TITLE 49

MOTOR VEHICLES

CHAPTER 12

MOTOR VEHICLE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

49-1233.  Motor carrier financial responsibility — Exemptions — Board rules. (1) Before registering any motor carrier for transporting persons or property, the department shall require verification from the motor carrier that it has obtained and has in effect liability and property damage insurance, or has a surety bond written by an insurer licensed to furnish such insurance in this state or by a surety company authorized to write surety bonds in this state, or who qualifies as a self-insurer pursuant to the provisions of section 49-1224, Idaho Code.

(2)  A motor carrier, unless exempted under the provisions of subsection (4) of this section, shall file with the department proof of liability and property damage insurance, surety bond, or proof of self-insurance in such form as the board shall prescribe. It shall be kept in full force and effect, and failure to do so shall be cause for revocation of the registration of the motor carrier.

(3)  Insurance carriers shall file a notice with the department at least thirty (30) days before the effective date of any termination of insurance or surety bond or of a reduction in insurance below the amounts set by the board.

(4)  Exemptions. The following intrastate motor carriers shall not be exempt from coverage in the amounts required by the provisions of section 49-117, Idaho Code, but shall be exempt from the motor carrier liability and property damage insurance coverage required herein by rule of the board:

(a)  Motor vehicles employed solely in transporting school children and teachers to or from school or to and from approved school activities, when the motor vehicles are either:

(i)   Wholly owned and operated by such school, or

(ii)  Leased or contracted by such school and the motor vehicle is not used in the furtherance of any other commercial enterprise; or

(b)  Taxicabs or other motor vehicles performing a licensed or franchised taxicab service, having a seating capacity of not more than seven (7) passengers within twenty-five (25) miles of the boundaries of the licensing or franchising jurisdiction; or

(c)  Motor vehicles owned or operated by or on behalf of hotels and used exclusively for the transportation of hotel patrons between hotels and local railroads or airports or other common carrier stations; or

(d)  Motor vehicles controlled and operated by any farmer when used in the transportation of his farm equipment or in the transportation of supplies to his farm; or

(e)  Motor vehicles used exclusively in the distribution of newspapers; or

(f)  Transportation of persons or property by motor vehicle at an airport when incidental to transportation by aircraft or other transportation in substitution for scheduled airline service when the carrier cannot provide the scheduled service because of weather and/or mechanical conditions and the transportation is arranged for and paid by the affected airlines; or

(g)  Transportation of persons and/or property, including mobile and modular houses manufactured with wheels and undercarriage as part of the substructure, but not transportation of other houses, buildings or structures within a municipality or territory contiguous to such municipality if such operation outside such municipality be a part of a service maintained within the limits of the municipality with the privilege of transfer of passengers to vehicles within the municipality without additional fare; or

(h)  The transportation of agricultural products including fresh fruits and vegetables, livestock, livestock feed or manure; or

(i)  Motor propelled vehicles for the sole purpose of carrying United States mail or property belonging to the United States; or

(j)  Motor carriers transporting products of the forest; or

(k)  Motor carriers transporting products of the mine including sand, gravel and aggregates thereof, except petroleum products; or

(l)  Motor carriers transporting household goods as defined by the federal surface transportation board; or

(m)  Vehicles properly equipped, designed and customarily used for the transportation of disabled or abandoned vehicles by means of a crane, hoist, tow bar, dolly or roll bed, which vehicle shall be known as a "wrecker (tow truck)."

(5)  The board shall promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this section, establishing by rule the amount of liability coverage to be carried for personal injury suffered by one (1) person while being transported in any vehicle, any additional amounts for all persons receiving personal injury, and such amount for damage to the property of any person other than the insured. The board is further authorized to adopt temporary rules as necessary.

History:

[49-1233, added 1999, ch. 383, sec. 9, p. 1064.]