Knowledge Testing of New Entrant Motor Carriers, Freight Forwarders and Brokers, 78474-78475 [2013-30875]
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78474
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 248 / Thursday, December 26, 2013 / Notices
Additionally, FMCSA seeks comment
on whether the reference to ‘‘cargo loss
and damage’’ and/or ‘‘insurance’’ in
section 13541(e)(1) bars FMCSA from
granting the requested exemption as a
matter of law and without application of
the three-part statutory test under
section 13541(a). Commenters are
encouraged to provide data or
information concerning the impact of
the new bond requirements and/or the
impact of granting this exemption
request on carriers, brokers, freight
forwarders and shippers.
Issued on: December 18, 2013.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2013–30896 Filed 12–24–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration
[Docket No. FMCSA–2013–0518]
Knowledge Testing of New Entrant
Motor Carriers, Freight Forwarders and
Brokers
Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration (FMCSA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of public listening
session.
AGENCY:
FMCSA announces that it will
hold a public listening session on
January 13, 2014, to solicit ideas and
information concerning sections 32101
and 32916 of the Moving Ahead for
Progress in the 21st Century Act (Pub.
L. 112–141) (MAP–21). These
provisions require the assessment of
applicants’ knowledge of regulations
and industry practices for persons
seeking registration authority as motor
carriers (property, passenger, and
household goods (HHG)), freight
forwarders and brokers. This listening
session is the first in a series through
which the Agency will request
information from interested parties
concerning potential test topics, the
relationship between the knowledge
testing requirement and the Agency’s
Unified Registration System (URS)
program, and test development and
delivery. The January 13, 2014, session
will be held at the American Bus
Association’s (ABA) Marketplace
conference in Nashville, Tennessee. All
comments will be transcribed and
placed in the docket referenced above
for FMCSA’s consideration. And the
entire day’s proceedings will be
webcast.
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:06 Dec 24, 2013
Jkt 232001
The listening session will be
held on Monday, January 13, 2014, from
9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to
4:30 p.m. If all interested participants
have had an opportunity to comment,
the session may conclude early.
DATES:
The listening session will
be held at the Music City Center, 201
Fifth Ave. South, Nashville, TN 37203
in Room 202 C. In addition to attending
the session in person, the Agency offers
several ways to provide comments, as
enumerated below.
Internet Address for Live Webcast.
FMCSA will post specific information
on how to participate via the Internet on
the FMCSA Web site at
www.fmcsa.dot.gov in advance of the
listening session.
You may submit comments bearing
the Federal Docket Management System
(FDMS) Docket ID FMCSA–2001–11061
using any of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line
instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail: Docket Management Facility;
U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building
Ground Floor, Room W12–140,
Washington, DC 20590–0001.
• Hand Delivery or Courier: West
Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140,
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.,
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m., ET, Monday through Friday,
except Federal Holidays.
• Fax: 1–202–493–2251.
Each submission must include the
Agency name and the docket number for
this notice. Note that DOT posts all
comments received, without change, to
www.regulations.gov, including any
personal information included in a
comment. Please see the Privacy Act
heading below.
Docket: For access to the docket to
read background documents or
comments, go to www.regulations.gov at
any time or visit 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., ET,
Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays. The online Federal document
management system is available 24
hours each day, 365 days each year. If
you would like acknowledgment that
the Agency received your comments,
please include a self-addressed,
stamped envelope or postcard or print
the acknowledgement page that appears
after submitting comments on-line.
Privacy Act: Anyone may search the
electronic form of all comments
received into any of our dockets by the
name of the individual submitting the
comment (or of the person signing the
ADDRESSES:
PO 00000
Frm 00150
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
comment, if submitted on behalf of an
association, business, labor union, etc.).
You may review DOT’s Privacy Act
Statement for the Federal Docket
Management System published in the
Federal Register on December 29, 2010
(75 FR 82132) .
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
information concerning the listening
session or the live webcast, please
contact Ms. Shannon L. Watson, Senior
Policy Advisor, FMCSA, (202) 385–
2395.
If you need sign language assistance
to participate in this New Entrant
Testing listening session, contact Ms.
Watson by Monday, January 6, 2014, to
allow us to arrange for such services.
