Definitions.

As used in this chapter, the term:

(1) “Department” means the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

(2) “International Fuel Tax Agreement” means the reciprocal agreement among certain states of the United States, provinces of Canada, and other member jurisdictions which provides for the administration, collection, and enforcement of taxes on the basis of fuel consumed or distance accrued, or both, in member jurisdictions.

(3) “Interstate” means vehicle movement between or through two or more member jurisdictions.

(4) “Intrastate” means vehicle movement from one point within a member jurisdiction to another point within the same member jurisdiction.

(5) “Member jurisdiction” means a member of the International Fuel Tax Agreement.

(6) “Motor carrier” means any person owning, controlling, operating, or managing any motor vehicle used to transport persons or property over any public highway.

(7) “Motor fuel” means any fuel placed in the fuel supply storage unit of a qualified motor vehicle, including an alternative fuel such as pure methanol, ethanol, or other alcohol; a blend of 85 percent or more alcohol with gasoline; natural gas and liquid fuel produced from natural gas; propane; coal-derived liquified fuel; hydrogen; electricity; pure biodiesel (B100) fuel, other than alcohol, derived from biological materials; P-series fuel; or any other type of fuel or energy used to propel a qualified motor vehicle.

(8) “Operate,” “operated,” “operation,” or “operating” means the use in any form of any qualified motor vehicle, whether loaded or empty, whether used for compensation or not for compensation, and whether owned by or leased to the motor carrier who uses it or causes it to be used.

(9) “Person” means natural persons, corporations, copartnerships, firms, companies, agencies, or associations, singular or plural.

(10) “Public highway” means any public street, road, or highway in this state.

(11) “Qualified motor vehicle” means any vehicle not owned or operated by a governmental entity which uses motor fuel on the public highways and which has two axles and a gross vehicle weight or registered gross vehicle weight in excess of 26,000 pounds, or has three or more axles regardless of weight, or is used in combination when the weight of such combination exceeds 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight or registered gross vehicle weight. The term excludes any recreational vehicle or vehicle owned or operated by a community transportation coordinator as defined in s. 427.011 or by a private operator that provides public transit services under contract with such a provider.

(12) “Use,” “uses,” or “used” means the consumption of motor fuel in a qualified motor vehicle for the propulsion thereof.