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UTC Approves New Motor Carrier Safety Rules
The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission recently approved new rules for the motor carrier safety division. The rulemaking includes several improvements and new additions that better align UTC’s rules for passenger, household goods, and solid waste transportation industries with the Washington State Patrol (WSP), the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
What’s Changed?
Improved Language:
- The UTC updated language in the rules to be more inclusive and easier to understand.
Surplus Lines:
- In most circumstances companies can now use surplus lines insurance.
Marking Requirements:
- Marking requirements are now consistent across industries with FMCSA.
- Your UTC and USDOT number must now be displayed on both the driver and passenger side of the vehicle.
Intrastate Medical Waivers:
- Several Industries now allow commercially licensed drivers with an intrastate medical waiver from DOL to operate who were otherwise not physically qualified.
Digital Records:
- Companies are allowed to use digital records for record retention purposes.
Household Good Company changes:
- The definition of carrier or household goods carrier now includes “motor carrier” to be consistent with the federal motor carrier safety administration’s definition.
- There are now increased requirements for household good companies to conduct national background checks vs. state level checks.
Passenger Transportation Company changes:
- Updated the seating capacity definition from “eight or more“ to “more than eight” for motor vehicle and vehicle so we are consistent with the FMCSA definition. This allows UTC to focus our enforcement efforts on vehicles with larger seating capacities rather than personal transportation vehicles.
Read the full rulemaking on docket T-220252