FMCSA cannot guarantee that
interpreter services requested on short
notice will be provided.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
On July 6, 2012, the President signed
MAP–21 into law. The new law
included certain requirements
concerning the registration of motor
carriers (property, passenger, and
household goods (HHG)), freight
forwarders and brokers. Section 32101
of MAP–21 includes requirements for a
written proficiency examination to
assess motor carrier registration
applicants’ knowledge of applicable
safety regulations, standards, and orders
of the Federal government. Section
32916 includes requirements that
applicants for freight forwarder and
broker registration authority employ, as
an officer, an individual with 3 years of
relevant experience who ‘‘provides the
Secretary with satisfactory evidence of
the individuals’ knowledge of related
rules, regulations, and industry
practices.’’
In consideration of the MAP–21
requirements, the Agency believes it
would be helpful to conduct a series of
public listening sessions to provide all
interested parties the opportunity to
share their views on the subject prior to
the initiation of a rulemaking. The
Agency will publish a notice or notices
in the Federal Register to announce the
dates and locations of future listening
sessions on this topic.
The Agency requests information
concerning: Potential test topics (e.g.,
regulations and industry best practices);
the relationship between the knowledge
testing requirement and the Agency’s
August 23, 2013, Unified Registration
System (URS) final rule (78 FR 52608); 1
1 The final rule amends FMCSA’s regulations to
require interstate motor carriers, freight forwarders,
brokers, intermodal equipment providers,
hazardous materials safety permit applicants, and
E:\FR\FM\26DEN1.SGM
26DEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 248 / Thursday, December 26, 2013 / Notices
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES
and test development and delivery.
FMCSA asks listening session
participants to consider the following
questions in preparing to make
comments at the listening session:
• Should the exam be limited to the
applicable FMCSA regulations or
include both the regulations and
industry best practices?
• If the exam covers industry best
practices, what specific best practices
should be included on the exam?
• What industry best practices
manuals/publications are available for
new entrants to study prior to taking a
proficiency exam?
• Are private-sector training courses
available to teach new entrants industry
best practices?
• Should FMCSA limit the exam to
company officers or employees
responsible for safety and compliance,
or should the Agency allow safety
consultants to complete the exam on
behalf of the new entrant?
• Should the test results be linked to
specific individuals identified on the
registration application with a
requirement that the new entrant entity
have a ‘‘certified’’ individual who
passed the exam in a position
responsible for safety and compliance?
And should the new entrant be required
to update their registration information
whenever these individuals are
replaced/reassigned during the new
entrant monitoring/oversight period?
• MAP–21 requires freight forwarders
and brokers to renew their registration
authority every 5 years. Should the new
entrant testing rule require a new test
(i.e., recertification test) to accompany
the freight forwarder or broker renewal
application?
• Should the FMCSA develop and
deliver the test directly to the new
entrant applicants, or should the
Agency rely on a private sector entity to
handle the testing, with the results
being transmitted directly to FMCSA?
• Do private sector companies or
organizations currently conduct testing
concerning industry best practices?
• Should the testing be conducted at
testing centers, or should FMCSA allow
on-line testing?
cargo tank facilities under the Agency’s jurisdiction
to submit required registration and biennial update
information to the Agency via a new electronic online URS. The final rule also establishes fees for the
registration system, discloses the cumulative
information to be collected in the URS, and
provides a centralized cross-reference to existing
safety and commercial regulations necessary for
compliance with the registration requirements.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:06 Dec 24, 2013
Jkt 232001
II. Meeting Participation and
Information FMCSA Seeks From the
Public
The listening session is open to the
public. Speakers should try to limit
their remarks to 5 minutes. No preregistration is required. Attendees may
submit material to the FMCSA staff at
the session for inclusion in the public
docket referenced at the beginning of
this notice.
III. Webcasting of the Listening Session
FMCSA will webcast the listening
session on the Internet. Information on
how to participate via the Internet will
be posted on the FMCSA Web site at
www.fmcsa.dot.gov in advance of the
listening session.
FMCSA will docket the transcripts of
the webcast, and a separate
transcription of the listening session
will be prepared by an official court
reporter.
Issued on: December 19, 2013.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2013–30875 Filed 12–24–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration
[Docket No. FMCSA–2000–7918; FMCSA–
2001–10578; FMCSA–2003–15268; FMCSA–
2003–15892; FMCSA–2005–21711; FMCSA–
2005–22194; FMCSA–2005–22727]
Qualification of Drivers; Exemption
Applications; Vision
Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration (FMCSA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of renewal of
exemptions; request for comments.
