(a) The department shall establish a classification of motor carrier of property known as owner-operators.

(b) As used in this section and in Sections 1808.1 and 34501.12, an owner-operator is a person who meets all of the following requirements:

(1) Holds a class A or class B driver’s license or a class C license with a hazardous materials endorsement.

(2) Owns, leases, or otherwise operates not more than one power unit and not more than three towed vehicles.

(3) Is required to obtain a permit as a motor carrier of property by the department under this division.

(c) (1) As used in this section, “power unit” is a motor vehicle described in subdivision (a), (b), (g), (f), or (k) of Section 34500, or a motortruck of two or more axles that is more than 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating, but does not include those vehicles operated by household goods carriers, as defined in Section 5109 of the Public Utilities Code or persons providing transportation of passengers. A “towed vehicle” is a nonmotorized vehicle described in subdivision (d), (e), (f), (g), or (k) of that section.

(2) As used in this section, subdivision (f) of Section 34500 includes only those combinations where the gross vehicle weight rating of the towing vehicle exceeds 11,500 pounds, and subdivision (g) of Section 34500 includes only those vehicles transporting hazardous materials for which the display of placards is required pursuant to Section 27903, a license is required pursuant to Section 32000.5, or for which a hazardous waste transporter registration is required pursuant to Section 25163 of the Health and Safety Code.

(d) The department, upon suspending or revoking the driving privilege of an owner-operator shall also suspend the owner-operator’s motor carrier permit, unless the owner-operator, within 15 days, shows good cause why the permit should not be suspended.

(e) Every motor carrier who is within the classification established by this section is responsible for notifying all other motor carriers with whom he or she is under contract when the status of the motor carrier changes so that he or she is no longer within the classification established by this section.

(f) This section shall not be construed to change the definition of “employer,” “employee,” or “independent contractor” for any other purpose.

(Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 774, Sec. 6. Effective September 21, 2002.)