Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Vision, 2305-2307 [2019-01253]

Agencies

• Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 6, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2305-2307]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-01253]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2018-0208]


Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Vision

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

ACTION: Notice of final disposition.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces its decision to exempt 14 individuals from the 
vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations 
(FMCSRs) to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate

[[Page 2306]]

commerce. They are unable to meet the vision requirement in one eye for 
various reasons. The exemptions enable these individuals to operate 
CMVs in interstate commerce without meeting the vision requirement in 
one eye.

DATES: The exemptions were applicable on December 28, 2018. The 
exemptions expire on December 28, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Christine A. Hydock, Chief, 
Medical Programs Division, (202) 366-4001,fmcsamedical@dot.gov, FMCSA, 
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W64-224, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001. Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., 
ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. If you have 
questions regarding viewing or submitting material to the docket, 
contact Docket Services, telephone (202) 366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Public Participation

A. Viewing Documents and Comments

    To view comments, as well as any documents mentioned in this notice 
as being available in the docket, go to https://www.regulations.gov. 
Insert the docket number, FMCSA-2018-0208, in the keyword box, and 
click ``Search.'' Next, click the ``Open Docket Folder'' button and 
choose the document to review. If you do not have access to the 
internet, you may view the docket online by visiting the Docket 
Management Facility in Room W12-140 on the ground floor of the DOT West 
Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

B. Privacy Act

    In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the 
public to better inform its rulemaking process. DOT posts these 
comments, without edit, including any personal information the 
commenter provides, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the system 
of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at 
www.dot.gov/privacy.

II. Background

    On November 27, 2018, FMCSA published a notice announcing receipt 
of applications from 14 individuals requesting an exemption from vision 
requirement in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10) and requested comments from the 
public (83 FR 60954). The public comment period ended on December 27, 
2018, and one comment was received.
    FMCSA has evaluated the eligibility of these 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)(10).
    The physical qualification standard for drivers regarding vision 
found in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10) states that a person is physically 
qualified to drive a CMV if that person has distant visual acuity of at 
least 20/40 (Snellen) in each eye without corrective lenses or visual 
acuity separately corrected to 20/40 (Snellen) or better with 
corrective lenses, distant binocular acuity of a least 20/40 (Snellen) 
in both eyes with or without corrective lenses, field of vision of at 
least 70[deg] in the horizontal meridian in each eye, and the ability 
to recognize the colors of traffic signals and devices showing red, 
green, and amber.

III. Discussion of Comments

    FMCSA received one comment in this proceeding. The commenter 
acknowledged that each applicant has been examined by an 
ophthalmologist or optometrist who has certified that, in the doctor's 
opinion, the applicant has sufficient vision to perform all the tasks 
necessary to operate a CMV. However, they also noted that the 14 
individuals listed in this notice should be subject to frequent testing 
to ensure that their driving abilities are not impacted by their 
vision.
    FMCSA has evaluated the eligibility of each of these applicants and 
determined that granting the exemptions would result in a level of 
safety that is equal to, or greater than, that which would exist 
without the exemptions. As discussed in Section IV of this notice: 
Basis for Exemption Determination, each individual possesses a valid 
license to operate a CMV, and each individual has demonstrated his or 
her ability to safely operate a CMV in intrastate commerce for a three-
year period as part of the application process. In addition, each 
applicant must continue to be physically examined every year by an 
ophthalmologist or optometrist and a Certified Medical Examiner so that 
they may continue to be qualified to operate a CMV in interstate 
commerce.

