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

FMCSA announces the establishment of a Medical Review Board as requested by the recent passage of Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act; A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). The Medical Review Board will provide scientific advice to The Secretary of Transportation and the Administrator of FMCSA on medical issues including the physical qualification requirements for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operators. This announcement provides details about the purpose and functions of the FMCSA Medical Review Board, in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). This notice also discusses the Agency's medical research priorities and solicits applications from interested physicians to serve on the Medical Review Board. The Secretary of Transportation will appoint five physicians to the Medical Review Board, and the board will begin work in fiscal year 2006.

In accordance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of FMCSA to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for an information collection associated with the agency's medical examiner Role Delineation Study. This information collection would gather data on the role of medical examiners and provide medical examiners (medical doctors (MDs), doctors of osteopathy (DOs), doctors of chiropractic (DCs), physician assistants (PAs) and advance practice nurses (APNs)) who perform FMCSA physical examinations of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers a means of participating in an assessment of the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to effectively determine if a CMV driver's health meets Federal physical qualifications standards. The data obtained from the Role Delineation Study and other sources would be used to support the development of the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (NRCME) program.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published in the Federal Register on August 31, 2005 (70 FR 51857) a notice of a public meeting concerning the implementation of the North American Standard for Protection Against Shifting or Falling Cargo. The meeting was scheduled to be held on September 29-30, 2005 at the Beau Rivage Resort in Biloxi, Mississippi. However, due to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, the location of this meeting has been moved from Biloxi, Mississippi, to the Hyatt Regency Indianapolis which is located at One South Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis IN 46204. Reservations can be made by contacting the Hyatt Regency Indianapolis by phone (317) 632-1234 or by fax (317) 616-6299.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requests public comment on an application for an exemption received from PINOVA on behalf of 29 motor carriers that transport short lightered wood logs and stumps from various points in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, and Alabama to PINOVA's plant in Brunswick, Georgia. PINOVA seeks the exemption because it believes compliance with the commodity-specific rule for securing logs and stumps prevents the company from using more efficient and effective cargo securement methods. PINOVA believes the alternative cargo securement method used by its motor carriers would maintain a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety achieved without the exemption.

FMCSA announces the second in a series of public meetings concerning the implementation of the North American Standard for Protection Against Shifting or Falling Cargo. On September 27, 2002, FMCSA published a final rule revising its regulations concerning protection against shifting and falling cargo for commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) engaged in interstate commerce. Motor carriers operating in the United States were given until January 1, 2004, to comply with the new regulations. On September 23, 2004, Canada's Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety approved a new National Safety Code Standard for cargo securement. Full implementation of the new cargo securement requirements in Canada began in the summer of 2005. The purpose of this meeting is second in a series of meetings to discuss the process for ensuring the consistent interpretation of the harmonized cargo securement standards by FMCSA and the Canadian Provinces, and of the issues raised by enforcement agencies and motor carriers in the U.S., and to address potential implementation issues for the Canadian Provinces, and motor carriers operating in Canada.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) withdraws its March 19, 2002, notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), which proposed requiring each commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operating in interstate commerce to display a label applied by the vehicle manufacturer or a registered importer to document the vehicle's compliance with all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSSs) in effect as of the date of manufacture. We issued the NPRM in coordination with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which published on the same day three companion notices related to the FMVSS certification requirement. Although the NPRM would have applied to all CMVs operated in the United States, its greatest impact would have been on motor carriers domiciled in Canada and Mexico. In withdrawing the NPRM, we conclude the proposed FMVSS certification label requirement is not necessary to ensure the safe operation of CMVs on our nation's highways. Vehicles operated by Canada-domiciled motor carriers meet Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSSs), which are consistent with the FMVSSs in all significant respects. Furthermore, since the FMVSSs critical to the operational safety of CMVs are cross-referenced in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs), FMCSA, in consultation with NHTSA, has determined it can most effectively achieve the compliance of CMVs with the FMVSS through enforcement measures and existing regulations ensuring compliance with the FMCSRs, making additional FMVSS certification-labeling regulation unnecessary.

This notice publishes the FMCSA's receipt of applications from 40 individuals for an exemption from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. If granted, the exemptions will enable these individuals to qualify as drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the vision standard prescribed in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10).

FMCSA amends part 393 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs), Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation. The amendments are intended to remove obsolete and redundant regulations; respond to several petitions for rulemaking; provide improved definitions of vehicle types, systems, and components; resolve inconsistencies between part 393 and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (49 CFR part 571); and codify certain FMCSA regulatory guidance concerning the requirements of part 393. Generally, the amendments do not involve the establishment of new or more stringent requirements, but a clarification of existing requirements. This action is intended to make many sections more concise, easier to understand and more performance oriented.

This notice publishes the FMCSA decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 27 individuals. The FMCSA has statutory authority to exempt individuals from vision standards if the exemptions granted will not compromise safety. The agency has concluded that granting these exemptions will provide a level of safety that will be equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.

FMCSA proposes to grant a 2-year exemption from the knowledge and skills tests required to obtain a school bus endorsement to a commercial driver's license (CDL) under 49 CFR 383.123. The exemption would be limited to school bus drivers from 11 States who passed equivalent tests before September 30, 2002.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) grants the American Pyrotechnics Association's (APA) application for an exemption from the prohibition against driving a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) after the 14th hour of coming on-duty. The exemption is applicable for a period beginning 7 days prior to, and 2 days immediately following Independence Day. Fireworks personnel who operate CMVs for the companies listed in this notice, in conjunction with staging fireworks shows celebrating Independence Day, are allowed to exclude off-duty and sleeper berth time of any length in the calculation of the 14-hours. However, drivers are not allowed to drive after accumulating a total of 14-hours of on-duty time, following 10 consecutive hours off duty, and continue to be subject to the 11-hour driving time limits, and the 60- and 70-hour weekly limits. After reviewing the comments received in response to the May 6, 2005, notice requesting public comment on the APA application, FMCSA has determined the exemption would achieve a level of safety equivalent to what would be provided by compliance with the 14-hour rule as it applies to other drivers of property-carrying vehicles.

