California Wrestles With Issues Of Registration Compatibility
The International Registration Plan, by which trucking companies register their vehicles, could go awry in California if the industry, government officials and lawmakers can’t bring the state’s tax and registration policies into line with the other IRP states by next year.
The predicament was created by the 1991 federal bill that established IRP and mandated that all states have uniform policies and fees for registering commercial trucks used in interstate commerce. Some exemptions to the new rules were granted to accommodate a number of incompatible state requirements, including California’s.
In 1999, however, IRP members voted to remove all exemptions as of Jan. 1, 2001.
California could lose the $125 million in apportioned registration fees it collects each year from out-of-state carriers, and other IRP states could refuse to recognize the registrations of California-based trucks.
All parties concerned are hoping to avoid dire scenarios with a legislative solution to the problem.
 |  |
For the full story, see the Feb. 7 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.
