Section 5285.6 Of Article 7. Suspension And Revocation Of Permits From California Public Utilities Code >> Division 2. >> Chapter 7. >> Article 7.
5285.6
. (a) (1) Upon receipt of a written recommendation from the
Department of the California Highway Patrol that the permit of a
household goods carrier be suspended for any of the following, the
commission, pending a hearing in the matter pursuant to subdivision
(d), shall suspend the carrier's permit:
(A) Failure to maintain any vehicle used in transportation for
compensation in a safe operating condition or to comply with the
Vehicle Code or with applicable regulations contained in Title 13 of
the California Code of Regulations, if that failure is either a
consistent failure or presents an imminent danger to public safety.
(B) Failure to enroll all drivers in the pull notice system as
required by Section 1808.1 of the Vehicle Code.
(C) Failure to submit any application or pay any fee required by
subdivision (e) or (h) of Section 34501.12 of the Vehicle Code within
the timeframes set forth in that section.
(2) The written recommendation shall specifically indicate
compliance with subdivision (c).
(b) (1) A carrier whose permit is suspended pursuant to
subdivision (a) may obtain a reinspection of its terminal and
vehicles by the Department of the California Highway Patrol, by
submitting a written request for reinstatement to the commission and
paying a reinstatement fee of one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125).
(2) A carrier whose permit is suspended for failure to submit any
application or to pay any fee required by Section 34501.12 of the
Vehicle Code shall present proof of having submitted that application
or having paid that fee to the Department of the California Highway
Patrol before applying for reinstatement of that permit.
(3) The commission shall deposit all reinstatement fees collected
pursuant to this subdivision in the Transportation Rate Fund. The
commission shall then forward a request for reinspection to the
Department of the California Highway Patrol which shall then perform
a reinspection within a reasonable time or verify receipt of the
application or fee, or both the application and fee. The commission
shall reinstate a carrier's permit that is suspended under
subdivision (a) promptly upon receipt of a written recommendation
from the Department of the California Highway Patrol that the carrier'
s safety compliance has improved to the satisfaction of that
department, or that the required application or fees have been
received, unless the permit is suspended for another reason or has
been revoked.
(c) Before transmitting a recommendation pursuant to subdivision
(a) to the commission, the Department of the California Highway
Patrol shall notify the household goods carrier in writing of all of
the following:
(1) That the Department of the California Highway Patrol has
determined that the carrier's safety record, or compliance with
Section 1808.1 of, or subdivision (e) or (h) of Section 34501.12 of,
the Vehicle Code, is unsatisfactory, furnishing a copy of any
documentation or summary of any other evidence supporting the
determination.
(2) That the determination may result in a suspension or
revocation of the carrier's permit by the commission.
(3) That the carrier may request a review of the determination by
the Department of the California Highway Patrol within five days of
its receipt of the notice required under this subdivision. If a
review pursuant to this paragraph is requested by the carrier, the
Department of the California Highway Patrol shall conduct and
evaluate that review prior to transmitting any notification to the
commission pursuant to subdivision (a).
(d) Whenever the commission suspends the permit of any household
goods carrier pursuant to subdivision (a), the commission shall
furnish the carrier written notice of the suspension and shall hold a
hearing within a reasonable time, not to exceed 21 days, after a
written request for a hearing is filed with the commission, with a
copy of that written request furnished to the Department of the
California Highway Patrol. At the hearing, the carrier shall show
cause why the suspension should not be continued. At the conclusion
of the hearing, the commission, in addition to any other penalty
provided in this chapter, may terminate the suspension, continue the
suspension in effect, or revoke the permit. The commission may revoke
the permit of any household goods carrier suspended pursuant to
subdivision (a) at any time 90 days or more after its suspension if
the commission has not received a written recommendation for
reinstatement from the Department of the California Highway Patrol
and the carrier has not filed a written request for a hearing with
the commission.
(e) Notwithstanding subdivision (d), no hearing shall be provided
when the suspension of the permit is based solely upon the failure of
the household goods carrier to submit an application or to pay fees
required by Section 34501.12 of the Vehicle Code.
(f) If the commission, after a hearing, finds that a household
goods carrier has continued to operate as such a carrier after its
permit or permits have been suspended pursuant to subdivision (a),
the commission shall do one of the following:
(1) Revoke the operating permit or permits of the carrier.
(2) Impose upon the holder of the permit or permits a civil
penalty of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) nor more than
five thousand dollars ($5,000) for each day of unlawful operations.