2005 Washington Revised Code RCW 81.80.010: Definitions.

The definitions set forth in this section apply throughout this chapter.

     (1) "Person" means and includes an individual, firm, copartnership, corporation, company, or association or their lessees, trustees, or receivers.

     (2) "Motor vehicle" means any truck, trailer, semitrailer, tractor, dump truck which uses a hydraulic or mechanical device to dump or discharge its load, or any self-propelled or motor-driven vehicle used upon any public highway of this state for the purpose of transporting property, but not including baggage, mail, and express transported on the vehicles of auto transportation companies carrying passengers.

     (3) "Public highway" means every street, road, or highway in this state.

     (4) "Common carrier" means any person who undertakes to transport property for the general public by motor vehicle for compensation, whether over regular or irregular routes, or regular or irregular schedules, including motor vehicle operations of other carriers by rail or water and of express or forwarding companies.

     (5) "Contract carrier" includes all motor vehicle operators not included under the terms "common carrier" and "private carrier" as herein defined in paragraph (4) and paragraph (6), and further includes any person who under special and individual contracts or agreements transports property by motor vehicle for compensation.

     (6) A "private carrier" is a person who transports by his own motor vehicle, with or without compensation therefor, property which is owned or is being bought or sold by such person, or property of which such person is the seller, purchaser, lessee, or bailee where such transportation is incidental to and in furtherance of some other primary business conducted by such person in good faith.

     (7) "Motor carrier" means and includes "common carrier," "contract carrier," "private carrier," and "exempt carrier" as herein defined.

     (8) "Exempt carrier" means any person operating a vehicle exempted from certain provisions of this chapter under RCW 81.80.040.

     (9) "Vehicle" means every device capable of being moved upon a public highway and in, upon, or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a public highway, excepting devices moved by human or animal power or used exclusively upon stationary rail or tracks.

     (10) "Commercial zone" means an area encompassing one or more cities or towns and environs adjacent thereto established pursuant to RCW 81.80.400.

     (11) "Terminal area" means an area including one or more cities or towns and environs adjacent thereto established pursuant to RCW 81.80.400.

     (12) "Common carrier" and "contract carrier" includes persons engaged in the business of providing, contracting for, or undertaking to provide transportation of property for compensation over the public highways of the state of Washington as brokers or forwarders.

[1989 c 60 § 1; 1988 c 31 § 1; 1982 c 71 § 1; 1967 c 69 § 1; 1961 c 14 § 81.80.010. Prior: 1937 c 166 § 2; 1935 c 184 § 2; RRS § 6382-2.]

Severability -- 1982 c 71: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [1982 c 71 § 5.]      Severability -- 1967 c 69: "If any provision of this act, or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act, or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [1967 c 69 § 4.]