Section 34623 Of Chapter 2. Motor Carrier Permits From California Vehicle Code >> Division 14.85. >> Chapter 2.
34623
. (a) The Department of the California Highway Patrol has
exclusive jurisdiction for the regulation of safety of operation of
motor carriers of property.
(b) The motor carrier permit of a motor carrier of property may be
suspended for failure to do either of the following:
(1) Maintain any vehicle of the carrier in a safe operating
condition or to comply with this 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.
(2) Enroll all drivers in the pull-notice system as required by
Section 1808.1.
(c) The motor carrier permit of a motor carrier of property shall
be suspended for failure to either (1) comply with the requirements
of federal law described in subdivision (a) of Section 34520 of the
Vehicle Code, or (2) make copies of results and other records
available as required by subdivision (b) of that section. The
suspension shall be as follows:
(1) For a serious violation, which is a willful failure to perform
substance abuse testing in accordance with state or federal law:
(A) For a first offense, a mandatory five-day suspension.
(B) For a second offense within three years of a first offense, a
mandatory three-month suspension.
(C) For a third offense within three years of a first offense, a
mandatory one-year suspension.
(2) For a nonserious violation, the time recommended to the
department by the Department of the California Highway Patrol.
(3) For the purposes of this subdivision, "willful failure" means
any of the following:
(A) An intentional and uncorrected failure to have a controlled
substances and alcohol testing program in place.
(B) An intentional and uncorrected failure to enroll an employed
driver into the controlled substances and alcohol testing program.
(C) A knowing use of a medically disqualified driver, including
the failure to remove the driver from safety-sensitive duties upon
notification of the medical disqualification.
(D) An attempt to conceal legal deficiencies in the motor carrier'
s controlled substances and alcohol testing program.
(d) The department, pending a hearing in the matter pursuant to
subdivision (f), may suspend a carrier's permit.
(e) (1) A motor carrier whose motor carrier permit is suspended
pursuant to subdivision (b) 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 department and
paying a reinstatement fee as required by Section 34623.5.
(2) The department shall deposit all reinstatement fees collected
from motor carriers of property pursuant to this section in the fund.
Upon receipt of the fee, the department shall forward a request to
the Department of the California Highway Patrol, which shall perform
a reinspection within a reasonable time, or shall verify receipt of
the application or fee or both the application and fee. Following the
term of a suspension imposed under Section 34670, the department
shall reinstate a carrier's motor carrier permit suspended under
subdivision (b) upon notification by the Department of the California
Highway Patrol that the carrier's safety compliance has improved to
the satisfaction of the Department of the California Highway Patrol,
unless the permit is suspended for another reason or has been
revoked.
(f) Whenever the department suspends the permit of any carrier
pursuant to subdivision (b), (c), or paragraph (3) of subdivision
(i), the department shall furnish the carrier with written notice of
the suspension and shall provide for a hearing within a reasonable
time, not to exceed 21 days, after a written request is filed with
the department. At the hearing, the carrier shall show cause why the
suspension should not be continued. Following the hearing, the
department may terminate the suspension, continue the suspension in
effect, or revoke the permit. The department may revoke the permit of
any carrier suspended pursuant to subdivision (b) at any time that
is 90 days or more after its suspension if the carrier has not filed
a written request for a hearing with the department or has failed to
submit a request for reinstatement pursuant to subdivision (e).
(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, a hearing
shall not be provided if the suspension of the motor carrier permit
is based solely upon the failure of the motor carrier to maintain
satisfactory proof of financial responsibility as required by this
code.
(h) A motor carrier of property may not operate a commercial motor
vehicle on any public highway in this state during any period its
motor carrier of property permit is suspended pursuant to this
division.
(i) (1) A motor carrier of property whose motor carrier permit is
suspended pursuant to this section or Section 34505.6, which
suspension is based wholly or in part on the failure of the motor
carrier to maintain any vehicle in safe operating condition, may not
lease, or otherwise allow, another motor carrier to operate the
vehicles of the carrier subject to the suspension, during the period
of the suspension.
(2) A motor carrier of property may not knowingly lease, operate,
dispatch, or otherwise utilize any vehicle from a motor carrier of
property whose motor carrier permit is suspended, which suspension is
based wholly or in part on the failure of the motor carrier to
maintain any vehicle in safe operating condition.
(3) The department may immediately suspend the motor carrier
permit of any motor carrier that the department determines to be in
violation of paragraph (2).
(j) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2016.