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Title 49, TransportationRelease 119-102

§31501 Definitions

Title 49 › SUBTITLE VI — MOTOR VEHICLE AND DRIVER PROGRAMS › PART B — COMMERCIAL › CHAPTER 315 — MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY › § 31501

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines who the words in this part mean. A "migrant worker" is someone traveling to or from farm work as described in section 3121(g) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 3121(g)) or section 3(f) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 203(f)). The terms "motor carrier," "motor common carrier," "motor private carrier," "motor vehicle," and "United States" use the meanings in section 13102 of this title. A "motor carrier of migrant workers" is a person (not a motor common carrier) who uses a motor vehicle (not a passenger automobile or station wagon) to carry three or more migrant workers at once to or from work under section 13501 of this title. It does not include a migrant worker who transports other migrant workers and their immediate families.

Full Legal Text

Title 49, §31501

Transportation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In this chapter—
(1)“migrant worker” means an individual going to or from employment in agriculture as provided under section 3121(g) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 3121(g)) or section 3(f) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 203(f)).
(2)“motor carrier”, “motor common carrier”, “motor private carrier”, “motor vehicle”, and “United States” have the same meanings given those terms in section 13102 of this title.
(3)“motor carrier of migrant workers”—
(A)means a person (except a motor common carrier) providing transportation referred to in section 13501 of this title by a motor vehicle (except a passenger automobile or station wagon) for at least 3 migrant workers at a time to or from their employment; but
(B)does not include a migrant worker providing transportation for migrant workers and their immediate families.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Pub. L. 97–449 Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 3101(1)49:303(a)(23).Feb. 4, 1887, ch. 104, 24 Stat. 397, § 203(a)(22), (23); added Aug. 3, 1956, ch. 905, § 1, 70 Stat. 958. 3101(2)(no source). 3101(3)49:303(a)(22). In clause (1), the words “going to or from” are substituted for “proceeding to or returning from” for clarity. Clause (2) is included to ensure that the identical definitions that are relevant are used without repeating them. The source provisions for the quoted definitions are found in the revision notes for section 10102 of the revised title. In clause (3), the words “including any ‘contract common carrier by motor vehicle’ ” are omitted as covered by the definition of “motor carrier”. The words “referred to in section 10521(a) of this title” are substituted for “in interstate or foreign commerce” for clarity and consistency in the revised title. The word “except” is substituted for “but not including” for clarity. The words “at least” are substituted for “or more”, and the words “but the term does not include” are substituted for “except”, for consistency. Pub. L. 103–429This amends 49:31501(1) to correct an erroneous cross-reference.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1995—Par. (2). Pub. L. 104–88, § 308(k)(1), substituted “13102” for “10102”. Par. (3)(A). Pub. L. 104–88, § 308(k)(2), substituted “13501” for “10521(a)”. 1994—Pub. L. 103–272 renumbered section 3101 of this title as this section and amended it generally, restating it without substantive change. Par. (1). Pub. L. 103–429 substituted “section 3(f)” for “section 203(f)”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1995 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 104–88 effective Jan. 1, 1996, see section 2 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 1301 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1994 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 103–429 effective July 5, 1994, see section 9 of Pub. L. 103–429, set out as a note under section 321 of this title. Exemptions From Requirements of This Chapter for Certain Farm VehiclesFor provisions relating to exemptions from certain requirements of this chapter with respect to certain farm vehicles and individuals operating those vehicles, see section 32934 of Pub. L. 112–141, set out as a note under section 31136 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

49 U.S.C. § 31501

Title 49, Transportation

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102