Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration October 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Sunshine Act Meetings; Unified Carrier Registration Plan Board of Directors
Document Number: 2015-27667
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-29
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
Agency Information Collection Activities; Extension of a Currently-Approved Information Collection Request: Information Technology Services Survey Portal Customer Satisfaction Assessment (Formerly COMPASS Portal Consumer Satisfaction Assessment)
Document Number: 2015-27205
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-27
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
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 collection involves an extension to a currently-approved ICR, and includes the assessment of FMCSA's strategic decision to integrate its Information Technology (IT) with its business processes using portal technology to consolidate its systems and databases through the FMCSA Information Technology Services Survey modernization initiative. The information to be collected will be used to assess the satisfaction of Federal, State, and industry customers with the FMCSA Information Technology Services Survey Portal. The name of the ``COMPASS Portal Customer Satisfaction Assessment,'' ICR was previously changed to ``Information Technology Services Survey Portal Customer Satisfaction Assessment,'' to reflect the need for a broader term than ``COMPASS'' for the portal.
Docket No. FMCSA-2012-0081]
Document Number: 2015-27210
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-26
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA announces its decision to deny applications from 14 of 15 individuals seeking exemptions from the Federal cardiovascular standard applicable to interstate truck and bus drivers and the reasons for the denials. The Agency reviewed the medical information of each of the individuals who applied for an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) exemption. Because the medical information received from the cardiologist concerning one individual indicates the ICD has been disabled due to improvement of his heart function, the exemption is no longer needed to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. Based on a review of the applications and following an opportunity for public comment, FMCSA has concluded that the remaining 14 individuals in the notice did not demonstrate they could achieve a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety that would be obtained by complying with the regulation.
Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Diabetes Mellitus
Document Number: 2015-26700
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-21
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 44 individuals for exemption from the prohibition against persons with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals with ITDM to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.
Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Vision
Document Number: 2015-26699
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-21
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA announces its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 64 individuals. FMCSA has statutory authority to exempt individuals from the vision requirement if the exemptions granted will not compromise safety. The Agency has concluded that granting these exemption renewals will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.
Unified Registration System
Document Number: 2015-26625
Type: Rule
Date: 2015-10-21
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA delays the effective and compliance dates for its August 23, 2013, Unified Registration System (URS) final rule. Because FMCSA changes the effective date (the actual date when the regulatory text that appears in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) will be changed) and makes technical corrections and conforming amendments to the 2013 regulatory text, the Agency has determined that it is in the best interest of the regulated entities, our State partners and the general public to present the full text of the sections affected. The 2013 URS final rule was issued to improve the registration process for motor carriers, property brokers, freight forwarders, Intermodal Equipment Providers (IEPs), hazardous materials safety permit (HMSP) applicants and cargo tank facilities required to register with FMCSA, and streamline the existing Federal registration processes to ensure the Agency can more efficiently track these entities. Today's final rule delays the implementation of the 2013 final rule in order to allow FMCSA additional time to complete the information technology (IT) systems work required to fully implement that rule.
Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Vision
Document Number: 2015-26248
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-15
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA announces its decision to exempt 45 individuals from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). They are unable to meet the vision requirement in one eye for various reasons. The exemptions will enable these individuals to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the prescribed vision requirement in one eye. The Agency has concluded that granting these exemptions will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these CMV drivers.
Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Diabetes Mellitus
Document Number: 2015-26243
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-15
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 41 individuals for exemption from the prohibition against persons with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals with ITDM to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.
Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Vision
Document Number: 2015-26242
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-15
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA announces its decision to exempt 27 individuals from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). They are unable to meet the vision requirement in one eye for various reasons. The exemptions will enable these individuals to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the prescribed vision requirement in one eye. The Agency has concluded that granting these exemptions will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these CMV drivers.
Agency Information Collection Activities; Extension of a Currently-Approved Information Collection Request: Transportation of Household Goods; Consumer Protection
Document Number: 2015-25524
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-07
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
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. The FMCSA requests approval to extend an ICR titled, ``Transportation of Household Goods; Consumer Protection.'' The information collected will be used to help regulate motor carriers transporting household goods (HHG) for individual shippers. FMCSA invites public comment on the ICR.
Hours of Service of Drivers: U.S. Department of Defense (DOD); Granting of Renewal of Exemption
Document Number: 2015-25520
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-07
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA announces its decision to renew the exemption from the minimum 30-minute rest break provision of the Agency's hours-of-service (HOS) regulations for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers working under contract to the U.S. Department of Defense's (DOD) Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC). The exemption will enable SDDC's contract motor carriers and their employee-drivers engaged in the transportation of weapons, munitions, and sensitive/ classified cargo to have the same regulatory flexibility that 49 CFR 395.1(q) provides for drivers transporting explosives. The exempted drivers will be allowed to use 30 minutes or more of attendance time to meet the HOS rest break requirements, providing they do not perform any other work during the break.
Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders
Document Number: 2015-25504
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-07
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA announces its decision to grant requests from 10 individuals for exemptions from the regulatory requirement 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 regulation and the associated advisory criteria published in the Code of Federal Regulations as the ``Instructions for Performing and Recording Physical Examinations'' have resulted in numerous drivers being prohibited from operating CMVs in interstate commerce based on the fact that they have had one or more seizures and are taking anti-seizure medication, rather than an individual analysis of their circumstances by a qualified medical examiner. The Agency concluded that granting exemptions for these CMV drivers will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the level of safety maintained without the exemptions. FMCSA grants exemptions that will allow these 10 individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce for a 2-year period. The exemptions preempt State laws and regulations and may be renewed.
Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Diabetes Mellitus
Document Number: 2015-25503
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-07
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA confirms its decision to exempt 42 individuals from its rule prohibiting persons with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) from operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. The exemptions enable these individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.
Qualification of Drivers; Application for Exemptions; Hearing
Document Number: 2015-25499
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-07
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA announces its decision to grant requests from 10 individuals for exemptions from the Agency's physical qualifications standard concerning hearing for interstate drivers. The current regulation prohibits hearing impaired individuals from operating CMVs in interstate commerce. After notice and opportunity for public comment, the Agency concluded that granting exemptions for these drivers to operate property-carrying CMVs will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the level of safety maintained without the exemptions. The exemptions are valid for a 2- year period and may be renewed, and the exemptions preempt State laws and regulations.
Qualification of Drivers; Application for Exemptions; Hearing
Document Number: 2015-25498
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-07
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA announces its decision to grant requests from 14 individuals for exemptions from the Agency's physical qualifications standard concerning hearing for interstate drivers. The current regulation prohibits hearing impaired individuals from operating CMVs in interstate commerce. After notice and opportunity for public comment, the Agency concluded that granting exemptions for these drivers to operate property-carrying CMVs will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the level of safety maintained without the exemptions. The exemptions are valid for a 2- year period and may be renewed, and the exemptions preempt State laws and regulations.
Qualification of Drivers; Application for Exemptions; Hearing
Document Number: 2015-25497
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-07
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA announces its decision to grant requests from 17 individuals for exemptions from the Agency's physical qualifications standard concerning hearing for interstate drivers. The current regulation prohibits hearing impaired individuals from operating CMVs in interstate commerce. After notice and opportunity for public comment, the Agency concluded that granting exemptions for these drivers to operate property-carrying CMVs will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the level of safety maintained without the exemptions. The exemptions are valid for a 2- year period and may be renewed. The exemptions preempt State laws and regulations.
Qualification of Drivers; Application for Exemptions; Hearing
Document Number: 2015-25496
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-07
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA announces its decision to grant requests from 12 individuals for exemptions from the Agency's physical qualifications standard concerning hearing for interstate drivers. The current regulation prohibits hearing impaired individuals from operating CMVs in interstate commerce. After notice and opportunity for public comment, the Agency concluded that granting exemptions for these drivers to operate property-carrying CMVs will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the level of safety maintained without the exemptions. The exemptions are valid for a 2- year period and may be renewed, and the exemptions preempt State laws and regulations.
Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation; Inspection, Repair, and Maintenance; General Amendments
Document Number: 2015-24921
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2015-10-07
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA proposes to amend the regulations for ``Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation,'' and ``Inspection, Repair and Maintenance,'' of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) in response to several petitions for rulemaking from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) and the American Trucking Associations (ATA), and two safety recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Specifically, the Agency proposes to add a definition of ``major tread groove;'' revise the rear license plate lamp requirement to provide an exception for truck tractors registered in States that do not require tractors to have a rear license plate; provide specific requirements regarding when violations or defects noted on a roadside inspection report need to be corrected; amend Appendix G to the FMCSRs, ``Minimum Periodic Inspection Standards,'' to include provisions for the inspection of antilock braking systems (ABS), automatic brake adjusters, and brake adjustment indicators, speed-restricted tires, and motorcoach passenger seat mounting anchorages; and amend the periodic inspection rules to eliminate the option for motor carriers to use a violationfree roadside inspection report as proof of completing a comprehensive inspection at least once every 12 months. In addition, the Agency proposes to eliminate introductory text from Appendix G to the FMCSRs because the discussion of the differences between the North American Standard Inspection out-of-service criteria and FMCSA's periodic inspection criteria is unnecessary.
