Section 40-2-87. Definitions

   As used in this article, the term:

   (1) "Allocated vehicle" means a vehicle to which a particular jurisdiction's basic registration plate or apportioned registration plate is attached upon payment of the jurisdiction's full basic registration fee. A portion of each fleet of one-way vehicles is allocated to each jurisdiction into or through which the fleet travels although each vehicle of the fleet need not enter every jurisdiction.

   (2) "Apportionable fee" means any periodic recurring fee required for licensing or registering vehicles, including, but not limited to, registration fees, license fees, or weight fees.

   (3) "Apportionable vehicle" means any vehicle, except recreational vehicles, vehicles displaying restricted plates, city pickup and delivery vehicles, buses used in transportation of chartered parties, and government owned vehicles, used or intended for use in two or more member jurisdictions that allocate or proportionally register vehicles and used for the transportation of persons for hire or designed, used, or maintained primarily for the transportation of property and which is:

      (A) A power unit having a gross vehicle weight in excess of 26,000 pounds;

      (B) A power unit having three or more axles, regardless of weight; or

      (C) Used in combination, when the weight of such combination exceeds 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight.

Vehicles or combinations thereof having a gross vehicle weight of 26,000 pounds or less and two-axle vehicles and buses used in transportation of chartered parties may be proportionally registered at the option of the registrant.

   (4) "Auxiliary axle" means an auxiliary undercarriage assembly with a fifth wheel and tow bar used to convert a semitrailer to a full trailer.

   (5) "Axle" means an assembly of a vehicle consisting of two or more wheels whose centers are in one horizontal plane, by means of which a portion of the weight of a vehicle and its load, if any, is continually transmitted to the roadway. For purposes of registration under the International Registration Plan, an axle is any such assembly whether or not it is load-bearing only part of the time. For example, a single-unit truck with a steering axle and two axles in a rear-axle assembly is an apportionable vehicle even though one of the rear axles is a so-called dummy, drag, tag, or pusher type axle.

   (6) "Base jurisdiction" means, for purposes of fleet registration, the jurisdiction where the registrant has an established place of business, where mileage is accrued by the fleet, and where operational records of such fleet are maintained or can be made available in accordance with the provisions of this article.

   (7) "Base plate" means the plate issued by the base jurisdiction and shall be the only registration identification plate issued for the vehicle by any member jurisdiction. Base plates shall be identified by having the word "apportioned" or "PRP" and the jurisdiction's name on the plate. The numbering system and color shall be determined by the issuing jurisdiction.

   (8) "Chartered party" means a group of persons who, pursuant to a common purpose and under a single contract and at a fixed charge for the vehicle in accordance with the carrier's tariff, lawfully on file with the Interstate Commerce Commission, have acquired the exclusive use of a passenger-carrying motor vehicle to travel together as a group to a specified destination or for a particular itinerary, either agreed upon in advance or modified by the chartered group after having left the place of origin.

   (9) "Commissioner" means the jurisdiction official in charge of registration of vehicles and means, for the State of Georgia, the state revenue commissioner.

   (10) "Established place of business" means a physical structure owned, leased, or rented by the fleet registrant. The physical structure shall be designated by a street number or road location, be open during normal business hours, and have located within it:

      (A) A telephone or telephones publicly listed in the name of the fleet registrant;

      (B) A person or persons conducting the fleet registrant's business; and

      (C) The operational records of the fleet, unless such records can be made available in accordance with the provisions of this article.

   (11) "Fleet" means one or more apportionable vehicles.

   (12) "In-jurisdiction miles" means the total number of operating miles accrued by a fleet of apportioned vehicles in a jurisdiction during the preceding year. In those cases where the registrant operated a fleet of apportioned vehicles in jurisdictions that require no apportionment and grant reciprocity, the base jurisdiction may add such miles to the in-jurisdiction miles.

   (13) "Interjurisdictional movement" means vehicle movement between or through two or more jurisdictions.

   (14) "Intrajurisdictional movement" means vehicle movement from one point within a jurisdiction to another point within the same jurisdiction.

   (15) "Jurisdiction" means a state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or a state, province, or territory of another country.

   (16) "Long term" means any period of time exceeding 29 days.

   (17) "Motor carrier audit" means a physical examination of a motor carrier's operational records including source documentation to verify fleet mileage and accuracy of a carrier's record-keeping system.

   (18) "Operational records" means documents supporting miles traveled in each jurisdiction and total miles traveled such as fuel reports, trip sheets, and drivers' logs.

   (19) "Owner-operator" means an equipment lessor who leases his vehicular equipment with driver to a carrier.

   (20) "Pool fleet" means a fleet of rental company trailers and semitrailers having a gross weight in excess of 26,000 pounds and used solely in pool operation with no permanent base.

   (21) "Preceding year" means the period of 12 consecutive months immediately prior to July 1 of the year immediately preceding the commencement of the registration or license year for which apportioned registration is sought.

   (22) "Reciprocity" means that an apportionable vehicle properly registered under this article shall be exempt from further registration by any other member jurisdiction.

   (23) "Reciprocity agreement" means an agreement, arrangement, or understanding governing the reciprocal grant of rights and privileges to vehicles which are based in and properly registered under the applicable laws of the jurisdictions which are parties to such an agreement, arrangement, or understanding.

   (24) "Recreational vehicle" means as used in this article a vehicle used for personal pleasure or travel by an individual or his family.

   (25) "Registrant" means a person, firm, or corporation in whose name or names a vehicle is properly registered.

   (26) "Registration year" means the 12 month period during which the registration plates issued by the base jurisdiction are valid according to the laws of the base jurisdiction.

   (27) "Restricted plate" means a license plate that has time (less than a registration year), geographic area, mileage, or commodity restrictions.

   (28) "Service representative" means a person who furnishes facilities and services including sales, warehousing, motorized equipment, and drivers under contract or other arrangements to a carrier for transportation of property by a household goods carrier.

   (29) "Total distance" means the total number of miles or kilometers traveled by a fleet of apportioned vehicles in all jurisdictions during the preceding year. For purposes of motor bus apportionment, total distance shall be calculated as provided for fleets.

   (30) "Trip-lease" means a lease of vehicular equipment to a carrier or lessee for a single interjurisdictional movement. The term may also include a similar intrajurisdictional movement where such movement is authorized under the laws of the jurisdiction.

Code 1981, § 40-2-87, enacted by Ga. L. 1990, p. 1883, § 2; Ga. L. 1994, p. 97, § 40; Ga. L. 2000, p. 951, § 3-14; Ga. L. 2005, p. 334, § 14-7/HB 501; Ga. L. 2006, p. 72, § 40/SB 465.