This subpart prescribes the minimum levels of financial responsibility required to be maintained by for-hire motor carriers of passengers operating motor vehicles in interstate or foreign commerce. The purpose of these regulations is to create additional incentives to carriers to operate their vehicles in a safe manner and to assure that they maintain adequate levels of financial responsibility.

(a) This subpart applies to for-hire motor carriers transporting passengers in interstate or foreign commerce.

(b) Exception. The rules in this subpart do not apply to—

(1) A motor vehicle transporting only school children and teachers to or from school;

(2) A motor vehicle providing taxicab service and having a seating capacity of less than 7 passengers and not operated on a regular route or between specified points;

(3) A motor vehicle carrying less than 16 individuals in a single daily round trip to commute to and from work; and

(4) A motor vehicle operated by a motor carrier under contract providing transportation of preprimary, primary, and secondary students for extracurricular trips organized, sponsored, and paid by a school district.

As used in this subpart—

Accident means includes continuous or repeated exposure to the same conditions resulting in public liability which the insured neither expected nor intended.

Bodily injury means injury to the body, sickness, or disease including death resulting from any of these.

Endorsement means an amendment to an insurance policy.

Financial responsibility means the financial reserves (e.g., insurance policies or surety bonds) sufficient to satisfy liability amounts set forth in this subpart covering public liability.

For-hire carriage means the business of transporting, for compensation, passengers and their property, including any compensated transportation of the goods or property or another.

Insured and principal means the motor carrier named in the policy of insurance, surety bond, endorsement, or notice of cancellation, and also the fiduciary of such motor carrier.

Insurance premium means the monetary sum an insured pays an insurer for acceptance of liability for public liability claims made against the insured.

Motor carrier means a for-hire motor carrier. The term includes, but is not limited to, a motor carrier's agent, officer, or representative; an employee responsible for hiring, supervising, training, assigning, or dispatching a driver; or an employee concerned with the installation, inspection, and maintenance of motor vehicle equipment and/or accessories.

Property damage means damage to or loss of use of tangible property.

Public liability means liability for bodily injury or property damage.

Seating capacity means any plan view location capable of accommodating a person at least as large as a 5th percentile adult female, if the overall seat configuration and design and vehicle design is such that the position is likely to be used as a seating position while the vehicle is in motion, except for auxiliary seating accommodations such as temporary or folding jump seats. Any bench or split bench seat in a passenger car, truck or multi-purpose passenger vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating less than 10,000 pounds, having greater than 50 inches of hip room (measured in accordance with SEA Standards J1100(a)) shall have not less than three designated seating positions, unless the seat design or vehicle design is such that the center position cannot be used for seating.

(a) No motor carrier shall operate a motor vehicle transporting passengers until the motor carrier has obtained and has in effect the minimum levels of financial responsibility as set forth in § 387.33 of this subpart.

(b) Policies of insurance, surety bonds, and endorsements required under this section shall remain in effect continuously until terminated.

(1) Cancellation may be effected by the insurer or the insured motor carrier giving 35 days' notice in writing to the other. The 35 days' notice shall commence to run from the date the notice is transmitted. Proof of transmission shall be sufficient proof of notice.

(2) Exception. Policies of insurance and surety bonds may be obtained for a finite period of time to cover any lapse in continuous compliance.

(3) Exception. Mexican motor carriers may meet the minimum financial responsibility requirements of this subpart by obtaining insurance coverage, in the required amounts, for periods of 24 hours or longer, from insurers that meet the requirements of § 387.35 of this subpart. A Mexican motor carrier so insured must have available for inspection in each of its vehicles copies of the following documents:

(i) The required insurance endorsement (Form MCS-90B); and

(ii) An insurance identification card, binder, or other document issued by an authorized insurer which specifies both the effective date and the expiration date of the temporary insurance coverage authorized by this exception.

(c) Policies of insurance and surety bonds required under this section may be replaced by other policies of insurance or surety bonds. The liability of retiring insurer or surety, as to events after the termination date, shall be considered as having terminated on the effective date of the replacement policy of insurance or surety bond or at the end or the 35 day cancellation period required in paragraph (b) of this section, whichever is sooner.

(d) Proof of the required financial responsibility shall be maintained at the motor carrier's principal place of business. The proof shall consist of—

(1) “Endorsement(s) for Motor Carriers of Passengers Policies of Insurance for Public Liability Under Section 18 of the Bus Regulatory Reform Act of 1982” (Form MCS-90B) issued by an insurer(s); or

(2) A “Motor Carrier of Passengers Surety Bond for Public Liability Under Section 18 of the Bus Regulatory Reform Act of 1982” (Form MCS-82B) issued by a surety.

(e)(1) The proof of minimum levels of financial responsibility required by this section shall be considered public information and be produced for review upon reasonable request by a member of the public.

