CHAPTER 325A
MOTOR CARRIER AUTHORITY

SUBCHAPTER 1
GENERAL PROVISIONS

  325A.1  Definitions.
  As used in this chapter:
  1.  “Bulk liquid commodities” means liquid commodities or compressed gases transported in a vehicle having a total cargo tank shell capacity of more than two thousand gallons.
  2.  “Department” means the state department of transportation.
  3.  “Highway” means a street, road, bridge, or thoroughfare of any kind in this state.
  4.  “Interstate motor carrier number” means a United States department of transportation number or motor carrier number issued by the federal highway administration.
  5.  “Intrastate” means a movement of property or passengers from one location to another within this state. “Intrastate” does not include transportation of property or passengers which is a furtherance of an interstate movement.
  6.  “Motor carrier” means a person defined in subsection 8, 9, or 10.
  7.  “Motor carrier certificate” means a certificate issued by the department to any person transporting passengers on any highway of this state for hire. This certificate is transferable.
  8.  “Motor carrier of bulk liquid commodities” means a person engaged in the transportation, for hire, of bulk liquid commodities upon a highway in this state.
  9.  “Motor carrier of household goods” means a person engaged in the transportation, for hire, of personal effects and property used or to be used in a dwelling, and includes the following:
  a.  Furniture, fixtures, equipment, and the property of stores, offices, museums, institutions, hospitals, or other establishments when a part of the stock, equipment, or supply of such establishment; except, this paragraph shall not be construed to include the stock-in-trade of any establishment, except when transported as an incident to the removal of the establishment from one location to another.
  b.  Articles including objects of art, displays, and exhibits, which because of their unusual nature or value, require the specialized handling and equipment usually employed in moving household goods.
  10.  “Motor carrier of property” means a person engaged in the transportation, for hire, of property by motor vehicle including a carrier transporting liquid commodities or compressed gases in a vehicle having a total cargo tank shell capacity of two thousand gallons or less.
  11.  “Motor carrier permit” means a permit issued by the department to any person operating any motor vehicle on any highway of this state to transport property for hire. A motor carrier permit is not transferable unless it was issued to a motor carrier of household goods.
  12.  “Motor vehicle” means an automobile, motor truck, truck tractor, road tractor, motor bus, or other self-propelled vehicle, or a trailer, semitrailer, or other device used in connection with the transportation of property or passengers. “Motor vehicle” does not include a motor vehicle owned by a school district or used exclusively in conveying school children to and from school or school activities.
  13.  “Private carrier” means a person who provides transportation of property or passengers by motor vehicle, is not a for-hire motor carrier, or transports commodities of which the person is the owner, lessee, or bailee and the transportation is a furtherance of the person’s primary business or occupation.
  14.  “Transportation for hire” means all transportation of property or passengers made available by a person for compensation.
97 Acts, ch 104, §32, 61; 2001 Acts, ch 132, §18, 19

  325A.2  Duties of department and local authorities.
  1.  The department shall do all of the following:
  a.  Prescribe and enforce safety and financial responsibility regulations for motor carriers and require the filing of reports regarding safety and financial responsibility.
  b.  Approve a tariff for motor carriers of household goods.
  c.  Issue, amend, suspend, or revoke motor carrier permits and certificates.
  2.  A local authority, as defined in section 321.1, shall not impose any regulations, including special registration or inspection requirements, upon the operation of motor carriers that are more restrictive than any of the provisions of this chapter, or section 321.449 or 321.450. This subsection does not, however, prohibit a local authority from exercising the home rule power of the local authority to impose additional or more restrictive regulations or requirements upon the operation of taxicabs or limousines engaged in nonfixed route transportation for hire.
97 Acts, ch 104, §33, 61; 98 Acts, ch 1178, §10; 2000 Acts, ch 1016, §30; 2010 Acts, ch 1035, §11

  325A.3  Application and issuance of permit or certificate.
  1.  Upon the filing of an application by a motor carrier and compliance with the terms and conditions of this chapter, the department shall issue to the applicant a permit or certificate. The actual operation by a motor carrier of a motor vehicle shall not begin without the permit or certificate being issued by the department.
  2.  All applications shall be in writing and contain the following:
  a.  The name and tax identification number of the person making the application.
  b.  The applicant’s principal place of business.
  c.  The type of permit or certificate being requested.
  d.  A signed statement agreeing to comply with all applicable safety regulations as prescribed by the department.
  e.  A copy of all existing tariffs provided to the department for approval by motor carriers of household goods.
  f.  A financial statement completed by motor carriers of bulk liquid commodities or passengers from which the department can determine the financial fitness of the applicant to engage in the transport of bulk liquid commodities or passengers.
  g.  A verification of liability and property damage insurance coverage as required in section 325A.6, in a form prescribed by the department.
  3.  The provisions of subsection 2, paragraph “f”, and subsection 4 shall not apply to the transportation of dairy products.
  4.  Motor carriers of bulk liquid commodities or passengers shall complete a motor carrier safety education seminar provided by or approved by the department. This seminar must be completed within six months of the permit or certificate issuance.
  5.  A motor carrier shall keep a permit or certificate issued to the motor carrier under this section, or a copy of such permit or certificate, in the vehicle being operated by the motor carrier and shall show the permit or certificate, or copy thereof, to any peace officer upon request.
  6.  The department may deny issuance of a permit or certificate if the department determines that evidence exists showing that the motor carrier cannot comply with the requirements of this chapter or the rules adopted pursuant to this chapter, including safety regulations and financial fitness and insurance requirements.
97 Acts, ch 104, §34, 61; 2000 Acts, ch 1016, §27, 31, 32; 2001 Acts, ch 132, §20, 21

