Department of Transportation September 13, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FMCSA announces guidance to the motorcoach industry in response to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations for providing pre-trip safety information to motorcoach passengers. The NTSB recommended that the Agency require and develop minimum guidelines for pre-trip safety information to be provided by motorcoach companies to passengers. The FMCSA, in conjunction with stakeholders, developed a basic plan for motorcoach companies to implement a safety-awareness program for passengers. The goals of this initiative are to develop passenger safety-awareness guidelines suited for diverse motorcoach operational types and to encourage their adoption.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 25 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 previously announced 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 reviewed the comments submitted in response to the previous announcement and concluded that granting these exemptions will provide a level of safety that will be equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 737-100, -200, -200C, -300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. This proposed AD would require repetitive inspections to detect cracking of the body station 303.9 frame, and corrective action if necessary. This proposed AD also provides for optional terminating action for the repetitive inspections. This proposed AD results from reports of cracks found at the cutout in the web of body station frame 303.9 inboard of stringer 16L. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct such cracking, which could prevent the left forward entry door from sealing correctly, and could cause in-flight decompression of the airplane.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as:

This document grants in full the BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) petition for exemption of the Carline 1 vehicle line in accordance with 49 CFR part 543, Exemption from the Theft Prevention Standard. This petition is granted because the agency has determined that the antitheft device to be placed on the line as standard equipment is likely to be as effective in reducing and deterring motor vehicle theft as compliance with the parts-marking requirements of the Theft Prevention Standard (49 CFR Part 541).