(Q): Should I be concerned about the Biennial Inspection of Terminals Program (California)?

(A): California Vehicle Code (VC) Section 34501.12 requires any person or organization directing the operation of certain trucks or trailers to participate in an inspection program conducted by the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The law requires the CHP to inspect California truck terminals every 2 years. The law is known as the Biennial Inspection of Terminals (or "BIT") program,and the inspections are conducted by CHP inspectors. It is the legal responsibility of every motor carrier who is subject to the BIT program to submit and application and appropriate fee to the CHP for inspection of each of the motor carrier's terminal(s).

(Q): Who is a "motor carrier" for the purposes of the BIT program?

A motor carrier subject to the BIT Program is the registered owner (with some exceptions) of any of the following vehicles, whether or not for hire:

• Any motortruck with three or more axles (including the steering axle) with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds
• Truck tractors.
• Trailers or semi-trailers used in combination with the vehicles listed above.
• Any truck, or combination of a truck and any other vehicle, transporting hazardous materials that require placards, a hazardous materials transportation license, or hazardous waste transporter registration, including pickups used for this purpose.
• Any motortruck with a gross vehicle weight of more than 10,000 pounds (excluding a pickup truck as defined in 471 VC) while towing any trailer or semi-trailer that results in a combination length of over 40 feet (excluding trailer coaches, camp trailers, and utility trailers, as those terms are defined in the Vehicle Code).

(Q): Are there any exceptions to this law?

(A): There are several, for instance, (1) If the registered owner leases the vehicle to another person for a term greater than 4 months, the lessee is the motor carrier. (2) If the registered owner operates the vehicle exclusively under the authority and direction of another person, that person may assume the responsibilities as the motor carrier. If not so assumed in writing as specified in law, the registered owner is the motor carrier.

(Q): What is a "terminal" as defined in the BIT Program?

(A): A terminal may be a place where a vehicle described above is regularly garaged, maintained, operated or dispatched from, including a dispatch office, cross-dock facility, maintenance shop, business, store, or private residence. For purposes of BIT inspections, "terminal" means the location or locations in California that are designated by a motor carrier, where vehicles subject to the BIT program may be inspected by the CHP and where vehicle maintenance records and drivers' records will be made available for inspection.