Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration June 28, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FMCSA announces the renewal of the exemption of specified members of the American Pyrotechnics Association (APA) from FMCSA's prohibition on driving commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) after the 14th hour after the driver comes on duty. The exemption granted to 53 motor carriers and approximately 3,000 CMV drivers is applicable during the periods June 28-July 8, 2011, and June 28-July 8, 2012, inclusive. The requested renewal of a prior exemption for one motor carrier is not being granted. Drivers who operate applicable CMVs in conjunction with staging fireworks shows celebrating Independence Day will be allowed to exclude off-duty and sleeper-berth time of any length from the calculation of the 14 hours. These drivers will continue to be subject to the 14-hour cumulative on-duty limit, the 11-hour driving time limit, and the 60- and 70-hour weekly on-duty limits. The FMCSA believes that with the terms and conditions of this exemption in effect, designated APA-member motor carriers will maintain a level of safety that, at a minimum, is equivalent to the level of safety that would be obtained by complying with the regulation.

FMCSA announces its decision to exempt 14 individuals from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). The exemptions will enable these individuals to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the prescribed vision standard. The Agency has concluded that granting these exemptions will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these CMV drivers.