[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 49, Volume 4]
[Revised as of October 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 49CFR387.7]

[Page 1054-1055]
 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
                      DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
 
PART 387_MINIMUM LEVELS OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR MOTOR 
CARRIERS--Table of Contents
 
                  Subpart A_Motor Carriers of Property
 
Sec. 387.7  Financial responsibility required.

    (a) No motor carrier shall operate a motor vehicle until the motor 
carrier has obtained and has in effect the minimum levels of financial 
responsibility as set forth in Sec. 387.9 of this subpart.
    (b)(1) Policies of insurance, surety bonds, and endorsements 
required under this section shall remain in effect continuously until 
terminated. 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 mailed. 
Proof of mailing 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. A Mexico-domiciled motor carrier operating solely in 
municipalities in the United States on the U.S.-Mexico international 
border or within the commercial zones of such municipalities with a 
Certificate of Registration issued under part 368 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 Sec. 387.11 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 Certificate of Registration;
    (ii) The required insurance endorsement (Form MCS-90); and
    (iii) An insurance identification card, binder, or other document 
issued by an authorized insurer which specifies both the effective date 
and the expiration

[[Page 1055]]

date of the temporary insurance coverage authorized by this exception.

Mexician motor carriers insured under this exception are also exempt 
from the notice of cancellation requirements stated on Form MCS-90.
    (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 the 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 of 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 Carrier Policies of Insurance for 
Public Liability Under Sections 29 and 30 of the Motor Carrier Act of 
1980'' (Form MCS-90) issued by an insurer(s);
    (2) A ``Motor Carrier Surety Bond for Public Liability Under Section 
30 of the Motor Carrier Act of 1980'' (Form MCS-82) issued by a surety; 
or
    (3) A written decision, order, or authorization of the Federal Motor 
Carrier Safety Administration authorizing a motor carrier to self-insure 
under Sec. 387.309, provided the motor carrier maintains a satisfactory 
safety rating as determined by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration under part 385 of this chapter.
    (e) 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.
    (f) All 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 (Form MCS-90 or MCS-82) 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.

[46 FR 30982, June 11, 1981; 46 FR 45612, Sept. 14, 1981, as amended at 
48 FR 5559, Feb. 7, 1983; 48 FR 52683, Nov. 21, 1983; 51 FR 22083, June 
18, 1986; 54 FR 49092, Nov. 29, 1989; 59 FR 63923, Dec. 12, 1994; 67 FR 
12661, Mar. 19, 2002]