Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration September 3, 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FMCSA announces that it will hold a public listening session concerning potential changes to its hours-of-service rules for truck drivers. On August 22, 2019, FMCSA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) seeking comment on proposed changes to its hours-of- service (HOS) requirements to provide greater flexibility for drivers who are subject to the HOS rules without adversely affecting safety. The listening session will allow interested persons to present comments, views, and relevant research on topics mentioned above. All comments will be transcribed and placed in the rulemaking docket for the FMCSA's consideration. The session will be webcast to allow interested parties to participate remotely.

FMCSA announces its decision to exempt six 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 operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

On September 12, 2013, FMCSA published a request for comments on petitions submitted by Motor Coach Canada (MCC) and the American Bus Association (ABA) seeking a determination that Article 19-A of the State of New York's Vehicle and Traffic Law governing drivers of passenger-carrying interstate motor vehicles is preempted by Federal Law. The comment period closed on November 12, 2013. The Agency received 6 comments. In view of the passage of time since the initial request for comments, and because ABA recently requested that the docket be re-opened for additional comments, FMCSA is reopening the comment period for 30 days to ensure that all interested parties have an opportunity to comment or provide new information.