22                                     LAWS OF MARYLAND                            [CH. 16

on August 31 next preceding the commencement of the registration
year for which registration is sought: Except, that mileage pro-
portions for a fleet not operated during such period in the state
where application for registration is made will be determined by the
administrator upon the sworn application of the applicant showing
the operations during such period, in other states and the estimated
operations during the registration year for which registrations
is sought, in the state in which application is being made; or if no
operations were conducted during such period a full statement of
the proposed method of operation.

If any buses operate in two or more states which permit the pro-
ration of registration on the basis of a fleet of buses consisting
of a lesser number of vehicles than provided in Article II (g), such
fleet may be prorated as to registration in such states in which event
the buses in such fleet shall not be required to register in any other
contracting states if each such vehicle is registered in some contract-
ing state except to the extent it is exempt from registration as
provided in Article III (b).

If the administrator of any state determines, based on his method
of the operation thereof, that the inclusion of a bus or buses as a
part of a fleet would adversely affect the proper fleet fee which
should be paid to his state, having due regard for fairness and
equity, he may refuse to permit any or all of such buses to be
included in his state as a part of such fleet.

(b)  Total Fleet Miles. Total fleet miles, with respect to each
contracting state, shall mean the total miles operated by the fleet
(1) in such state, (2) in all other contracting states, (3) in other
states having proportional registration provisions, (4) in states with
which such contracting state has reciprocity, and (5) in such other
states as the administrator determines should be included under the
circumstances in order to protect or promote the interest of his state;
except that in states having laws requiring proration on the basis
of a different determination of total fleet miles, total fleet miles shall
be determined on such basis.

(c)  Leased Vehicles. If a bus is operated by a person other than
the owner as a part of a fleet which is subject to the provisions of
this article, then the operator of such fleet shall be deemed to be
the owner of said bus for the purposes of this article.

(d)  Extent of Privileges. Upon the registration of a fleet in a
contracting state pursuant to this article, each bus in the fleet may
be operated in both interstate and intrastate operations in such state
except as provided in Article III (e).

(e)  Application for Proration. The application for proration of
registration shall be made in each contracting state upon substantial-
ly the application forms and supplements authorized by joint action
of the administrators of the contracting states.

(f)  Issuance of Identification. Upon registration of a fleet, the
state which is the base state of a particular bus of the fleet shall
issue the required license plates and registration card for such bus
and each contracting state in which the fleet (of which such bus is
a part) operates shall issue a special identification identifying such
bus as a part of a fleet which has fully complied with the registra-