§ 5201. — Definitions.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 39USC5201]
TITLE 39--POSTAL SERVICE
PART V--TRANSPORTATION OF MAIL
CHAPTER 52--TRANSPORTATION OF MAIL BY SURFACE CARRIER
Sec. 5201. Definitions
For purposes of this chapter--
(1) ``Board'' means the Surface Transportation Board;
(2) ``carrier'' and ``regulated surface carrier'' mean a
railroad, a freight forwarder, or a motor carrier;
(3) ``railroad'' means a railway common carrier, including an
electric urban and interurban railway common carrier;
(4) ``freight forwarder'' means any regulated freight forwarder
which holds itself out to the general public as a carrier to
transport or provide transportation of property as authorized by a
registration issued by the Board;
(5) ``motor carrier'' means a motor carrier, except a passenger-
carrying motor vehicle of such a carrier, within the meaning of
section 13102(12) of title 49, that holds a registration issued by
the Board;
(6) ``person'' includes any person other than a carrier holding
a certificate or registration issued by the Board; and
(7) ``mail'' includes equipment and supplies of the Postal
Service.
(Pub. L. 91-375, Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 768; Pub. L. 95-473,
Sec. 2(a)(4)(A)-(C), Oct. 17, 1978, 92 Stat. 1465; Pub. L. 96-454,
Sec. 3(b)(2), Oct. 15, 1980, 94 Stat. 2012; Pub. L. 97-261,
Sec. 6(d)(4), Sept. 20, 1982, 96 Stat. 1107; Pub. L. 99-521, Sec. 4(3),
Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2993; Pub. L. 104-88, title III, Sec. 307(3)-
(9), (14), Dec. 29, 1995, 109 Stat. 946.)
Amendments
1995--Par. (1). Pub. L. 104-88, Sec. 307(3), added par. (1) and
struck out former par. (1) which read as follows: `` `Commission' means
the Interstate Commerce Commission;''.
Par. (2). Pub. L. 104-88, Sec. 307(4), substituted ``or a motor
carrier'' for ``a motor common carrier, or express carrier''.
Par. (4). Pub. L. 104-88, Sec. 307(5), (14), substituted ``carrier''
for ``common carrier'', ``registration'' for ``permit'', and ``Board''
for ``Commission''.
Par. (5). Pub. L. 104-88, Sec. 307(6), (14), substituted ``motor
carrier'' for ``motor common carrier'' in two places, ``13102(12)'' for
``10102(14)'', ``registration'' for ``certificate of public convenience
and necessity'', and ``Board'' for ``Commission''.
Par. (6). Pub. L. 104-88, Sec. 307(7)-(9), (14), redesignated par.
(7) as (6), substituted ``certificate or registration'' for
``certificate of public convenience and necessity'' and ``Board'' for
``Commission'', and struck out former par. (6) which read as follows: ``
`express carrier' means any express carrier engaged in transportation as
a common carrier for hire under section 10102(8) of title 49;''.
Pars. (7), (8). Pub. L. 104-88, Sec. 307(8), redesignated pars. (7)
and (8) as (6) and (7), respectively.
1986--Par. (5). Pub. L. 99-521 substituted reference to section
10102(14) of title 49 for reference to section 10102(13) of title 49.
1982--Par. (5). Pub. L. 97-261, Sec. 6(d)(4)(A), substituted
``10102(13)'' for ``10102(12)''.
Par. (6). Pub. L. 97-261, Sec. 6(d)(4)(B), substituted ``10102(8) of
title 49'' for ``10102(7)''.
1980--Par. (5). Pub. L. 96-454 substituted ``10102(12)'' for
``10102(11)''.
1978--Par. (2). Pub. L. 95-473, Sec. 2(a)(4)(A), substituted ``motor
common carrier, or express carrier'' for ``motor carrier, or an express
company''.
Par. (5). Pub. L. 95-473, Sec. 2(a)(4)(B), substituted `` `motor
common carrier' means a motor common carrier, except a passenger-
carrying motor vehicle of such a carrier, within the meaning of section
10102(11) of title 49, that holds a certificate of public convenience
and necessity issued by the Commission'' for `` `motor carrier' means
any common carrier by motor vehicle, except a passenger-carrying motor
vehicle, within the meaning of section 303(a)(14) of title 49, which
holds a certificate of public convenience and necessity issued by the
Commission''.
Par. (6). Pub. L. 95-473, Sec. 2(a)(4)(C), substituted ``carrier''
for ``company'' and ``section 10102(7)'' for ``section 1(3) of title
49''.
Effective Date of 1995 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 104-88 effective Jan. 1, 1996, see section 2 of
Pub. L. 104-88, set out as an Effective Date note under section 701 of
Title 49, Transportation.
Effective Date of 1986 Amendment
Section 15 of Pub. L. 99-521 provided that: ``This Act [see Tables
for classification] shall take effect sixty days after the date of the
enactment of this Act [Oct. 22, 1986].''
Effective Date of 1982 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 97-261 effective on 60th day after Sept. 20,
1982, see section 31(a) of Pub. L. 97-261, set out as a note under
section 77c of Title 15, Commerce and Trade.
Effective Date
Chapter effective July 1, 1971, pursuant to Resolution No. 71-9 of
the Board of Governors. See section 15(a) of Pub. L. 91-375, set out as
a note preceding section 101 of this title.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in section 5005 of this title.
