Section 4923.01 | Definitions.
As used in this chapter:
(A) "Ambulance," "interstate commerce," "intrastate commerce," "motor vehicle," "public highway," "ridesharing arrangement," and "school bus" have the same meanings as in section 4921.01 of the Revised Code.
(B) "For-hire motor carrier" means a person engaged in the business of transporting persons or property by motor vehicle for compensation, except when engaged in any of the following in intrastate commerce:
(1) The transportation of persons in taxicabs in the usual taxicab service;
(2) The transportation of pupils in school buses operating to or from school sessions or school events;
(3) The transportation of farm supplies to the farm or farm products from farm to market or to food fabricating plants;
(4) The distribution of newspapers;
(5) The transportation of crude petroleum incidental to gathering from wells and delivery to destination by pipe line;
(6) The transportation of injured, ill, or deceased persons by hearse or ambulance;
(7) The transportation of compost (a combination of manure and sand or shredded bark mulch) or shredded bark mulch;
(8) The transportation of persons in a ridesharing arrangement when any fee charged each person so transported is in such amount as to recover only the person's share of the costs of operating the motor vehicle for such purpose;
(9) The operation of motor vehicles for contractors on public road work;
(10) The operation of trailers that are all of the following:
(a) Designed and used exclusively to transport a single boat between the following that are not more than ten miles apart:
(i) A place of storage;
(ii) A marina, or a place that is in and around a marina ;
(b) Drawn or towed within this state on a public road or highway at a speed of twenty-five miles per hour or less;
(c) The gross vehicle weight rating, gross combination weight rating, gross vehicle weight, and gross combination weight or any combination thereof does not exceed twenty-six thousand one pounds.
"For-hire motor carrier" includes the carrier's agents, officers, and representatives, as well as employees responsible for hiring, supervising, training, assigning, or dispatching drivers and employees concerned with the installation, inspection, and maintenance of motor-vehicle equipment and accessories.
Divisions (B)(1) to (9) of this section shall not be construed to relieve a person from compliance with rules adopted under division (A)(2) of section 4923.04 of the Revised Code, division (E) of section 4923.06 of the Revised Code, division (B) of section 4923.07 of the Revised Code, and section 4923.11 of the Revised Code, or from compliance with rules regarding commercial driver's licenses adopted under division (A)(1) of section 4923.04 of the Revised Code.
(C) "Motor carrier" means both a for-hire motor carrier and a private motor carrier.
(D) "Private motor carrier" means a person who is not a for-hire motor carrier but is engaged in the business of transporting persons or property by motor vehicle, except as provided in section 4923.02 of the Revised Code. "Private motor carrier" includes the carrier's agents, officers, and representatives, as well as employees responsible for hiring, supervising, training, assigning, or dispatching drivers and employees concerned with the installation, inspection, and maintenance of motor-vehicle equipment and accessories.
Last updated August 7, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Available Versions of this Section
- June 11, 2012 – House Bill 487 - 129th General Assembly [ View June 11, 2012 Version ]
- September 30, 2025 – Amended by House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly [ View September 30, 2025 Version ]