Vehicle marking/Identification - Hawaii

Intrastate

Hawaii has adopted Sec. 390.21 of the Federal Regulations.

Applicability

Section 390.21 applies to interstate and intrastate operation of a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating, or gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight of 10,001 pounds or more, whichever is greater, or a vehicle of any size transporting a placardable amount of hazardous materials.

Additional requirements

In addition to the requirements in Sec. 390.21, every motor carrier vehicle must display:

• The name or trade name of the motor carrier or company operating the motor carrier vehicle;
• If the name of any person other than the operating motor carrier or company appears on the motor carrier vehicle, the name or trade name of the motor carrier or company operating the motor carrier vehicle must be displayed and preceded by the words “operated by”;
• The gross vehicle weight, gross vehicle weight rating, or gross combination weight rating;
• Other identifying information may be displayed on the vehicle if it is not inconsistent with the information that is required to be displayed.

The marking must:

• Appear on both sides of the vehicle;
• Be in letters that contrast sharply in color with the background on which the letters are placed; and
• Be readily legible during daylight hours, from a distance of fifty feet (15.24 meters) while the motor carrier vehicle is stationary.

The marking may be painted or permanently affixed on the vehicle.

A motor carrier or company operating a motor carrier vehicle under a rental agreement having a term in excess of thirty calendar days must comply with this section.

Public Utilities Commission (PUC) — Motor carriers under the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) must display on both sides of the motor vehicle in letters and figures not less than two and one half inches in height with a one-quarter inch stroke or width:

• The motor carrier’s name, identifying symbol or known initials of the person, firm, corporation, or association to whom a certificate or permit has been issued by the commission; and
• The identifying number assigned to the motor carrier by the commission (for example - P.U.C. No. 000).

This requirement applies to common and contract motor carriers under PUC’s jurisdiction.

Interstate

All commercial motor carriers (for-hire and private) operating interstate are subject to the marking requirements of 49 CFR 390.21 which requires all CMV’s to display, on both sides of the power unit, the US DOT number and the legal name of the business entity that owns or controls the motor carrier operation, or the “doing business as” (DBA) name, as it appears on the Form MCS-150.

Any new or used commercial vehicles added to a motor carrier’s fleet must be identified with the US DOT number and single trade name before being put into service.

The regulations do not require the city, state or MC number to be displayed on the vehicle.