Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration December 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FMCSA grants petitions submitted by the American Trucking Associations and the Specialized Carriers and Rigging Association requesting a determination that the State of California's Meal and Rest Break rules (MRB Rules) are preempted under 49 U.S.C. 31141 as applied to property-carrying commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers covered by the FMCSA's hours of service regulations. Federal law provides for preemption of State laws on CMV safety that are additional to or more stringent than Federal regulations if they have no safety benefit; are incompatible with Federal regulations; or would cause an unreasonable burden on interstate commerce. The FMCSA has determined that the MRB Rules are laws on CMV safety, that they are more stringent than the Agency's hours of service regulations, that they have no safety benefits that extend beyond those already provided by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, that they are incompatible with the Federal hours of service regulations, and that they cause an unreasonable burden on interstate commerce. The California MRB Rules, therefore, are preempted under 49 U.S.C. 31141(c).

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 its review and approval and invites public comment. The FMCSA requests approval to revise and extend the, ``Annual Report of Class I and Class II Motor Carriers of Property'' ICR, OMB Control No. 2126-0032. This ICR is necessary to ensure that motor carriers comply with FMCSA's financial and operating statistics requirements at chapter III of title 49 CFR part 369 titled, ``Reports of Motor Carriers.'' This ICR is being revised to incorporate the OMB approved ``Annual Report of Class I Motor Carriers of Passengers'' ICR, OMB Control No. 2126-0031, for use of the MP-1 form, the ``Annual Report Form (Motor Carriers of Passengers),'' which resulted in only two respondents and one burden hour per year. Through the proposed merger of the two ICRs, FMCSA would rename the OMB Control No. 2126-0032 ICR as the ``Annual Report of Class I and Class II For-Hire Motor Carriers'' ICR. Such a merger with the new title will clarify that the combined ICR addresses both for- hire property and passenger carriers, but not private motor carriers. Additionally, after the merger of the ICRs, FMCSA intends to request withdrawal of the previously approved ``Annual Report of Class I Motor Carriers of Passengers'' ICR, OMB Control No. 2126-0031.

FMCSA amends the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to allow States the option of issuing a commercial learner's permit (CLP) with an expiration date of up to one year from the date of initial issuance. The CLP must be valid for no more than one year from the initial date of issuance without requiring the CLP holder to retake the general and endorsement knowledge tests. CLPs issued for a period of less than one year may be renewed provided the CLP is not valid for more than one year from the date of initial issuance. This rule does not require a State to revise its current CLP issuance practices, unless it chooses to do so. This rule is a deregulatory action as defined by Executive Order (E.O.) 13771, ``Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs.''

FMCSA announces that it has received a joint application from the American Bakers Association (ABA) and the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) requesting an exemption from the hours-of-service (HOS) regulations for drivers engaged in the delivery of baked goods and milk products during periods and in geographic areas reasonably anticipated to be impacted by an impending natural disaster or emergency situation. ABA/IDFA requests a 5-year exemption from 49 CFR part 395 for their drivers engaged in the delivery of essential food staples to extend their driving hours to help communities prepare for anticipated disaster conditions, such as extreme weather events, natural disasters, and other emergencies. The applicants state that the exemption would achieve a level of safety equivalent to, or greater than, the level that would be achieved absent the proposed exemption. FMCSA requests public comment on ABA/IDFA's application for exemption.

FMCSA announces that Navistar, Inc. (Navistar) has requested an exemption for one commercial motor vehicle (CMV) driver from the Federal requirement to hold a U.S. commercial driver's license (CDL). Navistar requests an exemption for Mr. Jerome Douay, a Product Engineer Senior Manager with MAN Truck & Bus AG (MAN) in Munich, Germany, who holds a valid German commercial license. MAN is partnering with Navistar to help develop technology advancements in fuel economy and emissions reductions. Mr. Douay wants to test drive Navistar vehicles on U.S. roads to better understand product requirements in ``real world'' environments, and verify results. Navistar believes the requirements for a German commercial license ensure that operation under the exemption will likely achieve a level of safety equivalent to or greater than the level that would be obtained in the absence of the exemption. FMCSA requests public comments on Navistar's application for exemption.

As required by statute, FMCSA announces denials of 10 applications for exemptions from the hours-of service (HOS) electronic logging device (ELD) rule. The applicants are as follows: Power and Construction Contractors Association; Western Equipment Dealers Association; Association of Energy Service Companies; Cudd Energy Services, Inc.; SikhsPAC and North American Punjabi Trucker Association; Owner- Operator Independent Drivers Association, Inc.; American Disposal Service; Towing and Recovery Association of America; National Electrical Contractors Association; and the Agricultural Retailers Association. The Agency reviewed each application and any comments received and rendered each decision based upon the merits of the application.

FMCSA extends the compliance date of the May 27, 2015, final rule titled ``Lease and Interchange of Vehicles; Motor Carriers of Passengers,'' from January 1, 2019, to January 1, 2021. The final rule received 37 petitions for reconsideration. To address the concerns in the petitions, FMCSA initiated a new notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that also included a proposal to extend the compliance date of the 2015 final rule from January 1, 2019, to January 1, 2021. This extension of the compliance date is necessary to provide time to consider all the issues raised in comments to the NPRM and to publish a final rule, while giving motor carriers sufficient time to comply with the revised requirements.