Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration March 28, 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requests public comment on Charles Machine Works, Inc.'s (CMW) application for an exemption from the Agency's prohibition against the use of gravity or syphon-fed fuel systems for auxiliary equipment installed on or used in connection with commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). CMW believes that the use of gravity or syphon-fed fuel systems for auxiliary equipment that operates only when the CMV is parked would maintain a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level that it would achieve without the requested exemption.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from nine individuals for an exemption from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate commerce. If granted, the exemptions will enable these individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce without meeting the vision requirement in one eye.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew exemptions for eight individuals from the requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) that interstate commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers have ``no established medical history or clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or any other condition which is likely to cause loss of consciousness or any loss of ability to control a CMV.'' The exemptions enable these individuals who have had one or more seizures and are taking anti-seizure medication to continue to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

FMCSA requests public comment on an application for exemption from Laydon Composites Ltd. (Laydon) to allow motor carriers to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) that are equipped with Laydon's OptiTail\TM\ aerodynamic device with rear identification lamps and rear clearance lamps that are mounted lower than currently permitted by the Agency's regulations. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) require rear identification lamps and rear clearance lamps to be located ``as close as practicable to the top of the vehicle.'' While the OptiTail\TM\ aerodynamic device is currently mounted slightly below the roof of the vehicle, Laydon states that this offset prevents the device from delivering the maximum available fuel economy benefit as opposed to mounting it flush with the top of the vehicle which may block the visibility of the rear identification lamps and rear clearance lamps. Laydon believes that locating the rear identification lamps and rear clearance lamps lower on the vehicle, on a horizontal plane with other required lamps (stop, turn, and tail lamps) as is done on a flatbed trailer or an intermodal chassis, will maintain a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety achieved without the exemption.