2024.) A. An intrastate motor carrier shall not lease a motor vehicle or operate a leased motor vehicle in the course of its transportation service except as provided by department rule. The department may approve a motor vehicle lease without notice or a public hearing.

B. A motor carrier may use employed or contract drivers or taxicab association member drivers in the provision of a transportation service. Regardless of the provisions of any written or oral agreement between a motor carrier and a contract driver or taxicab association member driver, motor carriers providing transportation services that use contract drivers or taxicab association member drivers remain fully responsible to the department for complying with all provisions of the Motor Carrier Act and department rules applicable to transportation service carriers.

C. Motor carriers providing intrastate transportation services that use contract drivers or taxicab association member drivers shall maintain, at their principal places of business within the state, a current written agreement with each such driver. No agreement with any contract driver or taxicab association member driver shall contain any provision contrary to a provision of the Motor Carrier Act or a rule of the department. Each written agreement shall contain a clause that requires the contract driver or taxicab association member driver to adhere to all provisions of the Motor Carrier Act and to all department rules applicable to transportation service carriers.