Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration July 8, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA announces its decision to grant the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (Virginia DMV) and all other State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs) a limited exemption from the commercial driver's license (CDL) regulation. The exemption will allow SDLAs to extend to one year the 90-day timeline specified in 49 CFR 383.77(b)(1), thus enabling them to waive the CDL skills test described in 49 CFR 383.113 for up to a year after separation from military service for veterans regularly or previously employed in a military position requiring operation of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV).

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 8 individuals for an exemption from the prohibition against persons with a clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or any other condition which is likely to cause a loss of consciousness or any loss of ability to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) from operating CMVs in interstate commerce. The regulation and the associated advisory criteria published in the Code of Federal Regulations as the ``Instructions for Performing and Recording Physical Examinations'' have resulted in numerous drivers being prohibited from operating CMVs in interstate commerce based on the fact that they have had one or more seizures and are taking anti- seizure medication, rather than an individual analysis of their circumstances by a qualified medical examiner. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals who have had one or more seizures and are taking anti-seizure medication to operate CMVs for 2 years in interstate commerce.

FMCSA announces that the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee's subcommittee on the U.S.-Mexico Cross Border Long Haul Trucking Pilot Program will meet on Monday, July 28, 2014. The meeting is open to the public and there will be a 15-minute public comment period at the end of the day.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 52 individuals for exemption from the vision requirement for operating a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. The applicants are unable to meet the vision requirement in one eye for various reasons. The exemptions will allow these individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce without meeting the prescribed vision requirement in one eye. At the end of the comment period, the Agency will grant exemptions to the applicants listed herein if there are no adverse comments that indicate the driver's ability will not achieve a level of safety equivalent to or greater than the level of safety that would be obtained by complying with the regulations. All comments will be reviewed and evaluated by FMCSA. Some individuals appearing in this notice may not receive exemptions based on comments received during the comment period. Individuals not granted an exemption may either be published at a future date based on further evaluation or may not be deemed to meet the aforementioned level of safety if granted an exemption. These individuals will be published in a quarterly notice of exemption denials. As always, any adverse comments received after the exemption is granted will be evaluated, and if they indicate that the driver is not achieving a level of safety equivalent to or greater than the level of safety that would be obtained by complying with the regulation, the exemption will be revoked. When granted, the exemptions will allow these individuals with vision deficiencies in one eye to operate in interstate commerce.