Blog
TRALA Update on State DMV Status and IRP Procedures in Response to COVID-19
- By: Shannon Davison
- On: 03/20/2020 15:36:18
- In: Legislative Bulletins
In response to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Pandemic many states have chosen to close or reduce their Departments of Motor Vehicles, which has reduced their ability to answer questions and process services for motor carriers. This has been particularly difficult for the states' ability to operate the International Registration Plan (IRP). Currently, many states are assessing how to reduce the regulatory burden on motor carriers.
One of the main concerns facing motor carriers are pending annual IRP renewals. Many TRALA members are concerned that the expense of paying these renewals could lead to a cash crunch and make it difficult to operate their business as the economy has slowed down dramatically due to the coronavirus. The IRP Board of Directors has held several calls to discuss the best way to reduce the burden on the carriers. The Board has discussed many possibilities which include halting the enforcement of renewals and allowing for payments to be made in installments rather than all at once. To further complicate this situation, there is no mechanism in place to halt or manage payments across all jurisdictions. This would mean that a Base Jurisdiction could halt the enforcement of renewals, but other states might not take a similar action which would cause the carrier to still have to pay the other jurisdictions they operate in.
TRALA has been working with its partners in the states and a handful of its member companies to keep a running list of DMV closures and actions taken by the states to reduce the IRP burdens. You may view a document put together by TRALA containing an updated status for each state DMV by clicking here. Currently, TRALA has received notices from several states regarding their IRP enforcement which you can access by clicking here. This is a very fluid situation and jurisdictions are making decisions quickly and this list can change often. TRALA is urging its members to contact their jurisdictions directly with questions specific to their jurisdiction. You may also find some of the latest developments from the IRP by visiting their web site which can be found here.
If you have any additional questions or need help coordinating with the IRP, please contact Andrew Stasiowski at astasiowski@trala.org or Elizabeth Hyers at ehyers@trala.org.