Sunshine Act Meetings Publication: Federal Register Agency: Unified Carrier Registration Plan Byline: Alex B. Leath Date: 26 February 2024 Subjects: American Government , Trucking

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 38 (Monday, February 26, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14152-14153]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-04014]


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UNIFIED CARRIER REGISTRATION PLAN


Sunshine Act Meetings

TIME AND DATE: February 29, 2024, 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., Eastern 
Time.

PLACE: This meeting will be accessible via conference call and via Zoom 
Meeting and Screenshare. Any interested person may call (i) 1-929-205-
6099 (US Toll) or 1-669-900-6833 (US Toll), Meeting ID: 997 0103 4622, 
to listen and participate in this meeting. The website to participate 
via Zoom Meeting and Screenshare is https://kellen.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0qd-iorT8sGNbSuEQM-d2U0A_c3gFdaqie.

STATUS: This meeting will be open to the public.

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: The Unified Carrier Registration Plan Board 
of Directors (the ``Board'') will continue its work in developing and 
implementing the Unified Carrier Registration Plan and Agreement. The 
subject matter of this meeting will include:

Proposed Agenda

I. Welcome and Call to Order--UCR Board Chair

    The UCR Board Chair will welcome attendees, call the meeting to 
order, call roll for the Board, confirm the presence of a quorum, and 
facilitate self-introductions.

II. Verification of Publication of Meeting Notice--UCR Executive 
Director

    The UCR Executive Director will verify publication of the meeting 
notice on the UCR website and distribution to the UCR contact list via 
email, followed by subsequent publication of the notice in the Federal 
Register.

III. Review and Approval of Board Agenda--UCR Board Chair

For Discussion and Possible Board Action

    The proposed Agenda will be reviewed. The Board will consider 
action to adopt.
Ground Rules
    [rtarr8] Board actions taken only in designated areas on the 
agenda.

IV. Approval of Minutes of the January 18, 2024 UCR Board Meeting--UCR 
Board Chair

For Discussion and Possible Board Action

    Draft Minutes from the January 18, 2024, UCR Board meeting will be 
reviewed. The Board will consider action to approve.

V. Approval of Minutes of the February 1, 2024 UCR Board Meeting--UCR 
Board Chair

For Discussion and Possible Board Action

    Draft Minutes from the February 1, 2024, UCR Board meeting will be 
reviewed. The Board will consider action to approve.

VI. Report of FMCSA--FMCSA Representative

    The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will 
provide a report on any relevant agency activity, including the status 
of the FMCSA's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking concerning the 2025 UCR 
Fee Rulemaking and its publication in the Federal Register.

VII. Engagement Letter Between the UCR Plan and the Bradley Arant Law 
Firm--UCR Board Chair and UCR Executive Director

For Discussion and Possible Board Action

    An engagement letter between the UCR Plan and the Bradley Arant law 
firm will be presented to the Board for consideration and approval 
covering legal services provided by the Bradley Arant law firm in 
representing the UCR Plan before the United States Patent and Trademark 
Office in the trademark cancellation proceeding filed by the Small 
Business in Transportation Coalition. The Board may take action to 
approve the engagement letter on the terms outlined in the engagement 
letter.

VIII. UCR Plan Legal Counsel Report--UCR Plan Legal Counsel

    UCR Plan Legal Counsel will report on his activities as UCR Plan 
Legal Counsel since the last Board of Directors meeting including, the 
issuance of trademark licenses to participating states, developing a 
procedure to amend the UCR Agreement and responding to comments 
received by the FMCSA in connection with the 2025 UCR Fee Rule making.

IX. Subcommittee Reports

Audit Subcommittee--UCR Audit Subcommittee Chair, UCR Audit 
Subcommittee Vice-Chair

A. Updates to the UCR Handbook--UCR Audit Subcommittee Chair, UCR Audit 
Subcommittee Vice-Chair
For Discussion and Possible Board Action
    The UCR Audit Subcommittee Chair and Vice Chair will lead a 
discussion on steps to update the UCR Handbook in order to reduce 
confusion and eliminate conflicting guidance in the Handbook. The 
proposed amendments relate to the following sections of the Handbook:

 ``Leasing Companies'' page 10
 ``Effect of IRP Registration'' page 27
 ``Entities Performing More Than One Function'' ``Businesses 
Operating More Than One Motor Carrier'' pages 10 and 11

    The Board may take action to amend the UCR Handbook in the sections 
listed above.