Commercial Driver's License Standards: Application for Exemption; Daimler Trucks North America (Daimler)
Document Number: 2015-25130
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-05
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA announces its decision to grant Daimler Trucks North America's (Daimler) application for an exemption to allow a Daimler employee to drive commercial motor vehicles (CMV) in the United States without having a commercial driver's license (CDL) issued by one of the States. The driver, Christian Urban, will test-drive Daimler vehicles on U.S. roads to better understand product requirements for these vehicles in ``real world'' environments and verify results. He holds a valid German commercial license but lacks the U.S. residency necessary to obtain a CDL issued by one of the States. FMCSA believes that the process for obtaining a German commercial license is comparable to or as effective as the U.S. CDL requirements and ensures that this driver will likely achieve a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the level of safety that would be obtained in the absence of the exemption.
Hours of Service for Drivers: Regulatory Guidance Concerning the Editing of Automatic On-Board Recording Device (AOBRD) Information
Document Number: 2015-25135
Type: Rule
Date: 2015-10-02
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA issues regulatory guidance concerning the editing of records created by automatic on-board recording devices (AOBRDs). The guidance makes clear that, within certain limits, a driver must be allowed to review his or her AOBRD records, annotate and correct inaccurate records, enter any missing information, and certify the accuracy of the information. The AOBRD must retain the original entries, and reflect the date, time, and name of the person making edits to the information. Drivers' supervisors may request that a driver make edits to correct errors, but the driver must accept or reject such requests. Driving time may not be edited except in the case of unidentified or team drivers, and when driving time was assigned to the wrong driver or no driver. All prior Agency interpretations and regulatory guidance on this subject, including memoranda and letters, may no longer be relied upon to the extent they are inconsistent with this guidance.
Hours of Service of Drivers: R&R Transportation Group; Application for Exemption
Document Number: 2015-25132
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-02
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA announces its decision to grant the R&R Transportation Group (R&R) an exemption from the minimum 30-minute rest break requirement of the Agency's hours-of-service (HOS) regulations for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. FMCSA has analyzed the exemption application and the public comments and has determined that the exemption, subject to the terms and conditions imposed, will achieve a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level that would be achieved absent such exemption. The exemption is available only to R&R's drivers engaged in the transportation of materials that by their nature must be attended, such as radioactive materials, pharmaceuticals, and ammunition. The exemption provides these drivers the same regulatory flexibility that the HOS regulations allow drivers transporting explosives, i.e., to use 30 minutes or more of on-duty attendance time to meet the HOS rest break requirements, provided they do not perform any other work during the break.
Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Vision
Document Number: 2015-24933
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-01
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA announces its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 65 individuals. FMCSA has statutory authority to exempt individuals from the vision requirement if the exemptions granted will not compromise safety. The Agency has concluded that granting these exemption renewals will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.
Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Vision
Document Number: 2015-24926
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-01
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 59 individuals for exemption from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. They are unable to meet the vision requirement in one eye for various reasons. The exemptions will enable these individuals to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the prescribed vision requirement in one eye. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals to qualify as drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce.
Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Diabetes Mellitus
Document Number: 2015-24925
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-01
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA confirms its decision to exempt 49 individuals from its rule prohibiting persons with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) from operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. The exemptions enable these individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.
Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Diabetes Mellitus
Document Number: 2015-24924
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-01
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA confirms its decision to exempt 58 individuals from its rule prohibiting persons with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) from operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. The exemptions enable these individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.
Qualification of Drivers; Application for Exemptions; Hearing
Document Number: 2015-24923
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-01
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA announces that 9 individuals have applied for a medical exemption from the hearing requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). In accordance with the statutory requirements concerning applications for exemptions, FMCSA requests public comments on these requests. The statute and implementing regulations concerning exemptions require that exemptions must provide an equivalent or greater level of safety than if they were not granted. If the Agency determines the exemptions would satisfy the statutory requirements and decides to grant theses requests after reviewing the public comments submitted in response to this notice, the exemptions would enable these 9 individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.
Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Diabetes Mellitus
Document Number: 2015-24922
Type: Notice
Date: 2015-10-01
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 52 individuals for exemption from the prohibition against persons with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals with ITDM to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.
General Technical, Organizational, Conforming, and Correcting Amendments to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations
Document Number: 2015-24635
Type: Rule
Date: 2015-10-01
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation
FMCSA amends its regulations by making technical corrections and ministerial corrections throughout title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), subtitle B, chapter III. The Agency is making minor changes to correct errors and omissions, ensure conformity with Office of the Federal Register style guidelines, update cross references, restore an inadvertent deletion of the reference to an Underwriters Laboratories' standard, and improve clarity and consistency of certain regulatory provisions. This rule does not make any substantive changes to the affected regulations, except to remove one obsolete provision.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.