Single State Registration System – Repealing The Old System For More Efficiency
There was a time when the Single State Registration system was applicable. The same has been replaced by the Unified Carrier Registration program as the UCR.
Let’s Have A Look At The History Of The Single State Registration Program
For any carriers that intend to cross state lines, there was the Single State Registration System in place. It was referred to as SSRS. It was a widely used system where the home state of the carrier provided proof of liability insurance to all the other states across the country. This process was called the SSRS process. The insurance company of the carrier submitted the insurance information form to the home state of the carrier. They were not required to mail the insurance form to every state that they traveled to or through. The carrier was required to register only with its home state. This is why it was called the Single State Registration program.
Understanding Proof Of Insurance
When the single state registration program was not in place, proof of liability insurance usually reached every state through the insurance company. The carrier would register all their trucks with every state that they decided to travel through. After the completion of the registration process, each state would send over bingo stamps valued at $5 or $10. These stamps would be kept in the bingo stamp holders and each truck would require carrying them.
This procedure was becoming rather repetitive and very much time-consuming. Therefore, one fine day, the Single State Registration System was established. The stamp holders were discarded.
What Was The Bingo Card Program?
Although obsolete right now, this was once a somewhat efficient system of registering motor vehicles that were involved in interstate commerce. These motor carriers needed to sign up for this system to prove that they possessed enough and the proper operating authority to operate across state lines and they had adequate auto liability insurance as well. The identification stamps were popularly known as bingo stamps and every state had them. In whichever state the motor carrier operated, the stamps were available and every vehicle that was able to fulfill the requirements of the state was given those stamps. Most of them were affixed to a cab card that the motor vehicle or the carrier was required to carry on them at all times.
Challenges With The Single State Registration Program
It was after a few years of operation that certain problems began arising with this system. Officials and trucking companies noted a lot of loopholes with this program. This is when the Unified Carrier Registration program was introduced. Now that the single state registration system was not active, there was no charge that the carriers had to pay for their truck or tractor every year for each state that they traveled through.
Understanding The Unified Carrier Registration System
The current system is the UCR which is the Unified Carrier Registration program that has replaced the old Single State Registration System. Under this, carriers have to pay a flat rate every year on their trucks, tractors, and trailers that cross state lines regularly. They do not have to pay for each state that they travel through. It is just a one-time payment and they can make it once a year and can travel anywhere across the United States.