The FMCSA published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register on June 8, 2005, concerning request for comments on proposed revisions to the cargo securement requirements. The NPRM contained an incorrect docket number in which comments must be received.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval and comment. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and it's expected cost and burden. On January 12, 2005, FMCSA published a Federal Register notice (70 FR 2210) with a 60-day comment period to solicit the public's views on the information collection noted below. FMCSA received three comments expressing concerns about the substance abuse professional (SAP) services that are available to applicants, the need to augment the information required of new applicants on the Form OP-1, and the desire to obtain administrative reforms to eliminate unnecessary paperwork burdens. These comments were submitted to the appropriate FMCSA program managers for consideration and action.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval and comment. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden. The Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on January 12, 2005 (70 FR 2209). Two comments were received.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requests public comment on Xora, Inc.'s (Xora) application for an exemption from the requirement that AOBRs for monitoring drivers' hours of service be integrally synchronized with the specific operations of the vehicle on which it is installed. Xora, a software development company, working in conjunction with Nextel Communications, a wireless communications service provider, has developed an hours of service (HOS) OBR software application for use with Global Positioning System (GPS)enabled wireless telephones and its computer system to document drivers' hours of service. Xora's system performs all of the functions required of AOBRs currently allowed by FMCSA's regulations with the exception of the requirement for integral synchronization with specific operations of the commercial motor vehicle on which it is installed. Xora believes the use of their hours-of-service monitoring system by motor carriers would achieve a level of safety equivalent to what would be provided by AOBRs which are integrally synchronized with specific operations of the CMV.

This notice publishes the FMCSA's receipt of applications from 24 individuals for an exemption from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. If granted, the exemptions will enable these individuals to qualify as drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the vision standard prescribed in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10).

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) withdraws a notice of applications for exemption from the vision standard with request for comments published on May 17, 2005. The notice was published in error.

FMCSA amends its Rules of Practice for Motor Carrier, Broker, Freight Forwarder, and Hazardous Materials Proceedings. These rules increase the efficiency of the procedures, enhance due process and awareness of the public and regulated community, and accommodate recent programmatic changes. The changes in these rules apply to all motor carriers, other business entities, and individuals involved in motor carrier safety and hazardous materials administrative actions and proceedings with FMCSA.

This notice publishes the FMCSA's receipt of applications from 30 individuals for an exemption from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. If granted, the exemptions will enable these individuals to qualify as drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the vision standard prescribed in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10).

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) (formerly the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Office of Motor Carriers) withdraws two advance notices of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) on using biometric identifiers to provide positive identification of drivers in the Commercial Driver's License Information System (CDLIS) and to prevent drivers from obtaining more than one commercial driver's license (CDL). The ANPRM requesting comments was published on May 15, 1989 at 54 FR 20875; an ANPRM providing additional information was published on March 8, 1991 at 56 FR 9925. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) currently is developing a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) that will incorporate biometric identifiers. FMCSA does not want to cause a conflict in standards adopted by each agency or place an undue burden on States by imposing two different standards and/or technologies for CDLs and the TWIC. In the future, FMCSA may assess the impact of the TWIC upon the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

This notice publishes the FMCSA's receipt of applications from five individuals for exemption from the diabetes mellitus prohibition in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. If granted, the exemptions will enable these individuals to qualify as drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the requirement prescribed in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(3).

FMCSA invites interested parties to submit comments on an application by The American Trucking Associations, Inc. for an administrative determination as to whether Federal hazardous materials transportation law preempts highway routing requirements of the District of Columbia in restricting transportation of certain hazardous materials.

FMCSA announces a public meeting concerning implementation of the North American Standard for Protection Against Shifting or Falling Cargo. The meeting's purpose is to discuss a process for ensuring consistent interpretation of the harmonized cargo securement standards by FMCSA and the Canadian Provinces, such as interpretation issues raised by U.S. enforcement agencies and motor carriers and potential implementation issues for Canadian Provinces and motor carriers operating in Canada. On September 27, 2002, FMCSA published a final rule revising its regulations on cargo securement for commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) operated in interstate commerce; and motor carriers were given until January 1, 2004 to comply with the new regulations. The agency's new standards were based on the North American Cargo Securement Standard Model Regulations, which reflected at the time the results of a multi- year comprehensive research program to evaluate U.S. and Canadian cargo securement regulations, motor carrier industry best practices, and recommendations from public meetings involving U.S. and Canadian industry experts, Federal, State, and Provincial enforcement officials, and other interested parties. Since then, Canada's Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety approved a new National Safety Code Standard for cargo securement (September 23, 2004). Full implementation of Canada's new cargo securement requirements is expected by this summer.

This notice publishes the FMCSA decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 13 individuals. FMCSA has statutory authority to exempt individuals from vision standards if the exemptions granted will not compromise safety. The agency has concluded that granting these exemptions will provide a level of safety that will be equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.

This notice publishes the FMCSA decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 13 individuals. FMCSA has statutory authority to exempt individuals from vision standards if the exemptions granted will not compromise safety. The agency has concluded that granting these exemptions will provide a level of safety that will be equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.