Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA announces its decision to deny applications from 27 individuals who requested an exemption from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) prohibiting 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 operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) from operating CMVs in interstate commerce.

FMCSA issues final guidance, in response to a mandate in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to inform the public and regulated entities about FMCSA's interpretation of the definitions of ``broker'' and ``bona fide agents'' as it relates to all brokers of transportation by motor vehicle. FMCSA previously published a notice seeking public comment on the IIJA provision on June 9, 2022, and issued interim guidance on November 16, 2022. Today's notice makes updates to November 2022 guidance in response to the public comments the Agency received.

FMCSA announces its decision to exempt 15 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.

This notice announces a meeting of the WOTAB.

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 and invites the public to comment. FMCSA is seeking to renew an existing ICR titled, ``Hazardous Materials Safety Permits.'' This ICR requires companies holding safety permits to develop communication plans that allow for the periodic tracking of hazardous materials shipments. A record of the communications that includes the time of the call and location of the shipment may be kept by either the driver (e.g., recorded in the logbook) or the company. These records must be kept, either physically or electronically, for at least 6 months at the company's principal place of business or readily available to the employees at the principal place of business. This ICR has been updated only to the extent that the number of motor carriers with an active Hazardous Materials (HM) Safety Permit has increased from 987 to 1065.

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. This ICR relates to the planned ``Study of Commercial Motor Vehicle Crash Causation,'' mandated by Congress in the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act (IIJA). To plan and execute this study, FMCSA must collect information from the States and local jurisdictions to understand their interest or ability to participate in the study. FMCSA will collect information on existing crash data collection processes, systems, and resources and commercial motor vehicle (CMV) enforcement funding mechanisms and sources.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 10 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.

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

FMCSA announces its decision to renew exemptions for 28 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 exempt 10 individuals from the hearing requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate commerce. The exemptions enable these hard of hearing and deaf individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew exemptions for 12 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 requests public comment on an application for exemption from the Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association (GLTPA) to allow motor carriers to use fewer tiedowns than required by the regulations for securing shortwood logs transported lengthwise in crib-type vehicles that have been modified or manufactured without front structures, without rear structures, or with a center-mounted crane for loading and unloading. GLTPA and the Wisconsin State Patrol Motor Carrier Enforcement Section partnered to conduct cargo securement testing on stacks of shortwood logs in a crib-type vehicle using different tiedown configurations. Based on this testing, GLTPA proposes alternative cargo securement methods for shortwood logs loaded lengthwise and states that such securement methods will maintain a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety achieved without the exemption.

This final rule amends the U.S. Department of Transportation's regulated industry drug testing program to include oral fluid testing. This additional methodology for drug testing will give employers a choice that will help combat employee cheating on urine drug tests and provide a less intrusive means of achieving the safety goals of the program. In order for an employer to implement oral fluid testing under the Department's regulation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will need to certify at least two laboratories for oral fluid testing, which has not yet been done. The final rule includes other provisions to update the Department's regulation and to harmonize, as needed, with the Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs using Oral Fluid established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, this rule amends the FAA, FMCSA, FRA and FTA regulations to ensure consistency within the Department of Transportation and by removing or adjusting references to the word ``urine'' and/or add references to oral fluid, as well as removing or amending some definitions for conformity and to make other miscellaneous technical changes or corrections.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew exemptions for three 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.

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. This notice invites comments on a proposed information collection titled Human Factors Considerations in Commercial Motor Vehicle Automated Driving Systems and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. It is a driving simulator study with a series of questionnaires that will evaluate how commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers engage in CMVs equipped with SAE International Level 2 (L2) advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and Level 3 (L3) automated driving systems (ADS). Approximately 100 CMV drivers will participate in the study. The study will examine the effect of non-driving secondary task engagement, transfer of control, and training on driver behavior in CMVs equipped with ADAS and ADS.

FMCSA announces its decision provisionally to renew the TowMate, LLC (TowMate) exemption which allows motor carriers to operate rechargeable wireless temporary stop, turn, and tail lighting systems during temporary towing operations that do not meet the vehicle power supply requirements for all required lamps in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). The exemption is renewed for 5 years, unless rescinded earlier.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 15 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 receipt of applications from 15 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.

To address industry concerns about all crashes being used in the Agency's Safety Measurement System (SMS), since May 2020 FMCSA has been operating the Crash Preventability Determination Program (CPDP). This program reviews 16 specific crash types and modifies information in the SMS to distinguish not preventable crashes. The existing program was an expansion of the Agency's previous demonstration program that reviewed eight specific crash types. Through the incorporation of this information into SMS, FMCSA is better positioned to identify unsafe carrier and driver behaviors and prioritize carriers for interventions, by excluding not preventable crashes when calculating a motor carrier's Crash Indicator Behavior Analysis Safety Improvement Category measure and percentile Based on the Agency's experiences with the crash types and its reviews of crash eligibility, FMCSA proposes modifying existing crash types to broaden eligibility, removing the distinction between direct and indirect strikes, and differentiating some types for improved reporting and use of the data to identify ways to reduce crashes involving non-motorists, in alignment with the Department of Transportation's National Roadway Safety Strategies at www.transportation.gov/NRSS. In addition, FMCSA proposes that four new crash types be included in the program. FMCSA seeks comments on these proposed changes. FMCSA will respond to comments it receives on the proposal and announce the start of the updated CPDP through a subsequent Federal Register notice.

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.

FMCSA announces its decision to deny the applications from four individuals treated with an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) who requested an exemption from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) prohibiting operation of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate commerce by persons with a current clinical diagnosis of myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, coronary insufficiency, thrombosis, or any other cardiovascular disease of a variety known to be accompanied by syncope (transient loss of consciousness), dyspnea (shortness of breath), collapse, or congestive heart failure.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew exemptions for 12 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 receipt of applications from 10 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.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 11 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 nine 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.