Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration June 28, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA announces the granting of an exemption of 55 member- companies of the American Pyrotechnics Association (APA) from FMCSA's regulation prohibiting drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) from driving after the 14th hour after coming on duty. The FMCSA renews the exemption for 45 APA member-companies and grants 10 additional carriers coverage by the exemption, which is applicable during the periods June 28-July 8, 2013, and June 28-July 8, 2014, inclusive. The requested renewal of the exemption for one motor carrier is being denied. Additionally, the APA advised FMCSA of the removal from the original renewal application of two companies that are no longer in business or no longer members of the APA. The original application was for 58 carriers; two were removed by APA and one denied by FMCSA, leaving 55 carriers being granted the exemption. Drivers who operate these CMVs in conjunction with staging fireworks shows celebrating Independence Day will be allowed to exclude off-duty and sleeper-berth time of any length from the calculation of the 14 hours. These drivers will continue to be subject to a prohibition from driving after accumulating 14 hours on duty, the 11-hour driving time limit, and the 60- and 70- hour limits. FMCSA believes that with the terms and conditions in place, APA-member motor carriers will maintain a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety that would be obtained by complying with the regulation.