Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration November 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA announces that it has published an opportunity to apply for FY 2008 funding for the CMV Operator Safety Training Grant on the grants.gov Web site (https://www.grants.gov). This opportunity was established by Section 4134 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU, Pub. L. 109-59). This legislation requires grant recipients to train current and future drivers in the safe operation of CMVs, as defined in Section 31301 of Title 49, United States Code. Funding priority will be given to regional or multi-state educational or nonprofit associations serving economically distressed regions of the United States. Eligible awardees can also include State governments, local governments, and accredited post-secondary educational institutions (public or private) such as colleges, universities, vocational-technical schools and truck driver training schools. To apply for funding, applicants must first be registered with grants.gov at the following link: https:// www.grants.gov/applicants/getregistered.jsp. Note that grants.gov registration takes three to five business days to process your information before you can apply. Applications for grant funding must be submitted electronically to the FMCSA through the grants.gov Web site following the instructions provided on the site. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for the CMV Safety Training Grant Opportunity 20.235.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 28 individuals for exemptions 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.

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. This information collection consists of grant application preparation, quarterly reports and electronic data documenting the results of driver/vehicle inspections performed by the States. On September 21, 2007, FMCSA published a Federal Register notice allowing for a 60-day comment period on the ICR. One comment was received.

This notice invites interested persons to participate in a forum titled, ``Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Analysis, Research and Technology Programs'', sponsored by the FMCSA Office of Analysis, Research and Technology (ART) in conjunction with the 87th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board (TRB). The purpose of the 2008 ART Forum is to provide information on various initiatives from FMCSA's analysis, research, and technology programs. Speaker topics will include the results of the On-Board Monitoring Safety Study; an overview of the On-Board Safety Technologies FMCSA has tested and evaluated; the results of the Violations Severity Assessment Study; a presentation titled, ``When Cars Collide with Trucks and Buses'', an update on the Employer Notification Service Pilot Project; and, a review of FMCSA's Wireless Roadside Inspection and Smart Roadside Activities. Attendees will have the opportunity to dialogue with FMCSA subject-matter experts through an open question and answer session. Where and When: Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Virginia B & C, 2660 Woodley Road, NW., Washington, DC 20008, on Tuesday, January 15, 2008. Sign-In begins at 7:30 a.m. and the forum starts at 8 a.m. and ends at 12 p.m. Registration: This forum is listed as a session in the TRB Annual Meeting Program and all registrants are welcome to attend. TRB registration is not required to attend the forum and it is open to the public at no cost. To register for the TRB Annual Meeting, visit http:/ /www.trb.org. To attend the forum only, send an e-mail to: TRB2008@dot.gov.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FMCSA announces its plans to submit the Information Collection Request described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval, and invites public comment. The FMCSA invites comments on its plan to request OMB approval to revise an existing information collection (IC) entitled, ``Hours of Service of Drivers Regulations,'' OMB Control Number 2126-0001. The Agency has updated its calculation of the paperwork burden of the hours of service (HOS) rules to reflect changes in the number of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers, and to clarify the burden associated with supporting documents. The Agency requires most CMV drivers to complete and maintain a record of duty status (RODS), commonly referred to as a logbook, reflecting details of changes in duty status during each 24-hour period. Drivers retain the RODS for a minimum period and then forward them, along with supporting documents (e.g., fuel receipts, road toll tickets), to the motor carrier. The motor carrier uses the supporting documents to assist in reviewing the RODS for accuracy, and retains the RODS and supporting documents for a minimum of 6 months. This IC promotes safety in the operations of motor carriers of property and passengers by assisting the carrier and enforcement officials in ensuring compliance with the HOS rules that ensure drivers are provided adequate opportunities for rest.

FMCSA previously announced 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 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.

This notice is intended to announce the posting of the Fiscal Year 2008 Safety Data Improvement Program (SaDIP) Grant Opportunity to Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov). A tentative schedule for the Fiscal Year 2008 SaDIP grant application and award process is included with the synopsis and application instructions. Grant awards are contingent on passage of the FY 2008 U.S. Department of Transportation appropriations bill, which includes FMCSA appropriations, by Congress and approved by the U.S. President.

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 drivers.

FMCSA previously announced 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 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 by these drivers.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announces a public listening session to obtain feedback from interested parties on the Agency's Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010 (CSA 2010) initiative, a comprehensive review, analysis, and restructuring of FMCSA's current commercial motor carrier safety and enforcement programs. FMCSA will use the listening session to brief participants on the direction and progress of CSA 2010, and obtain feedback from its partners and stakeholders. FMCSA also requests comments on the CSA 2010 operational model described in this notice.