Department of Transportation December 13, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), FMCSA 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. The FMCSA requests approval to revise an ICR entitled, ``Transportation of Household Goods; Consumer Protection.'' The information collected will be used to help regulate motor carriers transporting household goods (HHG) for individual shippers.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FMCSA announces its plan to submit the Information Collection Request (ICR) described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The purpose of this new ICR is to broadly examine by the collection of survey data, the issue of driver harassment and determine the extent to which Electric On-Board Recorders (EOBRs) used to document drivers' hours of service could also be used by motor carriers or enforcement personnel to harass drivers and/or monitor driver productivity. The survey will also collect information on the extent to which respondents believe that the use of EOBRs may result in coercion of drivers by motor carriers, shippers, receivers and transportation intermediaries. The proposed surveys for drivers and carriers collect information related to issues of EOBR harassment of drivers by carriers. FMCSA will publish a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking on EOBRs and will consider survey results concerning the EOBR use by motor carriers including countermeasures or best practices to ensure that EOBRs are not used by carriers to harass or coerce drivers prior to the issuance of a final rule.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, PHMSA invites comments on an information collection under Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control No. 2137-0605, titled ``Integrity Management in High Consequence Areas for Operators of Hazardous Liquid Pipelines.'' PHMSA is preparing to request approval from OMB for a renewal of the currently approved information collection.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 12 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 August 2006, NHTSA established a regulation that sets forth requirements for data elements, data capture and format, data retrieval, and data crash survivability for event data recorders (EDRs) installed in light vehicles. The requirements apply to light vehicles that are manufactured on or after September 1, 2012, and are equipped with EDRs. However, the regulation does not mandate the installation of EDRs in those vehicles. This notice of proposed rulemaking would establish a new safety standard mandating the installation of EDRs in most light vehicles manufactured on or after September 1, 2014. The EDRs in those vehicles would be required by the new standard to meet the data elements, data capture and format, data retrieval, and data crash survivability requirements of the existing regulation. This proposal would not modify any of the requirements or specifications in the regulation for EDRs voluntarily installed between September 1, 2012 and September 1, 2014.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of a translating door handle jamming during opening of an aft door. This proposed AD would require replacing the handle shaft with a new single-piece machined handle shaft on the aft entry and service doors, and require revising the maintenance program by incorporating a new airworthiness limitation task. We are proposing this AD to prevent a migrated pin from jamming a translating door handle, which could prevent opening of the door and impede an emergency evacuation.

As authorized by 46 U.S.C. 12121, the Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.-build requirement of the coastwise laws under certain circumstances. A request for such a waiver has been received by MARAD. The vessel, and a brief description of the proposed service, is listed below.