Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Diabetes, 6451-6452 [E9-2451]

Agencies

• Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 25 (Monday, February 9, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6451-6452]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-2451]



[[Page 6451]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[FMCSA Docket No. FMCSA-2008-0341]


Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Diabetes

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of final disposition.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces its decision to exempt eighty-four individuals 
from its rule prohibiting persons with insulin-treated diabetes 
mellitus (ITDM) from operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in 
interstate commerce. The exemptions will enable these individuals to 
operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

DATES: The exemptions are effective February 9, 2009. The exemptions 
expire on February 9, 2011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Mary D. Gunnels, Director, Medical 
Programs, (202) 366-4001, fmcsamedical@dot.gov, FMCSA, Room W64-224, 
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, 
DC 20590-0001. Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

    You may see all the comments online through the Federal Document 
Management System (FDMS) at: https://www.regulations.gov.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments, go to https://www.regulations.gov and/or Room W12-140 on the 
ground level of the West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.
    Privacy Act: Anyone may search the electronic form of all comments 
received into any of DOT's dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or of the person signing the comment, if 
submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, or other 
entity). You may review DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the 
Federal Register (65 FR 19477, Apr. 11, 2000). This statement is also 
available at https://Docketinfo.dot.gov.

Background

    On December 12, 2008, FMCSA published a notice of receipt of 
Federal diabetes exemption applications from eighty-four individuals, 
and requested comments from the public (73 FR 75794). The public 
comment period closed on January 12, 2009 and six comments were 
received.
    FMCSA has evaluated the eligibility of the eighty-four applicants 
and determined that granting the exemptions to these individuals would 
achieve a level of safety equivalent to, or greater than, the level 
that would be achieved by complying with the current regulation 49 CFR 
391.41(b)(3).

Diabetes Mellitus and Driving Experience of the Applicants

    The Agency established the current standard for diabetes in 1970 
because several risk studies indicated that diabetic drivers had a 
higher rate of crash involvement than the general population. The 
diabetes rule provides that ``A person is physically qualified to drive 
a commercial motor vehicle if that person has no established medical 
history or clinical diagnosis of diabetes mellitus currently requiring 
insulin for control'' (49 CFR 391.41(b)(3)).
    FMCSA established its diabetes exemption program, based on the 
Agency's July 2000 study entitled ``A Report to Congress on the 
Feasibility of a Program to Qualify Individuals with Insulin-Treated 
Diabetes Mellitus to Operate in Interstate Commerce as Directed by the 
Transportation Act for the 21st Century.'' The report concluded that a 
safe and practicable protocol to allow some drivers with ITDM to 
operate CMVs is feasible. The 2003 notice in conjunction with the 
November 8, 2005 (70 FR 67777) Federal Register Notice provides the 
current protocol for allowing such drivers to operate CMVs in 
interstate commerce.
    These eighty-four applicants have had ITDM over a range of 1 to 36 
years. These applicants report no hypoglycemic reaction that resulted 
in loss of consciousness or seizure, that required the assistance of 
another person, or resulted in impaired cognitive function without 
warning symptoms in the past 5 years (with one year of stability 
following any such episode). In each case, an endocrinologist has 
verified that the driver has demonstrated willingness to properly 
monitor and manage their diabetes, received education related to 
diabetes management, and is on a stable insulin regimen. These drivers 
report no other disqualifying conditions, including diabetes-related 
complications. Each meets the vision standard at 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10).
    The qualifications and medical condition of each applicant were 
stated and discussed in detail in the December 12, 2008, Federal 
Register Notice (73 FR 75794). Therefore, they will not be repeated in 
this notice.

Basis for Exemption Determination

    Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315, FMCSA may grant an exemption 
from the diabetes standard in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(3) if the exemption is 
likely to achieve an equivalent or greater level of safety than would 
be achieved without the exemption. The exemption allows the applicants 
to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.
    To evaluate the effect of these exemptions on safety, FMCSA 
considered medical reports about the applicants' ITDM and vision, and 
reviewed the treating endocrinologist's medical opinion related to the 
ability of the driver to safely operate a CMV while using insulin.
    Consequently, FMCSA finds that exempting these applicants from the 
diabetes standard in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(3) is likely to achieve a level 
of safety equal to that existing without the exemption.

