Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration August 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA announces the second in a series of public meetings concerning the implementation of the North American Standard for Protection Against Shifting or Falling Cargo. On September 27, 2002, FMCSA published a final rule revising its regulations concerning protection against shifting and falling cargo for commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) engaged in interstate commerce. Motor carriers operating in the United States were given until January 1, 2004, to comply with the new regulations. On September 23, 2004, Canada's Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety approved a new National Safety Code Standard for cargo securement. Full implementation of the new cargo securement requirements in Canada began in the summer of 2005. The purpose of this meeting is second in a series of meetings to discuss the process for ensuring the consistent interpretation of the harmonized cargo securement standards by FMCSA and the Canadian Provinces, and of the issues raised by enforcement agencies and motor carriers in the U.S., and to address potential implementation issues for the Canadian Provinces, and motor carriers operating in Canada.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) withdraws its March 19, 2002, notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), which proposed requiring each commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operating in interstate commerce to display a label applied by the vehicle manufacturer or a registered importer to document the vehicle's compliance with all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSSs) in effect as of the date of manufacture. We issued the NPRM in coordination with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which published on the same day three companion notices related to the FMVSS certification requirement. Although the NPRM would have applied to all CMVs operated in the United States, its greatest impact would have been on motor carriers domiciled in Canada and Mexico. In withdrawing the NPRM, we conclude the proposed FMVSS certification label requirement is not necessary to ensure the safe operation of CMVs on our nation's highways. Vehicles operated by Canada-domiciled motor carriers meet Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSSs), which are consistent with the FMVSSs in all significant respects. Furthermore, since the FMVSSs critical to the operational safety of CMVs are cross-referenced in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs), FMCSA, in consultation with NHTSA, has determined it can most effectively achieve the compliance of CMVs with the FMVSS through enforcement measures and existing regulations ensuring compliance with the FMCSRs, making additional FMVSS certification-labeling regulation unnecessary.

This notice publishes the FMCSA's receipt of applications from 40 individuals for an exemption from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. If granted, the exemptions will enable these individuals to qualify as drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the vision standard prescribed in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10).

FMCSA amends part 393 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs), Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation. The amendments are intended to remove obsolete and redundant regulations; respond to several petitions for rulemaking; provide improved definitions of vehicle types, systems, and components; resolve inconsistencies between part 393 and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (49 CFR part 571); and codify certain FMCSA regulatory guidance concerning the requirements of part 393. Generally, the amendments do not involve the establishment of new or more stringent requirements, but a clarification of existing requirements. This action is intended to make many sections more concise, easier to understand and more performance oriented.