PUCO rescinds administrative rules applying to private commercial motor carriers

COLUMBUS, OHIO (March 16, 2011) - The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) today rescinded administrative rules applying to private commercial motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) between 10,001 and 26,000 pounds operating in intrastate commerce.

"The PUCO has received feedback from numerous interested parties, including lawmakers and industry members, that these rules deserve additional review," said PUCO Chairman Todd A. Snitchler. "It is important for the PUCO to operate at the speed of business and implement regulations that promote safety while at the same time allow businesses to compete and operate efficiently. Today's decision is a step in that direction."

In 2008, the Commission approved amendments to Ohio's motor carrier safety rules that applied PUCO jurisdiction to private commercial motor vehicles with a GVW between 10,001 and 26,000 pounds that transport property or passengers on a not-for-hire basis within Ohio. The Commission later delayed active enforcement of the rules until 2012 while it conducted an outreach program to further educate affected carriers.

The PUCO hosted a series of listening sessions across Ohio this winter to gather input from affected carriers about the operational and financial costs of compliance with the rules. Based on feedback from interested parties, the Commission finds it prudent to rescind the rules while changes to the rules are considered. As a result, roadside educational stops for these affected carriers will no longer take place.

The Commission directed PUCO staff to file a report within 90 days containing an analysis and recommendations for possible future rule amendments. In preparing the report, staff will take into account Gov. John Kasich's Executive Order 2011-01K "Establishing the Common Sense Initiative," which accounts for the impact a rule has on small businesses.