(1)(a) A person shall not operate or offer to operate as a contract carrier in intrastate commerce without first obtaining a permit for such operation from the commission. As used in this part 2, 'permit' does not include a permit under part 3, 4, or 5 of this article.(b) The general assembly hereby declares that the business of contract carriers is affected with a public interest and that the safety and welfare of the public traveling upon the highways, the preservation and maintenance of the highways, and the proper regulation of common carriers using the highways require the regulation of contract carriers to the extent provided in this article, for which purposes the commission is vested with the authority to issue a permit to a contract carrier and may attach to such permit and to the exercise of the rights and privileges granted by the permit such terms and conditions as are reasonable.(2) No permit, nor any extension or enlargement of an existing permit, shall be granted by the commission if, in the commission's judgment, the proposed operation of any such contract carrier will impair the efficient public service of any authorized common carrier then adequately serving the

commission if, in the commission's judgment, the proposed operation of any such contract carrier will impair the efficient public service of any authorized common carrier then adequately serving the same territory over the same general highway route. The commission shall give written notice of any application for a permit to all persons interested in or affected by the issuance of the permit or any extension or enlargement thereof, pursuant to section 40-6-108(2).(3) Nothing contained in this article compels a contract carrier to be or become a common carrier or subjects a contract carrier to the laws or liability applicable to a common carrier.L. 2011: Entire article added, (HB 11-1198), ch. 127, p. 406, §1, effective August 10.