Subd. 1. Petition; notice and hearing; scope.

1. (a) A person desiring to operate as a permit carrier, except as provided in subdivision 5 or section 221.296, shall file a petition with the commissioner specifying the kind of permit desired, the name and address of the petitioner and the names and addresses of the officers, if a corporation, and other information as the board and commissioner may require. Letters of shipper support must be filed with the petition. No person shall knowingly make a false or misleading statement in a petition.
2. (b) The board, after notice to interested parties and a hearing, shall issue the permit upon compliance with the laws and rules relating to it, if it finds that petitioner is fit and able to conduct the proposed operations, that petitioner's vehicles meet the safety standards established by the department, that the area to be served has a need for the transportation services requested in the petition, and that existing permit and certificated carriers in the area to be served have failed to demonstrate that they offer sufficient transportation services to meet fully and adequately those needs, provided that no person who holds a permit at the time sections 221.011 to 221.291 take effect may be denied a renewal of the permit upon compliance with other provisions of sections 221.011 to 221.291.
3. (c) A permit once granted continues in full force and effect until abandoned or unless suspended or revoked, subject to compliance by the permit holder with the applicable provisions of law and the rules of the commissioner or board governing permit carriers.
4. (d) No permit may be issued to a common carrier by rail permitting the common carrier to operate trucks for hire within this state, nor may a common carrier by rail be permitted to own, lease, operate, control, or have an interest in a permit carrier by truck, either by stock ownership or otherwise, directly, indirectly, through a holding company, or by stockholders or directors in common, or in any other manner. Nothing in sections 221.011 to 221.291 prevents the board from issuing a permit to a common carrier by rail authorizing the carrier to operate trucks wholly within the limits of a municipality or within adjacent or contiguous municipalities or a common rate point served by the railroad and only as a service supplementary to the rail service now established by the carriers.

Subd. 2. Temporary permit.

The board may grant a temporary permit, ex parte, valid for a period not exceeding 180 days, upon a showing that there is an immediate and urgent need for the proposed service, pending prompt action by the permit holder to follow regular procedure in securing the permit, and that immediate and urgent authority from the board is in the public interest. A copy of the order granting the temporary permit, ex parte, must be mailed immediately to interested parties.

Subd. 3. Cooperative associations.

The board may issue a permit as a contract carrier to cooperative associations whose memberships are limited to bona fide farmers' cooperative associations, that transport and do business only with and for the associations, and who transport merely as an incident to other business. The board may not limit the number of hauling contracts of a cooperative association.

Subd. 4. Extensions of authority.

The board may grant extensions of authority ex parte after due notice of a petition has been published. A party desiring to protest the petition shall file its protest by mail or in person within 20 days of the date of notice, except that no protest may be filed against an application submitted under subdivision 6f. If a timely filed protest is received, the matter must be placed on the calendar for hearing. If a timely protest is not received, the board may issue its order ex parte.

Subd. 5. Livestock carriers.

A person desiring to operate as a livestock carrier shall file a petition with the commissioner specifying the kind of permit desired, the name and address of the petitioner and the names and addresses of the officers, if a corporation, and other information as the board and commissioner may require.

The board shall issue the permit upon compliance with laws and rules relating to the permit unless it finds that petitioner's vehicles do not meet the safety standards prescribed by the commissioner or that petitioner is not fit and able to conduct the proposed operations. A permit issued under Laws 1983, chapter 371, must be renewed upon compliance with the provisions of Laws 1959, chapter 376, and the rules of the board and commissioner. A livestock carrier, on the return trip after hauling livestock and delivering the livestock, may transport other commodities or property to the carrier's headquarters area. The livestock carrier may transport supplies and equipment used in farm work from the carrier's headquarters area to any point in the state or from any point in the state to the headquarters area.

Subd. 6. Courier services carriers.

A person desiring to operate as a courier services carrier shall follow the procedure established in subdivision 1 and shall be granted a permit as a courier services carrier if the person meets the criteria established in subdivision 1. The board shall not deny a permit for a courier services carrier on the grounds that operations performed by the applicant resemble operations of other types of carriers defined in section 221.011.

Subd. 6a. Household goods carrier.

A person who desires to hold out or to operate as a carrier of household goods shall follow the procedure established in subdivision 1, and shall specifically request a household goods mover permit. The permit granted by the board to a person who meets the criteria established in this subdivision and subdivision 1 shall authorize the person to hold out and to operate as a household goods mover. A person who provides or offers to provide household goods packing services and who makes any arrangement directly or indirectly by lease, rental, referral, or by other means to provide or to obtain drivers, vehicles, or transportation service for moving household goods, must have a household goods mover permit.

