SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background: Section 4305(b) of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) [Pub. L. 109-59, 119 Stat. 1144, August 10, 2005] enacted 49 U.S.C. 14504a, entitled “Unified carrier registration system plan and Agreement.” Under the UCR Agreement, motor carriers, motor private carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies that are involved in interstate transportation must register with a State and pay certain fees. The UCR Plan's Board of Directors must issue rules and regulations to govern the UCR Agreement. The Board also must recommend to the Secretary of Transportation annual fees to be assessed against carriers, leasing companies, brokers, and freight forwarders under the UCR Agreement.

The Unified Carrier Registration Plan is defined in 49 U.S.C. 14504a(a)(9) as the organization of State, Federal, and industry representatives responsible for developing, implementing, and administering the UCR Agreement. Section 14504a(d)(1)(B) directed the Secretary of Transportation to establish ( printed page 32513) a Unified Carrier Registration Plan Board of Directors made up of 15 members from FMCSA, State Governments, and the motor carrier industry. The establishment of the Board was announced in the Federal Register on May 12, 2006 (71 FR 27777). Section 14504a(d)(1)(B) provides that the UCR Plan's Board of Directors must consist of directors from the following groups:

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration: One director must be selected from each of the four FMCSA service areas (as defined by FMCSA on January 1, 2005). The four directors selected must be from among the chief administrative officers of the State agencies responsible for administering the UCR Agreement.

State Agencies: Five directors must be selected to represent State agencies. The five directors selected must be from among the professional staffs of State agencies responsible for overseeing the administration of the UCR Agreement.

Motor Carrier Industry: Five directors must be from the motor carrier industry. At least one of the five motor carrier industry directors must be from “a national trade association representing the general motor carrier of property industry” and one of them must be from “a motor carrier that falls within the smallest fleet fee bracket.”

U.S. Department of Transportation (the Department): One individual, either the FMCSA Deputy Administrator or such other Presidential appointee from the Department appointed by the Secretary, represents the Department.

This document serves as a notice from the UCR Plan Board of Directors soliciting nominations of, and expressions of interest by, qualified individuals who are interested in being considered by FMCSA for appointment to the Board as the chief administrative officer of a State agency responsible for overseeing the UCR Agreement. The Board is seeking four Directors, each representing one of FMCSA's four service areas (again, as those service areas were defined on January 1, 2005). For purposes of Board appointments, on January 1, 2005, the Eastern service area included the UCR participating states of Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, and West Virginia. The Midwestern service area included the UCR participating states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The Southern service area included the UCR participating states of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. The Western service area included the UCR participating states of Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Washington. The terms of these appointments begin immediately on appointment and expire on May 31, 2029.

All nominations of or expressions of interest by qualified individuals for the four upcoming vacancies described must be received by the UCR Board on or before July 13, 2026, and will then be forwarded to FMCSA. The authority to appoint an individual to fill each of the four vacant positions lies with Secretary of Transportation, which has been delegated to FMCSA.

Nominations and expressions of interest should indicate that the individual nominated or interested meets the statutory requirements specified in 49 U.S.C. 14504a(d)(1)(B). All submissions must include a current resume.

The UCR Plan Board may, but is not required to, recommend to FMCSA the appointment of individuals from among the nominations and expressions of interest received. If the Board does make such recommendation(s), it will do so after consideration during an open meeting in compliance with the Government in the Sunshine Act that includes such recommendation(s) as part of the subject matter of the open meeting.