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

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 review and approval. FMCSA requests renewal of an approved ICR titled, ``Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery.'' This ICR allows for ongoing, collaborative and actionable communication between FMCSA and its customers and stakeholders. It also allows feedback to contribute directly to the improvement of program management.

FMCSA proposes to amend the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to increase the area within which certain vehicle safety technology devices may be mounted on the interior of the commercial motor vehicle (CMV) windshields. In addition, FMCSA proposes to add items to the definition of vehicle safety technology. This NPRM responds to a rulemaking petition from Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA).

FMCSA announces a meeting of the MCSAC, which will take place via videoconference.

FMCSA announces its decision to grant, in part, the application of the American Pyrotechnics Association (APA) for renewal of exemptions from certain hours of service (HOS) regulations that expired on July 8, 2020. The request is being made on behalf of 60 APA member companies. The exemptions will allow drivers for these companies to exclude off-duty and sleeper berth time of any length from the calculation of the 14-hour limit and to use paper records of duty status (RODS) in lieu of electronic logging devices (ELD) during the 2021 Independence Day period. FMCSA has analyzed the application for exemptions and the public comments and has determined that the exemptions, subject to the terms and conditions imposed, will likely achieve a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level that would be achieved absent such exemptions.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from four individuals for an exemption from the prohibition in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) against persons with a clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or any other condition that is likely to cause a loss of consciousness or any loss of ability to control a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) to drive in interstate commerce. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals who have had one or more seizures and are taking anti-seizure medication to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

FMCSA amends its regulations to extend the compliance date from June 22, 2021, to June 23, 2025, for several provisions of its April 23, 2015, Medical Examiner's Certification Integration final rule. FMCSA issued an interim final rule (IFR) on June 21, 2018, extending the compliance date for these provisions until June 22, 2021. FMCSA published a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNPRM) on April 22, 2021, that proposed further extending the compliance date to June 23, 2025. This final rule will provide FMCSA time to complete certain information technology (IT) system development tasks for its National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (National Registry) and to provide the State Driver's Licensing Agencies (SDLAs) sufficient time to make the necessary IT programming changes when the new National Registry system is completed and available.

This notice provides revisions to the National Hazardous Materials Route Registry (NHMRR) reported to the FMCSA from April 1, 2020 through March 31, 2021. The NHMRR is a listing, as reported by States and Tribal governments, of all designated and restricted roads and preferred highway routes for transportation of highway route controlled quantities of Class 7 radioactive materials (HRCQ/RAM) and non-radioactive hazardous materials (NRHM).

FMCSA announces its decision to renew exemptions for 59 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.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew exemptions for 11 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 announces its decision to renew exemptions for 67 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 requirements in one eye.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from three individuals for an exemption from the prohibition in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) against persons with a clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or any other condition that is likely to cause a loss of consciousness or any loss of ability to control a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) to drive in interstate commerce. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals who have had one or more seizures and are taking anti-seizure medication to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew exemptions for 15 individuals from the hearing requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) for interstate commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. The exemptions enable these hard of hearing and deaf individuals to continue to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew exemptions for 68 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 review and approval. The Executive Order, ``Setting Customer Service Standards,'' directs Federal agencies to provide service to the public that matches or exceeds the best service available in the private sector. These principles were reaffirmed in the Executive Order, ``Streamlining Service Delivery and Improving Customer Service.'' In order to work continuously to ensure that our programs are effective and meet our customers' needs, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) seeks to obtain OMB approval of a currently approved generic clearance to continue collecting feedback on our service delivery. By feedback we mean information that provides useful insights on perceptions and opinions but are not statistical surveys that yield quantitative results that can be generalized to the population of study.

FMCSA announces that it has received applications from the American Pyrotechnics Association (APA) requesting renewal of exemptions from certain hours of service (HOS) regulations that expired on July 8, 2020. The requests are being made on behalf of 60 APA member companies. The exemption requests would allow drivers for its members to exclude off-duty and sleeper berth time of any length from the calculation of the 14-hour limit and to use paper records of duty status (RODS) in lieu of electronic logging devices (ELD) during the designated Independence Day periods. The requests are for the transportation of pyrotechnics from June 28 through July 8 of every year from 2021 through 2025.

In accordance with the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015, this final rule provides the 2021 inflation adjustment to civil penalty amounts that may be imposed for violations of certain DOT regulations. In addition, this rule amends the Federal Aviation Administration regulations to set forth the new civil penalties established in Division V, Title I of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. The rule also corrects a rounding error in an FAA penalty.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew exemptions for 27 individuals from the hearing requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) for interstate commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. The exemptions enable these hard of hearing and deaf individuals to continue to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (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. This notice invites comment on a proposed information collection project titled Trucking Fleet Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for Managing Mixed Fleets. It is a survey study that will assess the self-reports of approximately 2,000 survey respondents, including commercial motor vehicle (CMV) fleet managers, CMV sales personnel, State and Federal government personnel, industry engineers, researchers, and CMV drivers. The questionnaire is designed to collect baseline opinions of automated driving systems (ADS) before and after hands-on demonstrations with ADS technologies.

FMCSA proposes to amend its regulations to extend the compliance date from June 22, 2021, to June 23, 2025, for several provisions of its April 23, 2015, Medical Examiner's Certification Integration final rule. FMCSA issued an interim final rule (IFR) on June 21, 2018, extending the compliance date for these provisions until June 22, 2021. FMCSA proposes to finalize the IFR by further extending the compliance date to June 23, 2025. This action is being taken to provide FMCSA time to complete certain information technology (IT) system development tasks for its National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (National Registry) and to provide the State Driver's Licensing Agencies (SDLAs) sufficient time to make the necessary IT programming changes after the new National Registry system is available.

FMCSA announces its decision to deny applications from 28 individuals who requested an exemption from the vision standard in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate commerce.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 17 individuals for an exemption from the hearing requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate commerce. If granted, the exemptions would enable these hard of hearing and deaf individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announces its decision to grant the application of Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems, LLC (Bendix) for a limited five-year exemption to allow its Bendix Advance Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) technology to be mounted lower in the windshield on commercial motor vehicles (CMV) than is currently permitted. The Agency has determined that lower placement of the ADAS technology would not have an adverse impact on safety and that adherence to the terms and conditions of the exemption would likely achieve a level of safety equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety provided by the regulation.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew exemptions for 17 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 requirements in one eye.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew exemptions for 68 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 requirements 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 information collected will be used to help ensure that motor carriers of passengers and property maintain appropriate levels of financial responsibility to operate on public highways.