§ 105-333. Definitions. - North Carolina Statutes

Article23.

Public Service Companies.

§ 105‑333.  Definitions.

The following definitionsapply in this Article unless the context requires a different meaning:

(1)        Airline company. – Acompany engaged in the business of transporting passengers and property byaircraft for hire within, into, or from this State.

(2)        Bus line company. –A company engaged in the business of transporting passengers and property bymotor vehicle for hire over the public highways of this State (but notincluding a bus line company operating primarily upon the public streets withina single local taxing unit), whether the transportation is within, into, orfrom this State.

(3)        Distributable systemproperty. – All real property and personal property owned or used by a railroadcompany other than nondistributable system property.

(4)        Electric membershipcorporation. – A company organized, reorganized, or domesticated under Chapter117 of the General Statutes and engaged in the business of supplyingelectricity for light, heat, or power to consumers in this State.

(5)        Electric powercompany. – A company engaged in the business of supplying electricity forlight, heat, or power to consumers in this State.

(6)        Repealed by SessionLaws 1973, c. 783, s. 5.

(7)        Flight equipment. –Aircraft fully equipped for flying and used in any operation within this State.

(8)        Gas company. – Acompany engaged in the business of supplying artificial or natural gas to,from, within, or through this State through pipe or tubing for light, heat, orpower to consumers in this State.

(9)        Locally assignedrolling stock. – Rolling stock that is owned or leased by a motor freightcarrier company, specifically assigned to a terminal or other premises, andregularly used at the premises to which assigned.

(10)      Motor freight carriercompany. – A company engaged in the business of transporting property by motorvehicle for hire over the public highways of this State as provided in thissubdivision:

a.         As to interstatecarrier companies domiciled in North Carolina, this term includes carriers whoregularly transport property by tractor trailer to or from one or moreterminals owned or leased by the carrier outside this State or two or moreterminals inside this State. For purposes of appraisal and allocation only, theterm also includes a North Carolina interstate carrier that does not have aterminal outside this State but whose operations outside the State aresufficient to require the payment of ad valorem taxes on a portion of the valueof the rolling stock of the carrier to taxing units in one or more otherstates.

b.         As to interstatecarrier companies domiciled outside this State, this term includes carriers whoregularly transport property by tractor trailer to or from one or moreterminals owned or leased by the carrier inside this State.

c.         As to intrastatecarrier companies, this term includes only those carriers that are engaged inthe transportation of property by tractor trailer to or from two or moreterminals owned or leased by the carrier in this State.

(11)      Nondistributablesystem property. – The following properties owned by a railroad company: landother than right‑of‑way, depots, machine shops, warehouses, officebuildings, other structures, and the contents of the structures listed in thissubdivision.

(12)      Nonsystem property. –The real and tangible personal property owned by a public service company butnot used in its public service activities.

(13)      Pipeline company. – Acompany engaged in the business of transporting natural gas, petroleumproducts, or other products through pipelines to, from, within, or through thisState, or having control of pipelines for such a purpose.

(14)      Public servicecompany. – A railroad company, a pipeline company, a gas company, an electricpower company, an electric membership corporation, a telephone company, atelegraph company, a bus line company, an airline company, or a motor freightcarrier company. The term also includes any company performing a public servicethat is regulated by the United States Department of Energy, the United StatesDepartment of Transportation, the Federal Communications Commission, theFederal Aviation Agency, or the North Carolina Utilities Commission, exceptthat the term does not include a water company, a radio common carrier companyas defined in G.S. 62‑119(3), a cable television company, or a radio ortelevision broadcasting company.

(15)      Railroad company. – Acompany engaged in the business of operating a railroad to, from, within orthrough this State on rights‑of‑way owned or leased by the company.It also means a company operating a passenger service on the lines of anyrailroad located wholly or partly in this State.

(16)      Rolling stock. –Motor vehicles, railroad locomotives, and railroad cars that are propelled bymechanical or electrical power and used upon the highways or, in the case ofrailroad vehicles, upon tracks.

(17)      System property. –The real property and personal property used by a public service company in itspublic service activities. The term also includes public service companyproperty under construction on the day as of which property is assessed whichwhen completed will be used by the owner in its public service activities.

(18)      Telegraph company. –A company engaged in the business of transmitting telegraph messages to, from,within, or through the State.

(19)      Telephone company. –A company engaged in the business of transmitting telephone messages andconversations to, from, within, or through this State.

(20)      Repealed by SessionLaws 1973, c. 783, s. 5. (1939, c. 310, ss. 1600‑1605; 1943, c. 634, s.3; 1965, c. 287, s. 17; 1971, c. 806, s. 1; c. 1121, s. 4; 1973, c. 198; c.783, ss. 1‑5; c. 1180; 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 961, s. 1; 1995, c.350, ss. 1, 2; 1995 (Reg. Sess., 1996), c. 646, s. 18; 1997‑23, ss. 6, 7;1998‑98, s. 25.)