Conditions and Requirements

    The terms and conditions of the exemption will be provided to the 
applicants in the exemption document and they include the following: 
(1) That each individual submit a quarterly monitoring checklist 
completed by the treating endocrinologist as well as an annual 
checklist with a comprehensive medical evaluation; (2) that each 
individual reports within 2 business days of occurrence, all episodes 
of severe hypoglycemia, significant complications, or inability to 
manage diabetes; also, any involvement in an accident or any other 
adverse event in a CMV or personal vehicle, whether or not they are 
related to an episode of hypoglycemia; (3) that each individual provide 
a copy of the ophthalmologist's or optometrist's report to the medical 
examiner at the time of the annual medical examination; and (4) that 
each individual provide a copy of the annual medical certification to 
the employer for retention in the driver's qualification file, or keep 
a copy in his/her driver's qualification file if he/she is self-
employed. The driver must also have a copy of the certification when 
driving, for presentation to a duly authorized Federal, State, or local 
enforcement official.

Discussion of Comments

    FMCSA received six comments in this proceeding. The Pennsylvania 
Department of Transportation expressed that it had reviewed the driving 
records

[[Page 6452]]

for Robert S. Althouse, Tyson C. Johnson, Steven F. Kohalmi, Theodore 
Stanley Pankiewicz and Gary E. Stone, and was in favor of granting the 
Federal diabetes exemptions to these applicants. Two of the comments 
were recommendations in favor of granting the Federal diabetes 
exemption for Mr. William G. Hansen. The letters were written by Mr. 
Eric D. Stubblefield and Ms. Charlene Ruth LaForest, who state that Mr. 
Hansen has not had problems with his diabetes to preclude him from 
operating a commercial motor vehicle safely. Three of the comments were 
recommendations in favor of granting Federal diabetes exemptions to 
individuals with ITDM and suggested streamlining the process of 
granting exemptions.

Conclusion

    After considering the comments to the docket, and based upon its 
evaluation of the eighty-four exemption applications, FMCSA exempts, 
Robert S. Althouse, Edwin K. Anderson, James G. Arnoldussen, Sr., 
William B. Bailor, Kenneth E. Benoit, Thomas S. Benson, Dennis A. 
Boelens, Melvin J. Boney, Christopher D. Bostic, Walter R. Braxton, 
Gordon M. Caldwell, Jake C. Cogswell, Eric W. Crawford, Merle N. 
Cromwell, Trenn A. Davis, Bobby J. Davison, Donald J. DeBaets, Anthony 
Espinosa, Gregory W. Eylar, Stephen R. Ferrario, Raymond J. Ford, Kevin 
J. Fries, Fred L. Frisch, Douglas E. Fuller, Daniel D. Greenwell, 
William G. Hansen, George H. Hayes, Jr., Danny E. Hillier, John H. 
Hilliges, Thomas Hogan, Harvey J. Hollins, John Horta, Paris J. Howell, 
Eric J. Huffman, Tyson C. Johnson, Ken M. Jorgenson, Barry J. Kelley, 
John H. Kingsley, Gary J. Klostermann, Steven F. Kohalmi, Peter D. 
Krenz, Robert J. Lampman, Jason C. Lang, Kevin J. Lavoie, Dennis M. 
Lester, Dario Lopez, Jerald L. Marquardt, Robert H. McCann, III, Lewis 
S. Needles, Derald W. Newton, Galen L. Nightingale, Chris C. Northway, 
John D. Owens, Theodore S. Pankiewicz, Jody A. Peckels, James H. 
Pfeiffer, Marc R. Pream, Travis W. Proctor, William B. Racobs, Remson 
H. Rawson, Ann M. Reinke, Frank W. Reynolds, Vincente L. Rodriquez, 
Bradley C. Roen, Thomas C. Routon, Tyler A. Russell, Randy L. 
Schroeder, Michael W. Sharp, Nathaniel B. Shaw, Sean L. Shidell, 
Wendell R. Shults, Joseph B. Simon, David E. Steinke, Floyd T. Stokes, 
Gary E. Stone, Timothy D. Stone, Anthony A. Thomas, William J. Thomas, 
Kaleo B. Tokunaga, John R. Turcotte, Danny J. Watson, Eric W. Williams, 
Russell A. Williams, and Kimberly A. Woehrman, from the ITDM standard 
in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(3), subject to the conditions listed under 
``Conditions and Requirements'' above.
    In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315 each exemption will 
be valid for two years unless revoked earlier by FMCSA. The exemption 
will be revoked if: (1) The person fails to comply with the terms and 
conditions of the exemption; (2) the exemption has resulted in a lower 
level of safety than was maintained before it was granted; or (3) 
continuation of the exemption would not be consistent with the goals 
and objectives of 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315. If the exemption is 
still effective at the end of the 2-year period, the person may apply 
to FMCSA for a renewal under procedures in effect at that time.

    Issued on: January 29, 2009.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy and Program Development.
 [FR Doc. E9-2451 Filed 2-6-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P