AGENCY:
FMCSA announces its
decision to renew the exemptions from
the vision requirement in the Federal
Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 16
individuals. FMCSA has statutory
authority to exempt individuals from
the vision requirement if the
exemptions granted will not
compromise safety. The Agency has
concluded that granting these
exemption renewals will provide a level
of safety that is equivalent to or greater
than the level of safety maintained
without the exemptions for these
commercial motor vehicle (CMV)
drivers.
SUMMARY:
This decision is effective January
27, 2014. Comments must be received
on or before January 27, 2014.
DATES:
PO 00000
Frm 00151
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
78475
You may submit comments
bearing the Federal Docket Management
System (FDMS) numbers: Docket No.
[Docket No. FMCSA–2000–7918;
FMCSA–2001–10578; FMCSA–2003–
15268; FMCSA–2003–15892; FMCSA–
2005–21711; FMCSA–2005–22194;
FMCSA–2005–22727], using any of the
following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
on-line instructions for submitting
comments.
• Mail: Docket Management Facility;
U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building
Ground Floor, Room W12–140,
Washington, DC 20590–0001.
• Hand Delivery or Courier: West
Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140,
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.,
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m., Monday through Friday, except
Federal Holidays.
• Fax: 1–202–493–2251.
Instructions: Each submission must
include the Agency name and the
docket number for this notice. Note that
DOT posts all comments received
without change to https://
www.regulations.gov, including any
personal information included in a
comment. Please see the Privacy Act
heading below.
Docket: For access to the docket to
read background documents or
comments, go to https://
www.regulations.gov at any time 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. The
Federal Docket Management System
(FDMS) is available 24 hours each day,
365 days each year. If you want
acknowledgment that we received your
comments, please include a selfaddressed, stamped envelope or
postcard or print the acknowledgement
page that appears after submitting
comments on-line.
Privacy Act: Anyone may search the
electronic form of all comments
received into any of our 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, etc.).
You may review DOT’s Privacy Act
Statement for the Federal Docket
Management System (FDMS) published
in the Federal Register on January 17,
2008 (73 FR 3316).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Elaine M. Papp, Chief, Medical
Programs Division, 202–366–4001,
fmcsamedical@dot.gov, FMCSA,
ADDRESSES:
E:\FR\FM\26DEN1.SGM
26DEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 248 (Thursday, December 26, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78474-78475]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-30875]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
[Docket No. FMCSA-2013-0518]
Knowledge Testing of New Entrant Motor Carriers, Freight
Forwarders and Brokers
AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of public listening session.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: FMCSA announces that it will hold a public listening session
on January 13, 2014, to solicit ideas and information concerning
sections 32101 and 32916 of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st
Century Act (Pub. L. 112-141) (MAP-21). These provisions require the
assessment of applicants' knowledge of regulations and industry
practices for persons seeking registration authority as motor carriers
(property, passenger, and household goods (HHG)), freight forwarders
and brokers. This listening session is the first in a series through
which the Agency will request information from interested parties
concerning potential test topics, the relationship between the
knowledge testing requirement and the Agency's Unified Registration
System (URS) program, and test development and delivery. The January
13, 2014, session will be held at the American Bus Association's (ABA)
Marketplace conference in Nashville, Tennessee. All comments will be
transcribed and placed in the docket referenced above for FMCSA's
consideration. And the entire day's proceedings will be webcast.
DATES: The listening session will be held on Monday, January 13, 2014,
from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. If all
interested participants have had an opportunity to comment, the session
may conclude early.
ADDRESSES: The listening session will be held at the Music City Center,
201 Fifth Ave. South, Nashville, TN 37203 in Room 202 C. In addition to
attending the session in person, the Agency offers several ways to
provide comments, as enumerated below.
Internet Address for Live Webcast. FMCSA will post specific
information on how to participate via the Internet on the FMCSA Web
site at www.fmcsa.dot.gov in advance of the listening session.
You may submit comments bearing the Federal Docket Management
System (FDMS) Docket ID FMCSA-2001-11061 using any of the following
methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov.
Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor,
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building Ground Floor, Room
W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and
5 p.m., ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays.
Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
Each submission must include the Agency name and the docket number
for this notice. Note that DOT posts all comments received, without
change, to www.regulations.gov, including any personal information
included in a comment. Please see the Privacy Act heading below.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments, go to www.regulations.gov at any time or visit 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., ET, Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays. The online Federal document management system
is available 24 hours each day, 365 days each year. If you would like
acknowledgment that the Agency received your comments, please include a
self-addressed, stamped envelope or postcard or print the
acknowledgement page that appears after submitting comments on-line.
