                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

DEFINITIONS (§ 46.2-2100)

Whenever used in this chapter, unless expressly stated otherwise:
		&#8220;Authorized insurer&#8221; means, in the case of an interstate motor
carrier whose operations may or may not include intrastate activity, an insurer
authorized to transact business in any one state, or, in the case of a solely
intrastate motor carrier, an insurer authorized to transact business in the
Commonwealth.
		&#8220;Certificate of fitness&#8221; means a certificate issued by the
Department to certain &#8220;household goods carriers&#8221; under this chapter.
		&#8220;Constructive weight&#8221; means a measurement of seven pounds per
cubic foot of properly loaded van space.
		&#8220;Department&#8221; means the Department of Motor Vehicles.
		&#8220;Financial responsibility&#8221; means the ability to respond in damages
for liability thereafter incurred arising out of the ownership, maintenance,
use, or operation of a motor vehicle, in the amounts provided for in this
chapter.
		&#8220;Gross weight&#8221; means the weight of a truck after a shipment has
been loaded.
		&#8220;Highway&#8221; means every public highway or place of whatever nature
open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicle travel in this
Commonwealth, excluding the streets and alleys in towns and cities.
		&#8220;Household goods&#8221; means personal effects and property used or to
be used in a dwelling, when transported or arranged to be transported (i)
between residences or (ii) between a residence and a storage facility with the
intent to later transport to a residence. Transportation of such goods must be
arranged and paid for by, or on behalf of, the householder.
		&#8220;Household goods carrier&#8221; means a carrier who undertakes, whether
directly or by a lease or other arrangement, to transport &#8220;household
goods,&#8221; as herein defined, by motor vehicle for compensation, on any
highway in this Commonwealth, between two or more points in this Commonwealth,
whether over regular or irregular routes.
		&#8220;Interstate&#8221; means the transportation of property between states.
		&#8220;Intrastate&#8221; means the transportation of property solely within a
state.
		&#8220;Motor carrier&#8221; means any person who undertakes whether directly
or by a lease, to transport property, including household goods, as defined by
this chapter, for compensation over the highways of the Commonwealth.
		&#8220;Motor vehicle&#8221; means any vehicle, machine, tractor, trailer, or
semitrailer propelled or drawn by mechanical power and used upon the highways in
the transportation of property, but does not include any vehicle, locomotive or
car operated exclusively on a rail or rails.
		&#8220;Net weight&#8221; means the tare weight subtracted from the gross
weight.
		&#8220;Permit&#8221; means a permit issued by the Department authorizing the
transportation of property, excluding household goods transported for a distance
greater than 30 road miles.
		&#8220;Person&#8221; means any individual, firm, copartnership, corporation,
company, association or joint-stock association, and includes any trustee,
receiver, assignee, or personal representative thereof.
		&#8220;Property carrier&#8221; means any person, not herein exempted, who
undertakes either directly or by a lease, to transport property for
compensation.
		&#8220;Services&#8221; and &#8220;transportation&#8221; includes the services
of, and all transportation by, all vehicles operated by, for, or in the interest
of any motor carrier, irrespective of ownership or contract, express or implied,
together with all facilities and property operated or controlled by any such
carrier or carriers and used in the transportation of property or in the
performance of any service in connection therewith.
		&#8220;Tare weight&#8221; means the weight of a truck before being loaded at a
shipper&#8217;s residence or place of business, including the pads, dollies,
hand-trucks, ramps and other equipment normally used in the transportation of
household goods shipments.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 56-338.1; 1995, cc. 744, 803; 1997, c. 283; 2001, c. 596;
2003, c. 832; 2006, cc. 874, 891; 2011, cc. 881, 889; 2017, cc. 790, 815.