Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in this chapter or in any other provision of the laws of this state, the administrator of the division of motor vehicles may issue certificates of registration and plates for all the jitneys owned or operated by any carrier of passengers for hire operating jitneys in interstate commerce in the state of Rhode Island and from every state contiguous to it, pursuant to the authority granted by the Interstate Commerce Commission, at a rate equal to the sum represented by the registration fee for a single jitney provided in § 31-6-1, multiplied by the average number of jitneys, as determined by the administrator of the division of motor vehicles, required by the applicant to operate the maximum number of schedules provided in the published schedules of the applicant.