Transportation Security Administration August 7, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This interim rule announces that a commercial motor vehicle driver licensed in Canada or Mexico who holds a Free and Secure Trade (FAST) program card may use that card as an acceptable credential to transport placarded amounts of hazardous materials or any quantity of a material listed as a select agent or toxin in 42 CFR part 73 within the United States. The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) requires that, as of August 10, 2006, commercial motor vehicle drivers licensed in Canada or Mexico who transport hazardous materials in the United States must undergo a background check similar to the one required of U.S.-licensed operators with a hazardous materials endorsement (HME) on a commercial drivers license (CDL). The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has determined that the background check required to obtain a credential under the FAST program meets the background check requirements of SAFETEA-LU. TSA invites comment on any other existing background check programs that satisfy the requirements under SAFETEA-LU. This interim rule also removes pre-existing procedures for commercial drivers who transport explosives into the United States from Canada, and replaces it with a revised provision that applies to commercial drivers who transport explosives, as well as other hazardous materials, into and within the United States.