For applicable scheduled fines, see §805.8A, subsection 13, paragraph d 

  325A.3A  Hearings.
  A person whose application for a permit or certificate under this chapter has been denied, or whose permit or certificate has been suspended, may contest the decision under chapter 17A and in accordance with rules adopted by the department. The request for a hearing shall be in writing to the director of the division of motor carrier services, state department of transportation, at its office in the capital city’s metropolitan area.
97 Acts, ch 104, §47, 61
CS97, §325A.16
2000 Acts, ch 1016, §36; 2000 Acts, ch 1232, §93
C2001, §325A.3A

  325A.4  Fees.
  1.  The department shall charge the following fees:
  a.  One hundred fifty dollars for a new application.
  b.  One hundred fifty dollars for a reinstatement.
  c.  Twenty-five dollars to change an address or name.
  d.  Ten dollars for tariff updates.
  e.  Twenty-five dollars for a duplicate permit or certificate.
  2.  Changes in ownership of motor carrier permits require a new application and the new application fee of one hundred fifty dollars shall be assessed.
  3.  The department shall collect a fee of two hundred dollars to cover the cost of the motor carrier safety education seminar.
97 Acts, ch 104, §35, 61; 2011 Acts, ch 38, §24

  325A.5  Fees — credited to road use tax fund — seminar receipts.
  All fees received for applications and permits or certificates under this chapter shall be remitted to the treasurer of state and credited to the road use tax fund. All fees collected for the motor carrier safety education seminar shall be considered a repayment receipt as defined in section 8.2, and shall be remitted to the department to be used to pay for the seminars.
97 Acts, ch 104, §36, 61

  325A.6  Insurance.
  All motor carriers subject to this chapter shall have minimum insurance coverage which meets the limits established in the federal motor carrier safety regulations in 49 C.F.R. ch. 387.
97 Acts, ch 104, §37, 61

  325A.7  Charges.
  All charges filed under the tariff by any motor carrier of household goods for any service shall be just, reasonable, and nondiscriminating and every unjust, unreasonable, or discriminating charge for such service or any part thereof is prohibited and declared unlawful.
97 Acts, ch 104, §38, 61

  325A.7A  Tariffs — approval by department.
  1.  Transportation prohibited.  A motor carrier of household goods shall not undertake to perform any service for, engage in, or participate in the transportation of personal effects or property between points within this state until the motor carrier’s tariff has been filed, posted, and approved by the department.
  2.  Change in tariff.  Unless the department orders otherwise, a motor carrier of household goods shall give thirty days’ notice to the department and to the public, as provided by rules adopted by the department, prior to making a change in a tariff.
  3.  Changes without notice.  The department, for good cause shown, may allow changes in a tariff without the thirty days’ notice required in subsection 2 by issuing an order specifying the changes to be made and the time they shall take effect.
  4.  Power to revise tariff.  Any time a tariff is filed with the department, the department may hold a hearing for the purpose of determining that the tariff is just, reasonable, and nondiscriminating. The hearing shall be conducted by the director or the director’s designee.
  5.  Suspension of tariff.  Pending the hearing and the decision of the department, the tariff shall not be put into effect; however, this period of suspension of the tariff shall not exceed one hundred twenty days beyond the time the tariff would otherwise have been effective after filing and thirty days’ notice.
  6.  Decision.  Following the hearing, the department shall establish the tariff changes proposed by the motor carrier in whole or in part, or establish other changes the department determines to be just, reasonable, and nondiscriminating.
2003 Acts, ch 8, §24, 29

  325A.7B  Agency tariffs.
  1.  Authorization.  Sections 325A.2 and 325A.7 shall not be construed to prohibit the making of rates by two or more motor carriers of household goods.
  2.  Agency tariffs.  The names of the several motor carriers that are parties to an agency tariff shall be specified in the tariff. Unless otherwise required by the department, the agency tariff may be filed by only one of the parties to the agency tariff, or by a tariff filing agent, under a power of attorney granted by each of the parties to the agency tariff not doing the filing and filed with the department on forms prescribed by the department.
2003 Acts, ch 8, §25, 29