(2) In addition to maintaining proof of financial responsibility as required by paragraph (d) of this section, non-North America-domiciled private and for-hire motor carriers shall file evidence of financial responsibility with FMCSA in accordance with the requirements of subpart C of this part.

(f) All passenger carrying vehicles operated within the United States by motor carriers domiciled in a contiguous foreign country, shall have on board the vehicle a legible copy, in English, of the proof of the required financial responsibility (Forms MCS-90B or MCS-82B) used by the motor carrier to comply with paragraph (d) of this section.

(g) Any motor vehicle in which there is no evidence of financial responsibility required by paragraph (f) of this section shall be denied entry into the United States.

(a) General limits. Except as provided in § 387.27(b), the minimum levels of financial responsibility referred to in § 387.31 are prescribed as follows:

For-hire motor carriers of passengers operating in interstate or foreign commerce.

(b) Limits applicable to transit service providers. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section, the minimum level of financial responsibility for a motor vehicle used to provide transportation services within a transit service area located in more than one State under an agreement with a Federal, State, or local government funded, in whole or in part, with a grant under 49 U.S.C. 5307, 5310 or 5311, including transportation designed and carried out to meet the special needs of elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities, will be the highest level required for any of the States in which it operates. This paragraph applies to transit service providers that operate in more than one State, as well as transit service providers that operate in only one State but interline with other motor carriers that provide interstate transportation within or outside the transit service area. Transit service providers conducting such operations must register as for-hire passenger carriers under part 365, subpart A and part 390, subpart E, of this subchapter, identify the State(s) in which they operate under the applicable grants, and certify on their registration documents that they have in effect financial responsibility levels in an amount equal to or greater than the highest level required by any of the States in which they are operating under a qualifying grant.

Except as provided in § 387.27(b), the minimum levels of financial responsibility referred to in § 387.31 are hereby prescribed as follows:

For-hire motor carriers of passengers operating in interstate or foreign commerce.

A policy of insurance or surety bond does not satisfy the financial responsibility requirements of this subpart unless the insurer or surety furnishing the policy or bond is—

(a) Legally authorized to issue such policies or bonds in each State in which the motor carrier operates, or

(b) Legally authorized to issue such policies or bonds in the State in which the motor carrier has its principal place of business or domicile, and is willing to designate a person upon whom process, issued by or under the authority of any court having jurisdiction of the subject matter, may be served in any proceeding at law or equity brought in any State in which the motor carrier operates; or

(c) Legally authorized to issue such policies or bonds in any State of the United States and eligible as an excess or surplus lines insurer in any State in which business is written, and is willing to designate a person upon whom process, issued by or under the authority of any court having jurisdiction of the subject matter, may be served in any proceeding at law or equity brought in any State in which the motor carrier operates.

(d) A Canadian insurance company legally authorized to issue a policy of insurance in the Province or Territory of Canada in which a Canadian motor carrier has its principal place of business or domicile, and that is willing to designate a person upon whom process, issued by or under the authority of any court having jurisdiction over the subject matter, may be served in any proceeding at law or equity brought in any State in which the motor carrier operates.

The coverage of fiduciaries shall attach at the moment of succession of such fiduciaries.

Endorsements for policies of insurance (Form MCS-90B) and surety bonds (Form MCS-82B) must be in the form prescribed by the FMCSA and approved by the OMB. Endorsements to policies of insurance and surety bonds shall specify that coverage thereunder will remain in effect continuously until terminated, as required in § 387.31 of this subpart. The continuous coverage requirement does not apply to Mexican motor carriers insured under § 387.31(b)(3) of this subpart. The endorsement and surety bond shall be issued in the exact name of the motor carrier. The Forms MCS-82B and MCS-90B are available from the FMCSA website at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/mission/forms.

(a) Any person (except an employee who acts without knowledge) who knowingly violates the rules of this subpart shall be liable to the United States for a civil penalty as stated in part 386, appendix B, of this chapter, and if any such violation is a continuing one, each day of violation will constitute a separate offense. The amount of any such penalty shall be assessed by the Administrator or his/her designee, by written notice.

(b) In determining the amount of such penalty, the Administrator or his/her designee shall take into account the nature, circumstances, extent, the gravity of the violation committed and, with respect to the person found to have committed such violation, the degree of culpability, any history of prior violations, the ability to pay, and any effect on ability to continue to do business, and such other matters as justice may require.

(a) Insurers of for-hire motor carriers of passengers that are registered with FMCSA on September 30, 2016, must file certificates of insurance, surety bonds, and other securities and agreements with FMCSA by December 31, 2016. Insurers of all other exempt for-hire motor carriers of passengers must file certificates of insurance, surety bonds, and other securities and agreements with FMCSA at the time of the application for registration. These filings must be made electronically in accordance with the requirements and procedures set forth at § 387.323.

(b) This section does not apply to motor carriers excepted under § 387.31(b)(3).