IV. Basis for Exemption Determination

    Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315, FMCSA may grant an exemption 
for up to five years from the vision standard in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10) 
if the exemption is likely to achieve an equivalent or greater level of 
safety than would be achieved without the exemption. The exemption 
allows applicants to operate CMVs in interstate commerce. FMCSA grants 
exemptions from the FMCSRs for a two-year period to align with the 
maximum duration of a driver's medical certification.
    The Agency's decision regarding these exemption applications is 
based on medical reports about the applicants' vision, as well as their 
driving records and experience driving with the vision deficiency. The 
qualifications, experience, and medical condition of each applicant 
were stated and discussed in detail in the November 27, 2018, Federal 
Register notice (83 FR 60954) and will not be repeated in this notice.
    FMCSA recognizes that some drivers do not meet the vision 
requirement but have adapted their driving to accommodate their 
limitation and demonstrated their ability to drive safely. The 14 
exemption applicants listed in this notice are in this category. They 
are unable to meet the vision requirement in one eye for various 
reasons, including amblyopia, aphakia, cataract, chorioretinal scar, 
complete loss of vision, corneal scar, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, 
macular drusen, and retinal detachment. In most cases, their eye 
conditions were not recently developed. Nine of the applicants were 
either born with their vision impairments or have had them since 
childhood. The five individuals that sustained their vision conditions 
as adults have had it for a range of 3 to 13 years. Although each 
applicant has one eye that does not meet the vision requirement in 49 
CFR 391.41(b)(10), each has at least 20/40 corrected vision in the 
other eye, and, in a doctor's opinion, has sufficient vision to perform 
all the tasks necessary to operate a CMV.
    Doctors' opinions are supported by the applicants' possession of a 
valid license to operate a CMV. By meeting State licensing 
requirements, the applicants demonstrated their ability to operate a 
CMV with their limited vision in intrastate commerce, even though their 
vision disqualified them from driving in interstate commerce. We 
believe that the applicants' intrastate driving experience and history 
provide an adequate basis for predicting their ability to drive safely 
in interstate commerce. Intrastate driving, like interstate operations, 
involves substantial driving on highways on the interstate system and 
on other roads built to interstate standards. Moreover, driving in 
congested urban areas exposes the driver to more pedestrian and 
vehicular traffic than exists on interstate highways. Faster reaction 
to traffic and traffic signals is generally required because distances 
between them are more compact. These

[[Page 2307]]

conditions tax visual capacity and driver response just as intensely as 
interstate driving conditions.
    The applicants in this notice have driven CMVs with their limited 
vision in careers ranging for 3 to 59 years. In the past three years, 
no drivers were involved in crashes, and no drivers were convicted of 
moving violations in CMVs. All the applicants achieved a record of 
safety while driving with their vision impairment that demonstrates the 
likelihood that they have adapted their driving skills to accommodate 
their condition. As the applicants' ample driving histories with their 
vision deficiencies are good predictors of future performance, FMCSA 
concludes their ability to drive safely can be projected into the 
future.
    Consequently, FMCSA finds that in each case exempting these 
applicants from the vision requirement in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10) is 
likely to achieve a level of safety equal to that existing without the 
exemption.

V. Conditions and Requirements

    The terms and conditions of the exemption are provided to the 
applicants in the exemption document and includes the following: (1) 
Each driver must be physically examined every year (a) by an 
ophthalmologist or optometrist who attests that the vision in the 
better eye continues to meet the standard in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10) and 
(b) by a certified Medical Examiner who attests that the individual is 
otherwise physically qualified under 49 CFR 391.41; (2) each driver 
must provide a copy of the ophthalmologist's or optometrist's report to 
the Medical Examiner at the time of the annual medical examination; and 
(3) each driver must 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 exemption when 
driving, for presentation to a duly authorized Federal, State, or local 
enforcement official.

VI. Preemption

    During the period the exemption is in effect, no State shall 
enforce any law or regulation that conflicts with this exemption with 
respect to a person operating under the exemption.

VII. Conclusion

    Based upon its evaluation of the 14 exemption applications, FMCSA 
exempts the following drivers from the vision requirement, 49 CFR 
391.41(b)(10), subject to the requirements cited above:

Doyle L. Bowen (NM)
Guillermo Casio Gamero (WA)
William L. Cave (MD)
Marc C. Goss (NE)
Richard J. Hard (IN)
Dennis W. Johnson (MO)
Ken I. Johnson (GA)
Ibrahim F. Khashan (GA)
Shelby M. Kuehler (KS)
Kendall S. Lane (OK)
Leonard Morris (NJ)
Gale L. O'Neil (PA)
Michael L. Sheldon (NE)
Pedro T. Tellez Alvarez (CA)

    In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315, each exemption 
will be valid for two years from the effective date unless revoked 
earlier by FMCSA. The exemption will be revoked if the following 
occurs: (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 prior to being granted; or (3) continuation 
of the exemption would not be consistent with the goals and objectives 
of 49 U.S.C. 31136 and 31315.

    Issued on: January 30, 2019.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2019-01253 Filed 2-5-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P