49 U.S. Code § 31132 - Definitions
In this subchapter—
(1) “commercial motor vehicle” means a self-propelled or towed vehicle used on the highways in interstate commerce to transport passengers or property, if the vehicle—
(A) has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of at least 10,001 pounds, whichever is greater;
(B) is designed or used to transport more than 8 passengers (including the driver) for compensation;
(C) is designed or used to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver, and is not used to transport passengers for compensation; or
(2) “employee” means an operator of a commercial motor vehicle (including an independent contractor when operating a commercial motor vehicle), a mechanic, a freight handler, or an individual not an employer, who—
(A) means a person engaged in a business affecting interstate commerce that owns or leases a commercial motor vehicle in connection with that business, or assigns an employee to operate it; but
(4) “interstate commerce” means trade, traffic, or transportation in the United States between a place in a State and—
(5) “intrastate commerce” means trade, traffic, or transportation in a State that is not interstate commerce.
(6) “medical examiner” means an individual licensed, certified, or registered in accordance with regulations issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration as a medical examiner.
(8) “State” means a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, and, in sections 31136 and 31140–31142  of this title, a political subdivision of a State.
 See References in Text note below.
Source(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e),July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1000; Pub. L. 104–88, title I, § 104(f),Dec. 29, 1995, 109 Stat. 919; Pub. L. 105–178, title IV, § 4008(a),June 9, 1998, 112 Stat. 404; Pub. L. 109–59, title IV, § 4116(c),Aug. 10, 2005, 119 Stat. 1728.)
|Revised Section||Source (U.S. Code)||Source (Statutes at Large)|
|Oct. 30, 1984, Pub. L. 98–554, § 204, 98 Stat. 2833.|
The text of 49 App.:2503(6) is omitted as unnecessary because of 1:1. The text of 49 App.:2503(8) is omitted as surplus because the complete name of the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Regulatory Review Panel is used the first time the term appears in a section. The text of 49 App.:2503(9) is omitted as surplus because the complete name of the Secretary of Transportation is used the first time the term appears in a section.
References in Text
Section 31140 of this title, referred to in par. (8), was repealed by Pub. L. 105–178, title IV, § 4008(d),June 9, 1998, 112 Stat. 404.
2005—Pars. (6) to (11). Pub. L. 109–59added par. (6) and redesignated former pars. (6) to (10) as (7) to (11), respectively.
1998—Par. (1)(A). Pub. L. 105–178, § 4008(a)(1), inserted “or gross vehicle weight” after “rating” and “, whichever is greater” after “pounds”.
Par. (1)(B). Pub. L. 105–178, § 4008(a)(2), which directed substitution of “more than 8 passengers (including the driver) for compensation;” for “passengers” and all that follows through semicolon at end, was executed by making the substitution for “passengers for compensation, but excluding vehicles providing taxicab service and having a capacity of not more than 6 passengers and not operated on a regular route or between specified places;” to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
1995—Par. (1)(B) to (D). Pub. L. 104–88added subpars. (B) and (C), redesignated former subpar. (C) as (D), and struck out former subpar. (B) which read as follows: “is designed to transport more than 15 passengers including the driver; or”.
Effective Date of 1995 Amendment