driver (including an independent contractor when driving), mechanic, freight handler, or other non‑employer who directly affects commercial motor vehicle safety while working for a commercial motor carrier and who is not a federal, state, or local government employee. An "employer" is a business affecting commerce that owns or leases a commercial motor vehicle or assigns someone to operate it, excluding the government. "State" includes the States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Title 49, §31101

Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In this subchapter—

(1)“commercial motor vehicle” means (except in section 31106) a self-propelled or towed vehicle used on the highways in commerce principally to transport passengers or cargo, if the vehicle—

(A)has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of at least 10,001 pounds, whichever is greater;

(B)is designed to transport more than 10 passengers including the driver; or

(C)is used in transporting material found by the Secretary of Transportation to be hazardous under section 5103 of this title and transported in a quantity requiring placarding under regulations prescribed by the Secretary under section 5103.

(2)“employee” means a driver of a commercial motor vehicle (including an independent contractor when personally operating a commercial motor vehicle), a mechanic, a freight handler, or an individual not an employer, who—

(A)directly affects commercial motor vehicle safety in the course of employment by a commercial motor carrier; and

(B)is not an employee of the United States Government, a State, or a political subdivision of a State acting in the course of employment.

(3)“employer”—

(A)means a person engaged in a business affecting commerce that owns or leases a commercial motor vehicle in connection with that business, or assigns an employee to operate the vehicle in commerce; but

(B)does not include the Government, a State, or a political subdivision of a State.

(4)“State” means a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 3110149 App.:2301(1), (3)–(6).Jan. 6, 1983, Pub. L. 97–424, § 401(1), (3)–(6), 96 Stat. 2154, 2155. 49 App.:2301(2).Jan. 6, 1983, Pub. L. 97–424, § 401(2), 96 Stat. 2154; Oct. 30, 1984, Pub. L. 98–554, § 228(a), (b), 98 Stat. 2852. Before clause (1), the words “unless the context otherwise requires” are omitted as unnecessary. The text of 49 App.:2301(4) is omitted as unnecessary because of 1:1. The text of 49 App.:2301(5) is omitted as surplus because the complete name of the Secretary of Transportation is used the first time the term appears in a section. In clause (1), before subclause (A), the words “(except in section 31106)” are added because the source provisions being restated in section 31106 of the revised title contain a definition of “commercial motor vehicle”. In clause (4), the words “the Commonwealth of” are omitted for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1998—Par. (1)(A). Pub. L. 105–178, § 4003(a)(1), inserted “or gross vehicle weight” after “rating” and substituted “10,001 pounds, whichever is greater” for “10,000 pounds”. Par. (1)(C). Pub. L. 105–178, § 4003(a)(2), inserted “and transported in a quantity requiring placarding under

Regulations

prescribed by the Secretary under section 5103” before period at end.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Savings Clause Pub. L. 105–178, title IV, § 4003(h), June 9, 1998, 112 Stat. 398, provided that: “

Amendments

made by this section [amending this section and sections 31102 to 31104 of this title] shall not affect any funds made available before the date of enactment of this Act [June 9, 1998].”

§31101 Definitions

Summary

Title 49, §31101

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Regulations

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Amendments

Citations & Metadata