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Federal Appeals Court Challenge Threatens to Disrupt Carrier Registration System and State Safety Funding

A legal challenge to the Unified Carrier Registration system could upend annual fee payments by trucking companies and jeopardize funding for state motor carrier safety programs. The Small Business in Transportation Coalition filed a petition with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in October, challenging the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's 2027 UCR fee rule. The coalition argues the registration system and its governing board were never lawfully established through proper federal rulemaking. A favorable ruling could halt fee collections and disrupt state funding for safety enforcement. UCR Plan executive director Avelino Gutierrez warned that setting aside the fee rule would significantly impact registration operations and state distributions. The challenge comes as 2027 registration fees climb approximately 20 percent, compounding cost pressures on motor carriers navigating difficult market conditions.