Department of Transportation March 18, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of the nineteenth meeting of the RTCA Special Committee 225, Rechargeable Lithium Battery and Battery Systems.

This notice announces the 2015 random testing rates for employers subject to the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) drug and alcohol rules.

Recent FRA investigations identified several railroad tank cars transporting hazardous materials and leaking small quantities of product from the cars' liquid lines. FRA's investigation revealed that the liquid lines of the leaking tank cars were equipped with a certain type of 3 ball valve marketed and sold by McKenzie Valve and Machining (McKenzie) (formerly McKenzie Valve & Machining Company), an affiliate company of Union Tank Car Company (UTLX). FRA further found certain closure plugs installed on the 3 valves cause mechanical damage to the valves, which leads to the destruction of the valves' seal integrity and that the 3 valves, as well as similarly-designed 1 and 2 valves provided by this manufacturer are not approved for use on tank cars. FRA is issuing this Railworthiness Directive (Directive) to all owners of tank cars used to transport hazardous materials within the United States to ensure they identify and appropriately remove and replace these valves with approved valves consistent with Federal regulations.

FMCSA announces its decision to grant the application of the Oregon Trucking Associations (OTA) for a limited exemption from the Agency's hours-of-service (HOS) regulation requiring commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers to take 30-minute rest breaks at specified intervals in their duty day. This exemption is limited to CMV drivers engaged in transporting timber from Oregon forestlands, and further limited to periods of the year in which the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) has formally restricted logging operations to certain hours of the day due to an elevated risk of forest fire. FMCSA believes that the rest breaks during these periods of restricted operating hours may reduce the volume of timber that OTA drivers can deliver, affecting the economic viability of the Oregon lumber industry. The Agency grants this limited exemption on condition that these exempt drivers do not drive after the 12th hour of their duty day. The Agency finds that the CMV operations of OTA timber transporters under this limited exemption would likely achieve a level of safety equivalent to or greater than the level of safety that would be obtained in the absence of the exemption.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announces its decision to grant Mobileye, Inc.'s (Mobileye) exemption application to enable motor carriers to utilize its camera-based collision avoidance systems (CAS) mounted within the swept area of the windshield wipers. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) currently require antennas, transponders, and similar devices to be located outside the area swept by the windshield wipers. The Mobileye CAS is able to warn drivers of potential hazards by detecting other vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists on the road, and lane markings and traffic signs. The Agency believes the use of the CAS promotes improved safety performance and that the placement of the system in the swept area of the windshield wipers will not obstruct drivers' view of the roadway and potential hazards. The Agency 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 placement of devices in the windshield area.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 21 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 that it has received an application from Adirondack Trailways, Pine Hill Trailways, and New York Trailways (``Trailways'') for a renewal of their exemption from the hours-of- service (HOS) record of duty status (RODs) provision in 49 CFR 395.8(c). Trailways currently holds an exemption for the period of May 31, 2013 to May 31, 2015. FMCSA extended the exemption to include all regular-route passenger carriers and their drivers rather than limiting it to Trailways' drivers. The renewal of the exemption would allow these drivers to perform their daily duties without having to record entries in the daily log for breaks in driving time of 10 minutes or less. Such activity would not be considered a change of duty status. FMCSA requests public comment on Trailways' application for exemption.

In preparation for the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Dangerous Goods Panel's (DGP's) meeting to be held April 27-May 1, 2015, in Montreal, Canada, the FAA's Office of Hazardous Materials Safety and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's (PHMSA) Office of Hazardous Materials Safety announce a public meeting.