MOTOR CARRIER BUS REQ.; MODIFY S.B. 251:
ANALYSIS AS PASSED BY THE SENATE
Senate Bill 251 (as passed by the Senate)
Committee: Transportation and Infrastructure
RATIONALE
Currently, State law requires each bus on a motor carrier's roster to display the motor carrier's primary telephone number; however, this requirement contradicts Federal law. 49 USC 14506 prohibits a State from enacting or enforcing any law requiring a motor carrier to display any form of identification on or in a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) other than that required by the Secretary of Transportation. Federal law does not require the display of a motor carrier's phone number, and so it has been suggested that this requirement be deleted.
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Motor Bus Transportation Act to do the following:
-- Eliminate a requirement that each bus on a motor carrier's roster display the motor carrier's primary telephone number.
-- Modify the requirements for a display on each bus on a motor carrier's roster.
-- Eliminate a provision that exempts a school bus from the requirement to display a primary telephone number on both sides of the bus.
Under the Act, except as otherwise provided, each bus on a motor carrier's roster must display the motor carrier's legal name or assumed name as listed on its application for authority or official request for name change as submitted to the Michigan Department of Transportation on both sides of the bus in a color that is in sharp contrast to the background color and in a size that is visible from a distance of at least 50 feet. The bill would eliminate the requirement that the display be on both sides of the bus.
In addition, each bus on a motor carrier's roster must display the motor carrier's primary telephone number in the manner prescribed above. The bill would delete this requirement.
PREVIOUS LEGISLATION
The bill is a reintroduction of Senate Bill 646 of the 2019-2020 Legislative Session. The bill passed the Senate and was referred to the House Committee on Transportation but received no further action.
ARGUMENTS
(Please note: The arguments contained in this analysis originate from sources outside the Senate Fiscal Agency. The Senate Fiscal Agency neither supports nor opposes legislation.)
Supporting Argument
Requiring a bus to display its motor carrier's primary telephone number may put motor carriers at risk for unwanted attention. According to testimony before the Senate committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, some motor carriers report that they have received prank calls from individuals who spotted the telephone number on the road. This inconveniences motor carriers. Removing this requirement would allow motor carriers to take only legitimate calls, rather than distracting prank calls.
Legislative Analyst: Abby Schneider
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
Fiscal Analyst: Michael Siracuse
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.