  325A.8  Required marking.
  1.  The motor carrier shall attach distinctive markings or tags to each motor vehicle. If a motor vehicle has both an interstate and intrastate motor carrier number, only the interstate motor carrier number must be displayed.
  2.  If a motor carrier is renting a vehicle on a daily basis, a copy of the lease must be carried in the vehicle. Violation of this section is a scheduled violation subject to the fine provided in section 805.8A, subsection 13, paragraph “d”.
97 Acts, ch 104, §39, 61; 2001 Acts, ch 137, §5

  325A.9  Advertising.
  An advertisement to the general public concerning for-hire transportation must include the permit or motor carrier certificate number issued under this chapter.
97 Acts, ch 104, §40, 61

  325A.10  Rules for operation.
  The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A as necessary to govern and control the operation, maintenance, and inspection of vehicles covered by this chapter upon the highways.
97 Acts, ch 104, §41, 61
SUBCHAPTER 2
PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION

  325A.11  Passenger transportation.
  In addition to the requirements of subchapter 1, motor carriers of passengers and charter carriers shall comply with the requirements of this subchapter.
97 Acts, ch 104, §42, 61

  325A.12  Definitions.
  As used in this subchapter:
  1.  “Car pool” means transportation of a group of at least two riders in a motor vehicle having a seating capacity of not more than eight passengers between a rider’s, owner’s, or operator’s residence or other designated location and a rider’s, owner’s, or operator’s place of employment or other common destination of the group, if the motor vehicle is driven by one of the members of the group.
  2.  “Charter” means an agreement whereby the owner of a motor vehicle lets the motor vehicle to a group of persons as one party for a specified sum and for a specified act of transportation at a specified time and over an irregular route.
  3.  “Charter carrier” means a person engaged in the business of transporting the public by motor vehicle under charter. “Charter carrier” does not include any of the following:
  a.  Taxicabs with a seating capacity of not more than eight passengers, or persons having a license, contract, or franchise with an Iowa city to carry or transport passengers for hire while operating within the guidelines of the license, contract, or franchise.
  b.  A city engaged in the business of carrying or transporting passengers for hire over regular routes.
  c.  School bus operators when engaged in transportation involving any school activity.
  d.  A regular-route motor carrier of passengers.
  4.  “Regional transit system” means a public transit system serving one county or all or part of a multicounty area whose boundaries correspond to the same boundaries as those of the regional planning areas designated by the governor except as agreed upon by the county or the department. Each county board of supervisors within the region is responsible for determining the service and funding within its county. However, the administration and overhead support services for the overall regional transit system shall be consolidated into one existing or new agency to be mutually agreed upon by the participating members. Privately chartered bus services and uses other than providing services that are open and public on a shared-ride basis shall not be construed to be a regional transit system.
  5.  “Regular-route motor carrier of passengers” means a person engaged in the for-hire transportation of passengers by motor vehicle over regular routes by scheduled service and available to the general public.
  6.  “Van pool” means transportation of a group of riders in a vehicle having a seating capacity of not less than eight passengers and not more than fifteen passengers between a rider’s, owner’s, or operator’s residence or other designated location and a rider’s, owner’s, or operator’s place of employment or other common destination of the group, if the vehicle is driven by one of the members of the group.
97 Acts, ch 104, §43, 61

