Department of Transportation February 22, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) proposes to amend the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) by eliminating the requirement for operational brakes on the last saddle-mounted truck or tractor in a triple saddle-mount combination, except when a full mount is present. This is in response to a petition for rulemaking from the Automobile Carriers Conference (ACC) of the American Trucking Associations. Currently, the FMCSRs require operational brakes on any wheel of a saddle-mounted vehicle that is in contact with the roadway. ACC contends that this requirement degrades the braking performance of these combinations because the lightly loaded axle of the last vehicle tends to lock up under heavy braking, and submitted test results supporting this position.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 23 individuals for exemption from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals to qualify as drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the Federal vision standard.

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 its decision to exempt fifteen 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.

This document corrects the docket number for FMCSA's notice of application for exemption on Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation; Brakes; Application for Exemption From Innovative Electronics published in the Federal Register of February 10, 2011.

FMCSA proposes to establish the system of records called ``Medical Exemption Program'' in compliance with the terms of the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a). FMCSA has established the Medical Exemption Program to support the paper-based Federal Vision Exemption Program (FVEP), the paper-based Federal Diabetes Exemption Program (FDEP), and the web-based Med-Ex application managed by the FMCSA Office of Medical Programs. Medical Exemption Program is maintained by MANILA Consulting Group, Inc. (MANILA), an FMCSA contractor. The mission of the FMCSA Office of Medical Programs is to improve the safety of U.S. roadways by disseminating and implementing the medical regulations, guidelines, and policies that ensure commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers engaged in interstate commerce are physically qualified to do so. Only authorized DOT personnel with a specific ``need to know'' can access CMV driver exemption information in Medical Exemption Program. A request from any other individual or entity (e.g., a law firm) for CMV driver exemption information in Medical Exemption Program is treated as a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request by FMCSA and processed accordingly. FMCSA performs routine audits of the Medical Exemption Program to ensure that privacy and security objectives are met. More detailed information concerning the Medical Exemption Program system of records is located within this document. A System of Records Notice (SORN) for the Medical Exemption Program will be published in the Federal Register and posted on the DOT Web site. The Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) for the Medical Exemption Program will be located on the DOT Web site (https://www.dot.gov/pia.html).