Customs and Border Protection Bureau 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA announces a joint meeting of its Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC) and Medical Review Board (MRB) on Monday and Tuesday, September 21 and 22. Together, the MCSAC and MRB will identify concepts the Agency and stakeholders should consider in relation to the issue of health and wellness of drivers of commercial motor vehicles and the establishment of a driver wellness initiative, a non-regulatory public-private partnership of stakeholders to improve drivers' health. The MRB and MCSAC will discuss the structure, content, delivery, and evaluation of this initiative. The meeting is open to the public for its entirety.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 13 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.

FMCSA announces that it has received a joint application from the Pipe Line Contractors Association (PLCA) and the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada, AFL-CIO (UA), for an exemption from Parts 391, 392, 393, 395 and 396 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). The exemption would be available to motor carriers and drivers operating commercial motor vehicles (CMV) weighing less than 15,000 pounds while engaged in pipeline-welding operations. FMCSA requests public comment on this joint application for exemption.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 20 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.

FMCSA announces its decision to grant motor carriers transporting security-sensitive hazardous materials (HM) requiring a security plan an exemption from the Federal hours-of-service (HOS) regulations that prohibit commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers from driving a CMV if more than 8 consecutive hours have passed since the driver's last off-duty or sleeper-berth period of 30 minutes or more. American Trucking Associations, Inc. (ATA) requested the exemption on behalf of all motor carriers that transport certain HM shipments requiring security plans under regulations of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). These plans normally require a driver to attend such cargo while the CMV is stopped, which is an on-duty activity under the HOS rules. Exempt drivers may now count their on-duty attendance of HM cargo toward the required 30- minute rest break requirement provided they perform no other on-duty activity. This exemption parallels Sec. 395.1(q) of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) that allows drivers who are attending loads of certain explosives to count on-duty attendance time toward their rest break so long as they engage in no other on-duty activity.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 9 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.

FMCSA announces that it has received an application from the National Star Route Mail Contractors Association (NSRMCA) on behalf of its member motor carriers that transport mail under contract for the United States Postal Service (USPS). NSRMCA requests that its contract carriers be exempt from the ``14-hour rule'' of the Agency's hours-of- service regulations found in section 395.3(a)(2). NSRMCA specifically requests that a U.S. mail-carrying driver may elect to drive a U.S. mail-carrying commercial motor vehicle (CMV) no more than 10 hours following 8 consecutive hours off duty; and not drive after having been on duty 15 hours following 8 consecutive hours off duty. NSRMCA believes the exemption would positively impact safety, while reducing operating costs for USPS and contractors that provide Highway Contract Route services to the USPS. FMCSA requests public comment on the NSRMCA application for exemption.

FMCSA confirms its decision to exempt 49 individuals from its rule prohibiting persons with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) from operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. The exemptions enable these individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 54 individuals for exemption from the prohibition against persons with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals with ITDM to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announces its decision to grant Ford Motor Company's (Ford) exemption application to allow motor carriers to operate Ford's Transit-based commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) that do not meet the exhaust system location requirements in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). The FMCSRs require (1) the exhaust system of a bus powered by a gasoline engine to discharge to the atmosphere at or within 6 inches forward of the rearmost part of the bus and (2) the exhaust system of every truck and truck tractor to discharge to the atmosphere at a location to the rear of the cab or, if the exhaust projects above the cab, at a location near the rear of the cab. Although the Ford Transit does not meet these requirements, it has undergone performance-based testing which demonstrates that the exhaust system achieves a level of safety equivalent to or greater than the level of safety that would be obtained by complying with the regulation. Ford performed carbon monoxide (CO) concentration tests which used CO monitors at various locations within the vehicle to measure the concentration of CO ingress into the occupant compartment (from the vehicles' own powertrain and exhaust system) under various driving conditions including idle and top speed. The tests showed that the resulting CO concentration is below every threshold used by Federal agencies. FMCSA has concluded that the limited 2-year exemption will achieve a level of safety equivalent to or greater than the level of safety provided by the rule restricting the location of exhaust systems on CMVs to ensure that exhaust fumes will not affect the driver's alertness or health or the health of passengers.

FMCSA announces that 13 individuals have applied for a medical exemption from the hearing requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). In accordance with the statutory requirements concerning applications for exemptions, FMCSA requests public comments on these requests. The statute and implementing regulations concerning exemptions require that exemptions must provide an equivalent or greater level of safety than if they were not granted. If the Agency determines the exemptions would satisfy the statutory requirements and decides to grant theses requests after reviewing the public comments submitted in response to this notice, the exemptions would enable these 13 individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

FMCSA confirms its decision to exempt 51 individuals from its rule prohibiting persons with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) from operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. The exemptions enable these individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

FMCSA announces its decision to exempt 34 individuals from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). They are unable to meet the vision requirement in one eye for various reasons. The exemptions will enable these individuals to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the prescribed vision requirement in one eye. The Agency has concluded that granting these exemptions will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these CMV drivers.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 20 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.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 46 individuals for exemption from the prohibition against persons with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals with ITDM to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FMCSA's announces its plan to submit the Information Collection Request (ICR) described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for its review and approval and invites public comment. The FMCSA requests approval to revise and extend an ICR titled, ``Annual Report of Class I and Class II Motor Carriers of Property (formerly OMB 2139-0004). This ICR is necessary to ensure that motor carriers comply with FMCSA's financial and operating statistics requirements at chapter III of title 49 CFR part 369 entitled, ``Reports of Motor Carriers.''

FMCSA announces its decision to grant Daimler Trucks North America's (Daimler) application for renewal of an exemption from the requirement for a commercial driver's license (CDL) for one of its commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers, Sven Ennerst. Mr. Ennerst has operated safely under this one-year exemption since July 22, 2014. The renewal allows Mr. Ennerst, a Daimler engineering executive who holds a German commercial driver's license, to continue to test-drive Daimler CMVs on U.S. roads to improve Daimler's understanding of product requirements in ``real world'' environments. FMCSA has concluded that this exemption would likely achieve a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the level that would be achieved if Mr. Ennerst were required to obtain a U.S. CDL.

FMCSA announces its decision to exempt 35 individuals from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). They are unable to meet the vision requirement in one eye for various reasons. The exemptions will enable these individuals to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the prescribed vision requirement in one eye. The Agency has concluded that granting these exemptions will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these CMV drivers.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 45 individuals for exemption from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. They are unable to meet the vision requirement in one eye for various reasons. The exemptions will enable these individuals to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the prescribed vision requirement in one eye. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals to qualify as drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce.

FMCSA announces its denial of the applications of the American Moving & Storage Association (AMSA) and the International Association of Movers (IAM) for an exemption that would allow a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) after the 14th hour since coming on duty. AMSA and IAM are engaged in the movement of household goods by CMV. They requested the exemption for their drivers who are delayed at a residence beyond the 14th hour and need to move the vehicle to a secure location for overnight parking. FMCSA concluded that AMSA and IAM did not demonstrate how CMV operations under such an exemption would be likely to achieve a level of safety equivalent to or greater than the level of safety that would be obtained in the absence of the exemption.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 9 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.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 58 individuals for exemption from the prohibition against persons with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals with ITDM to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.