Privacy Act: Anyone may search the electronic form of all comments
received into any of our 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, etc.).
You may review DOT's Privacy Act Statement for the Federal Docket
Management System published in the Federal Register on December 29,
2010 (75 FR 82132) .
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information concerning the
listening session or the live webcast, please contact Ms. Shannon L.
Watson, Senior Policy Advisor, FMCSA, (202) 385-2395.
If you need sign language assistance to participate in this New
Entrant Testing listening session, contact Ms. Watson by Monday,
January 6, 2014, to allow us to arrange for such services. FMCSA cannot
guarantee that interpreter services requested on short notice will be
provided.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
On July 6, 2012, the President signed MAP-21 into law. The new law
included certain requirements concerning the registration of motor
carriers (property, passenger, and household goods (HHG)), freight
forwarders and brokers. Section 32101 of MAP-21 includes requirements
for a written proficiency examination to assess motor carrier
registration applicants' knowledge of applicable safety regulations,
standards, and orders of the Federal government. Section 32916 includes
requirements that applicants for freight forwarder and broker
registration authority employ, as an officer, an individual with 3
years of relevant experience who ``provides the Secretary with
satisfactory evidence of the individuals' knowledge of related rules,
regulations, and industry practices.''
In consideration of the MAP-21 requirements, the Agency believes it
would be helpful to conduct a series of public listening sessions to
provide all interested parties the opportunity to share their views on
the subject prior to the initiation of a rulemaking. The Agency will
publish a notice or notices in the Federal Register to announce the
dates and locations of future listening sessions on this topic.
The Agency requests information concerning: Potential test topics
(e.g., regulations and industry best practices); the relationship
between the knowledge testing requirement and the Agency's August 23,
2013, Unified Registration System (URS) final rule (78 FR 52608); \1\
[[Page 78475]]
and test development and delivery. FMCSA asks listening session
participants to consider the following questions in preparing to make
comments at the listening session:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The final rule amends FMCSA's regulations to require
interstate motor carriers, freight forwarders, brokers, intermodal
equipment providers, hazardous materials safety permit applicants,
and cargo tank facilities under the Agency's jurisdiction to submit
required registration and biennial update information to the Agency
via a new electronic on-line URS. The final rule also establishes
fees for the registration system, discloses the cumulative
information to be collected in the URS, and provides a centralized
cross-reference to existing safety and commercial regulations
necessary for compliance with the registration requirements.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Should the exam be limited to the applicable FMCSA
regulations or include both the regulations and industry best
practices?
If the exam covers industry best practices, what specific
best practices should be included on the exam?
What industry best practices manuals/publications are
available for new entrants to study prior to taking a proficiency exam?
Are private-sector training courses available to teach new
entrants industry best practices?
Should FMCSA limit the exam to company officers or
employees responsible for safety and compliance, or should the Agency
allow safety consultants to complete the exam on behalf of the new
entrant?
Should the test results be linked to specific individuals
identified on the registration application with a requirement that the
new entrant entity have a ``certified'' individual who passed the exam
in a position responsible for safety and compliance? And should the new
entrant be required to update their registration information whenever
these individuals are replaced/reassigned during the new entrant
monitoring/oversight period?
MAP-21 requires freight forwarders and brokers to renew
their registration authority every 5 years. Should the new entrant
testing rule require a new test (i.e., recertification test) to
accompany the freight forwarder or broker renewal application?
Should the FMCSA develop and deliver the test directly to
the new entrant applicants, or should the Agency rely on a private
sector entity to handle the testing, with the results being transmitted
directly to FMCSA?
Do private sector companies or organizations currently
conduct testing concerning industry best practices?
Should the testing be conducted at testing centers, or
should FMCSA allow on-line testing?
II. Meeting Participation and Information FMCSA Seeks From the Public
The listening session is open to the public. Speakers should try to
limit their remarks to 5 minutes. No pre-registration is required.
Attendees may submit material to the FMCSA staff at the session for
inclusion in the public docket referenced at the beginning of this
notice.
III. Webcasting of the Listening Session
FMCSA will webcast the listening session on the Internet.
Information on how to participate via the Internet will be posted on
the FMCSA Web site at www.fmcsa.dot.gov in advance of the listening
session.
FMCSA will docket the transcripts of the webcast, and a separate
transcription of the listening session will be prepared by an official
court reporter.
Issued on: December 19, 2013.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2013-30875 Filed 12-24-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P