[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 49, Volume 5]

[Revised as of October 1, 2005]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 49CFR387.7]



[Page 282-283]

 

                        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.



[[Page 283]]



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 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]