  325A.13  Certificate of convenience and necessity and regular-route passenger certificate.
  1.  It is unlawful for a charter carrier to transport passengers by motor vehicle for hire from any place in this state to another place in this state irrespective of the route or highway traversed, without first having obtained a charter passenger certificate from the department.
  2.  a.  It is unlawful for a regular-route motor carrier of passengers to transport passengers for hire upon the highways of this state in intrastate commerce without first having obtained from the department a regular-route passenger certificate. The department shall issue a regular-route passenger certificate if the department finds that the applicant is fit, willing, and able.
  b.  In determining whether a regular-route motor carrier of passengers is fit, willing, and able, the department shall only consider the applicant’s compliance with safety, financial fitness, and insurance requirements.
  c.  A regular-route passenger certificate authorizing the transportation of passengers includes the authority to transport newspapers, baggage of passengers, express packages, or mail in the same motor vehicle with passengers.
  d.  A regular-route motor carrier of passengers holding a regular-route passenger certificate may at any time commence scheduled service over any regular route from any point or place in this state to another place in this state irrespective of the route or highway traversed and may at any time discontinue any part of its regular-route service.
  e.  A regular-route motor carrier of passengers granted a certificate prior to January 1, 1998, which authorized motor carrier passenger operations, may continue to provide motor carrier passenger service with all rights and privileges granted by a regular-route passenger certificate issued under this section.
  f.  A regular-route motor carrier of passengers shall not operate as a charter carrier in this state unless it possesses a charter passenger certificate.
  g.  A charter carrier shall not operate as a regular-route passenger carrier in this state unless it possesses a regular-route passenger certificate.
  h.  An Iowa urban transit system as defined in section 452A.57, subsection 6, may operate within the metropolitan area which it serves and between its service area and another city which is located not more than ten miles from its service area without obtaining a regular-route passenger certificate if the other city is not served by another motor carrier of passengers operating under a regular-route passenger certificate.
  3.  A motor carrier providing primarily passenger service for persons who are elderly, persons with disabilities, and other transportation-disadvantaged persons is exempt from the certification requirements of this section if it satisfies all of the following requirements:
  a.  The motor carrier is not a corporation organized for profit under the laws of Iowa or any other state or the motor carrier is a governmental organization.
  b.  The motor carrier received or receives operating funds from federal, state, or local government sources.
  c.  The motor carrier does not duplicate a transportation service provided by a motor carrier issued a regular-route passenger certificate.
  4.  A person operating a motor vehicle in a car pool or van pool is exempt from the requirement of this chapter.
  5.  Except for a person operating a car pool or van pool, each motor carrier exempt from the requirement for obtaining a certificate under this section shall obtain a nontransferable permit from the department. Such motor carriers shall comply with all safety, insurance, and other rules of the department pertaining to a publicly funded transit system.
97 Acts, ch 70, §15; 97 Acts, ch 104, §44, 61; 2000 Acts, ch 1016, §33 – 35
325A.14 and 325A.15Repealed by 2000 Acts, ch 1016, §  38. 
  325A.16  Transferred to §  325A.3A; 2000 Acts, ch 1232, §  93. 

325A.17 through 325A.20Repealed by 2000 Acts, ch 1016, §  38. 

  325A.21   Regular-route certificate nontransferable.
  A regular-route passenger certificate shall not be sold, transferred, leased, or assigned.
97 Acts, ch 104, §52, 61; 2000 Acts, ch 1016, §37; 2011 Acts, ch 38, §25

  325A.22  Riding on outside part.
  Passengers shall not ride on the running boards, fenders, or on any other outside part of passenger-carrying motor vehicles.
97 Acts, ch 104, §53, 61
SUBCHAPTER 3
SANCTIONS

  325A.23  Suspension or revocation of permit or certificate.
  The department may, in addition to other penalties, revoke or suspend the permit or certificate of a motor carrier for a violation of this chapter or a rule adopted under this chapter. For flagrant or persistent violations of safety or hazardous materials rules by the holder of a permit or certificate or the holder’s agent, the department may suspend the permit or certificate of necessity until the rules adopted by the department are complied with, or the department may revoke the permit or certificate for continued noncompliance.
97 Acts, ch 104, §54, 61

  325A.24  Scheduled fines — penalty.
  A person who violates this chapter or a rule adopted pursuant to this chapter for which a penalty is not otherwise established, or who aids or abets a person in a failure to comply with this chapter or a rule adopted pursuant to this chapter, is subject to the fine provided in section 805.8A, subsection 13, paragraph “e”.
97 Acts, ch 104, §55, 61; 2001 Acts, ch 137, §5
SUBCHAPTER 4
TRANSITION PROVISIONS

  325A.25  Certificates prior to January 1, 1998.
  1.  A certificate or permit, or both, which was issued under former chapter 325 before January 1, 1998, and which authorized a person to transport property in intrastate commerce by motor vehicle as a common carrier or contract carrier, or both, is void. However, to the extent a certificate or permit, or portion of a certificate or permit, authorized a person to transport household goods over irregular routes or passengers in intrastate commerce, this subsection does not apply.
  2.  A person who owned a certificate or permit, or both, that was a valid certificate or permit, or both, on December 31, 1997, is deemed to have a valid certificate or permit, unless the person’s certificate or permit has been suspended, revoked, or transferred to another person as provided by law. A person deemed to have a valid certificate or permit under this subsection is not required to file an application pursuant to section 325A.3 to continue providing intrastate transportation, but rather, upon such person’s compliance with the requirements of section 325A.3, subsection 2, the person is deemed to have a valid certificate or permit in force as required pursuant to section 325A.3, subsection 1, authorizing the person to transport property except household goods in intrastate commerce on the public highways, unless the person’s certificate or permit is suspended, revoked, or transferred to another person as provided by law. Within a reasonable time after January 1, 1998, the department shall issue certificates or permits to all persons who are deemed to be qualified under this subsection.
97 Acts, ch 104, §56, 61