(a) Fitness applications. Motor property applications and certain types of motor passenger applications require only the finding that the applicant is fit, willing and able to perform the involved operations and to comply with all applicable statutory and regulatory provisions. These applications can be opposed only on the grounds that applicant is not fit [e.g., is not in compliance with applicable financial responsibility and safety fitness requirements]. These applications are:

(1) Motor common and contract carrier of property (except household goods), Mexican motor property carriers that perform private carriage and transport exempt items, and motor contract carrier of passengers transportation.

(2) Motor carrier brokerage of general commodities (except household goods).

(3) Certain types of motor passenger applications as described in Form OP-1 (P).

(b) Motor passenger “public interest” applications as described in Form OP-1 (P).

(c) Intrastate motor passenger applications under 49 U.S.C. 13902(b)(3) as described in Form OP-1, Schedule B.

(d) Motor common carrier of household goods applications, including Mexican carrier applicants. These applications require a finding that:

(1) The applicant is fit, willing, and able to provide the involved transportation and to comply with all applicable statutory and regulatory provisions; and

(2) The service proposed will serve a useful public purpose, responsive to a public demand or need.

(e) Motor contract carrier of household goods, household goods property broker, and freight forwarder applications. These applications require a finding that:

(1) The applicant is fit, willing, and able to provide the involved transportation and to comply with all applicable statutory and regulatory provisions; and

(2) The transportation to be provided will be consistent with the public interest and the national transportation policy of 49 U.S.C. 13101.

(f) Temporary authority (TA) for motor and water carriers. These applications require a finding that there is or soon will be an immediate transportation need that cannot be met by existing carrier service.

(g) In view of the expedited time frames established in this part for processing requests for permanent authority, applications for TA will be entertained only in exceptional circumstances (i.e., natural disasters or national emergencies) when evidence of immediate service need can be specifically documented in a narrative supplement appended to Form OP-1 for motor property carriers, Form OP-1MX for Mexican property carriers and, Form OP-1(P) for motor passenger carriers.

[82 FR 5299, Jan. 17, 2017]