The Board is charged with the regulation of public motor bus operators that transport passengers for gain in the province of New Brunswick. Board regulation does not apply to certain motor bus operations set out by the Motor Carrier Act..

Motor Carriers must make application for a license to operate and the application is published in the Royal Gazette. Any person wishing to object to the granting of the application shall file a notice of objection with the applicant and the Board. In the review of an application, the Board must consider whether the granting of the license would be detrimental to the users of the public transportation services, to provincial economic or social development, or to intraprovincial, interprovincial or international commerce.

Temporary permits are granted on an emergency basis to motor carriers that do not hold a New Brunswick motor carrier license only in cases of extreme necessity or emergency.