Does your organization currently utilize commercial truck rental as part of its fleet management strategy? If yes, do the rental trucks have apportioned license plates? If your trucks have them, you’re most likely in good hands with your truck rental company. If your trucks don’t have them or if you’re not familiar with the terms “apportioned license plates,” “apportioned registration” or “International Registration Plan” (IRP), then read on.
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What are Apportioned License Plates?
Apportioned license plates, apportioned registration, and International Registration Plan (IRP) are closely related. They allow commercial vehicles to operate in two or more jurisdictions. Each state receives a “portion” of the vehicle’s registration fees based on the miles traveled in that particular state. Apportioned plates are license plates issued to commercial vehicles and are affixed to the vehicle. Apportioned registration is the official registration within the state the fleet is based. For instance, the state of Utah’s code for Apportioned Registration (41-1a-301) reads this:
An owner or operator of a Utah based fleet of commercial vehicles operating in two or more jurisdictions may apply for an apportioned registration. This registration allows commercial vehicles to comply with registration requirements of more than one jurisdiction and to pay registration fees based on the percentage of operation in those jurisdictions.
The International Registration Plan, commonly referred to as IRP, is a federally encouraged program and vehicle registration agreement between the states within the United States and the provinces within Canada.
Why are Apportioned Plates Helpful?
Having apportioned plates means your fleet can travel interstate without worry of registering in each new state while avoiding hefty fines for traveling interstate without appropriate registration.
What Could Happen if You Don’t Have Apportioned Plates?
If your fleet does not have apportioned plates and is not registered in the state in which it is conducting business, it could result in fines as high as (and in some cases higher) $1,000 per vehicle. That can be significant, especially when operating a large fleet.
Crystal Jones, Fleet Services Manager at Flex Fleet Canada (FFR), mentioned “We’ve seen some sizable fines in the industry for not having the commercial trucks appropriately registered in the jurisdiction in which they operate. Fortunately for us at FFR, we utilize the apportioned license plates so our customers never have issues.”
Jones went on to say, “We made the decision to register apportioned plates with our entire fleet specifically to make the process as easy as possible for our customers.”
Other Benefits of Renting Thru Flex Fleet Canada
Aside from the apportioned license plates that Flex Fleet Canada registers for all its vehicles, it offers many other benefits for commercial truck rental including:
- Single Point of Contact
- Taxes and Tax Compliance
- GPS Tracking Program
- Nationwide Delivery
Is commercial truck rental part of your fleet management strategy? If so, be sure to use companies that utilize apportioned registration as part of its program. Not only can it save you from hefty fines, but it can save you time in registering the trucks yourself.
Sources:
https://www.irponline.org/
https://interstateauthority.com/irp.aspx
https://dmv.utah.gov/vehicles/apportioned
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1dmy&urile=wcm:path:/dmv_content_en/dmv/vehindustry/irp/irpinfo