Finance Subcommittee--UCR Finance Subcommittee Chair and UCR Depository 
Manager

A. Financial Update--UCR Depository Manager
    The UCR Depository Manager will provide an update on the financial 
status of the administrative fund. An update on fees collected for the 
2024 registration year will also be provided.
B. The Finance Subcommittee Recommendation to the UCR Board for the 
Selection of External Auditor To Audit the Unified Carrier Registration 
Plan Depository for the Year Ended December 31, 2022--UCR Finance 
Subcommittee Chair
For Discussion and Possible Board Action
    The UCR Finance Subcommittee Vice-Chair and the UCR Depository 
Manager

[[Page 14153]]

will give an update on the selection of an audit firm to conduct the 
2022 external audit. The UCR Finance Subcommittee recommends the 
appointment of Williams Benator and Libby, LLP (``WBL'') to serve as 
the external auditors of the 2022 financial year. The Board may take 
action to engage the services of an external auditor for the Unified 
Carrier Registration Plan Depository for the year ended December 31, 
2022.

Education and Training Subcommittee--UCR Education and Training 
Subcommittee Chair

    No significant action to report.

Industry Advisory Subcommittee--UCR Industry Advisory Subcommittee 
Chair

    No significant action to report.

Enforcement Subcommittee--UCR Enforcement Subcommittee Chair

Update on Current Initiatives--UCR Enforcement Subcommittee Chair
    The UCR Enforcement Subcommittee Chair will provide an update on 
current and planned initiatives to include a review of enforcement 
rates, enforcement as against under-registered carriers, how 
enforcement can support and contribute to inspection audits, 
presentation on reports available through the NRS to enforcement staff, 
an update on PowerPoint training, creation of standards for annual UCR 
enforcement awards, and conducting biannual enforcement blitzes.

Dispute Resolution Subcommittee--UCR Dispute Resolution Subcommittee 
Chair

A. Update on the Status of the Three Pending Complaints Before the 
Dispute Resolution Subcommittee Filed by the Small Business in 
Transportation Coalition (``SBTC'')--UCR Dispute Resolution 
Subcommittee Chair and UCR Plan Counsel
    The UCR Dispute Resolution Subcommittee Chair and UCR Plan Counsel 
will discuss the status of the three pending complaints before the 
Dispute Resolution Subcommittee Filed by the Small Business in 
Transportation Coalition (``SBTC'').
B. Possible Change to the Policy for Resolving Disputes Under the 
Unified Carrier Registration Agreement--UCR Dispute Resolution 
Subcommittee Chair and UCR Executive Director
For Discussion and Possible Subcommittee Action
    The UCR Dispute Resolution Subcommittee Chair and UCR Executive 
Director will present the motion passed by the Dispute Resolution 
Subcommittee to amend the Policy for Resolving Disputes Under the 
Unified Carrier Registration Agreement, under Section IV, ``Public 
Notice'', to make clear that a notice of hearing before the Board is 
now submitted directly to the Federal Register for publication by the 
UCR Plan, and not as previously was the case, through a request to the 
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The Board may take action 
to approve this change in the Policy for Resolving Disputes Under the 
Unified Carrier Registration Agreement.

X. Contractor Reports--UCR Board Chair

UCR Executive Director Report

    The UCR Executive Director will provide a report covering his 
recent activity for the UCR Plan including any changes in the dates of 
UCR meetings in 2024.

UCR Administrator Report (Kellen)

    The UCR Chief of Staff will provide a management update covering 
recent activity for the Depository, Operations, and Communications.

DSL Transportation Services, Inc.

    DSL Transportation Services, Inc. will report on the latest data 
from the FARs program, Tier 5 and 6 unregistered motor carriers, and 
other matters.

Seikosoft

    Seikosoft will provide an update on its recent/new activity related 
to the UCR's National Registration System.

XI. Other Business--UCR Board Chair

    The UCR Board Chair will call for any other business, old or new, 
from the floor.

XII. Adjournment--UCR Board Chair

    The UCR Board Chair will adjourn the meeting.
    The agenda will be available no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern time, 
February 21, 2024, at: https://plan.ucr.gov.

CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION: Elizabeth Leaman, Chair, Unified 
Carrier Registration Plan Board of Directors, (617) 305-3783, 
eleaman@board.ucr.gov.

Alex B. Leath,
Chief Legal Officer, Unified Carrier Registration Plan.
[FR Doc. 2024-04014 Filed 2-22-24; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4910-YL-P