Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration June 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA announces its decision to grant the American Pyrotechnics Association (APA) exemption for 14 member motor carriers from FMCSA's regulation that drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMV) may not drive after the 14th hour after coming on duty.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces FMCSA's plan to submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) its request to revise two currently-approved information collection requests (ICRs) as follows: (1) OMB Control Number 2126-0032 entitled, ``Annual Report of Class I and Class II Motor Carriers of Property (formerly OMB 2139-0004),'' and (2) OMB Control Number 2126- 0033 entitled, ``Quarterly Report of Class I Motor Carriers of Property (formerly OMB 2139-0002).'' These ICRs are necessary to ensure that motor carriers comply with FMCSA's financial and operating statistics requirements at chapter III of title 49 CFR part 369 entitled, ``Reports of Motor Carriers.'' On April 8, 2009, FMCSA published a Federal Register notice allowing for a 60-day comment period on the ICR. No comments were received.

FMCSA announces its decision to exempt twenty-seven 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.

FMCSA previously announced its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 24 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 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.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) proposes amendments to its regulations concerning minimum levels of financial responsibility for motor carriers to allow Canada-domiciled carriers to maintain, as acceptable evidence of financial responsibility, insurance policies issued by Canadian insurance companies legally authorized to issue such policies in the Canadian Province or Territory where the motor carrier has its principal place of business. Currently, Canada-domiciled motor carriers operating in the U.S. must maintain as evidence of financial responsibility, insurance policies issued by U.S. insurance companies. The proposed change would not affect the required minimum levels of financial responsibility that carriers must now maintain under the regulations. This action is in response to a petition for rulemaking filed by the Government of Canada.

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 information collection is to acquire general information regarding the commercial motor vehicle (CMV) driving population and specific information on driver work history, work scheduling, and compensation. This information is needed in many different types of analyses conducted by the FMCSA and would benefit the agency in understanding the impacts of proposed rules and the improvement of its safety programs. On December 12, 2008, FMCSA published a Federal Register notice allowing for a 60-day comment period on the ICR. One comment was received.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 6 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 renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 18 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.