Subd. 6b. Special passenger carriers.

A person who has been granted a charter carrier permit by the board may provide special passenger service within the territory or on the routes granted in the order granting the charter carrier permit. A charter carrier that provides special passenger service must file a tariff that shows the rates and charges that apply to the special passenger service.

Subd. 6c. Class II carriers.

1. (a) A person desiring to operate as a permit carrier, other than as a carrier listed in section 221.111, clauses (3) to (9), shall follow the procedure established in subdivision 1 and shall specify in the petition whether the person is seeking a class II-T or class II-L permit. If the person meets the criteria established in subdivision 1, the board shall grant the class II-T or class II-L permit or both. A class II permit holder may not own, lease, or otherwise control more than one terminal. The board may not issue a class II permit to a motor carrier who owns, leases, or otherwise controls more than one terminal.
2. (b) For purposes of this section: (1) utilization of a local cartage carrier by a class II carrier constitutes ownership, lease, or control of a terminal; and (2) "terminal" does not include (i) a terminal used exclusively for handling bulk commodities, and (ii) a terminal used by a permit holder who also holds a class I certificate, household goods permit, or temperature-controlled commodities permit for the unloading, docking, handling, and storage of freight transported under the certificate, household goods permit, or temperature-controlled commodities permit.

Subd. 6d. Temperature-controlled commodities carriers.

A person who desires to hold out or to operate as a carrier of temperature-controlled commodities shall follow the procedure established in subdivision 1 and shall specifically request a temperature-controlled commodities permit. The permit granted by the board to a person who meets the criteria established in subdivision 1 shall authorize the person to hold out and to operate as a carrier of temperature-controlled commodities.

Subd. 6e. Class II-T permits.

A holder of a class II-T permit may transport truckload freight to and from any point named in the permit without restriction as to routes, schedules, or frequency of service.

Subd. 6f. Class II-L permits.

1. (a) A motor carrier with a class II-L permit may transport less-than-truckload freight as provided in this subdivision.
2. (b) A motor carrier with a class II-L permit may transport less-than-truckload freight to and from any point named in the permit, without restriction as to routes, schedules, or frequency of service.
3. (c) A motor carrier with a class II-L permit may transport less-than-truckload freight to and from points within the geographic area the carrier was authorized to serve on December 31, 1992, that were not listed in the carrier's permit. Service by a carrier under this paragraph may be provided no more often than on 24 days in a 12-month period.
4. (d) A motor carrier described in paragraph (c) may amend the carrier's permit to add points within the geographic area the carrier was authorized to serve on December 31, 1992. The carrier must submit to the commissioner an application on a form provided by the commissioner; the application must name the points proposed to be served and include evidence of need for the proposed service. Evidence of need may consist of a letter from a consignor attesting to need for the proposed service and intent to use the proposed service. The commissioner shall transmit the application to the board. The board shall publish notice of an approved application in the board's weekly calendar. Failure by the board to deny the application within ten days after receipt of the application from the commissioner constitutes approval of the application.

Subd. 6g. Armored carriers.

A person who desires to hold out or to operate as an armored carrier must follow the procedure established in subdivision 1 and specifically request an armored carrier permit. No permit is required of a private carrier shipping its own items of extraordinary value. The board shall issue the permit if it finds that the petitioner meets the criteria established in subdivision 1 and has provided evidence that:

1. (a) The carriers' personnel, security, and insurance standards and procedures render it fit and able to protect the property the petitioner will transport under the permit.
2. (b) The carrier has obtained a protective agent's or private detective's license under sections 326.338 and 326.3381, subdivision 1, and holds the license in good standing.

Subd. 6h. Charter carriers entirely within Saint Paul.

A person who provides regular route passenger service using trolley-type vehicles exclusively within Saint Paul and who seeks to operate as a charter carrier using trolley-type vehicles exclusively within the city shall file a petition with the commissioner requesting such authority. The board shall grant the permit upon the petitioner's compliance with the law and rules relating to charter carrier permits if it finds that the petitioner's vehicles meet the safety standards prescribed by the commissioner and that the petitioner is fit and able to conduct the proposed operations. A permit issued under this subdivision authorizes charter carrier operation only within Saint Paul.

Subd. 7. Fees.

The petitioner shall pay a fee of $150 into the treasury of the state of Minnesota for each kind of permit or extension of authority for which a petition is filed under this section.