The taxes imposed by this part shall not apply to the sale of cigarettes or tobacco products by a distributor to a common carrier engaged in interstate or foreign passenger service or to a person authorized to sell cigarettes or tobacco products on the facilities of the carrier. Whenever cigarettes or tobacco products are sold by distributors to common carriers engaged in interstate or foreign passenger service for use or sale on facilities of the carriers, or to persons authorized to sell cigarettes or tobacco products on those facilities, the tax imposed under this part shall not be levied with respect to the sales of the cigarettes or tobacco products by the distributors, but a tax is hereby levied upon the carriers or upon the persons authorized to sell cigarettes or tobacco products on the facilities of the carriers, as the
case may be, for the privilege of making sales in California at the same rate as set under this part. Those common carriers and authorized persons shall pay the tax imposed by this section and file reports with the board, as provided in Section 30186.