Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration March 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA announces its decision to renew exemptions for 53 individuals from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) for interstate commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. The exemptions enable these individuals to continue to operate CMVs in interstate commerce without meeting the vision requirement in one eye.

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 purpose of this ICR titled, ``Motor Carrier Records Change Form,'' is to collect information required by the Office of Registration (MC-RS) to process name changes, address changes, and reinstatements of operating authority for motor carriers, freight forwarders, and brokers.

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 exempt seven individuals from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate commerce. They are unable to meet the vision requirement in one eye for various reasons. The exemptions enable these individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce without meeting the vision requirement in one eye.

FMCSA announces that FirstGroup plc (FirstGroup) has applied for an exemption on behalf of three of its subsidiaries, First Student, Inc., First Transit, Inc., and First Mile Square, which employ commercial driver's license (CDL) holders subject to drug and alcohol testing. FirstGroup requests an exemption from the requirement that an employer must conduct a full query of FMCSA's Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse) before employing a CDL holder to perform safety-sensitive functions. Under the requested exemption, in lieu of a full query, FirstGroup would conduct a limited pre-employment query of the Clearinghouse. If the limited query indicated that information about the driver existed in the Clearinghouse, FirstGroup would then conduct a full query of the Clearinghouse, with the driver-applicant providing consent in the Clearinghouse as required. In addition, FirstGroup would conduct a second limited query within 30 to 35 days of the initial limited query and conduct multiple limited queries on all its CDL drivers each year thereafter.

In accordance with the memorandum of January 20, 2021, from the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, titled ``Regulatory Freeze Pending Review,'' the Department delays the effective date of the final rule, ``Rulemaking Procedures Update,'' until March 21, 2021.