
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 49USC503]

 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
                SUBTITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
 
                      CHAPTER 5--SPECIAL AUTHORITY
 
                          SUBCHAPTER I--POWERS
 
Sec. 503. Service of notice and process on certain motor 
        carriers of migrant workers and on motor private carriers
        
    (a) Each motor carrier of migrant workers (except a motor contract 
carrier) and each motor private carrier shall designate an agent by name 
and post office address on whom service of notices in a proceeding 
before, and actions of, the Secretary of Transportation may be made. The 
designation shall be in writing and filed with the Secretary. The 
carrier also shall file the designation with the authority of each State 
in which it operates having jurisdiction to regulate transportation by 
motor vehicle in intrastate commerce on the highways of that State. The 
designation may be changed at any time in the same manner as originally 
made.
    (b) A notice of the Secretary to a carrier under this section is 
served personally or by mail on that carrier or its designated agent. 
Service by mail on the designated agent is made at the address filed for 
the agent. When notice is given by mail, the date of mailing is 
considered to be the time when the notice is served. If the carrier does 
not have a designated agent, service may be made by posting a copy of 
the notice in the office of the secretary or clerk of the authority 
having jurisdiction to regulate transportation by motor vehicle in 
intrastate commerce on the highways of the State in which the carrier 
maintains headquarters and with the Secretary.
    (c) Each of those carriers, including such a carrier operating in 
the United States while providing transportation between places in a 
foreign country or between a place in one foreign country and a place in 
another foreign country, shall designate an agent in each State in which 
it operates by name and post office address on whom process issued by a 
court with subject matter jurisdiction may be served in an action 
brought against that carrier. The designation shall be in writing and 
filed with the Secretary and with the authority of each State in which 
the carrier operates having jurisdiction to regulate transportation by 
motor vehicle in intrastate commerce on the highways of that State. If a 
designation under this subsection is not made, service may be made on 
any agent of the carrier in that State. The designation may be changed 
at any time in the same manner as originally made.

(Pub. L. 97-449, Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2432.)

                                          Historical and Revision Notes
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---------------------------------
           Revised  Section                    Source (U.S. Code)              
 Source (Statutes at Large)
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---------------------------------
503...................................  49:304(a)(3) (last sentence)     Feb. 4
, 1887, ch. 104, 24 Stat. 379,
                                         (related to ``Sec. 321'').       Sec. 
 204(a)(3) (last sentence)
                                                                          (rela
ted to ``Sec. 221''); added Aug.
                                                                          9, 19
35, ch. 498, 49 Stat. 546.
                                        49:304(a)(3a) (last sentence)    Feb. 4
, 1887, ch. 104, 24 Stat. 379,
                                         (related to ``Sec. 321'').       Sec. 
 204(a)(3a) (last sentence)
                                                                          (rela
ted to ``Sec. 221''); added Aug.
                                                                          3, 19
56, ch. 905, Sec.  2, 70 Stat.
                                                                          958.
                                        49:1655(e)(6)(D) (related to     Oct. 1
5, 1966, Pub. L. 89-670, Sec.
                                         ``Sec. 321(a), (c)'').           6(e)(
6)(D) (related to ``Sec. 221(a),
                                                                          (c)''
), 80 Stat. 940.
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---------------------------------

    The section is included because 49:1655(e)(6)(D) transferred to the 
Secretary of Transportation all functions, powers, and duties of the 
Interstate Commerce Commission under 49:321(a) and (c) to the extent 
those subsections relate to motor carriers of migrant workers and motor 
private carriers. The powers of the Commission have been codified in 
subtitle IV of the revised title. The comparable provisions of title 49 
that are represented by the section may be found as follows:

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---------------------------------
                                                                               
                        Revised
                Section 503                                       49 U.S. Code 
                        Section
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------
(a), (b)...................................  321(a).                           
                            10329
(c)........................................  321(c).                           
                            10330
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---------------------------------

    See the revision notes for the revised sections for an explanation 
of changes made in the text. Changes not accounted for in those revision 
notes are as follows:
    In the section, the words ``motor carriers'' are omitted because 
49:1655(e)(6)(D) applies 49:321(a) and (c) only to motor carriers of 
migrant workers, other than motor contract carriers, and to motor 
private carriers, and 49:1655(f)(2)(B)(ii) contains no reference to 
49:321. The text of 49:321(b) and (d) is not included because those 
provisions, while included in the enumeration in 49:304(a)(3) and (3a), 
are not included in the specific enumeration of 49:1655(e)(6)(D).
    In subsection (b), the text of 49:321(a) (less 1st-5th sentences) is 
omitted as not applicable to this chapter.
