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[Federal Register: May 11, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 91)]
[Notices]
[Page 26206-26208]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11my04-150]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
[Docket Nos. FMCSA-99-5748, FMCSA-2001-11426, FMCSA-2002-11714]
Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Vision
AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of renewal of exemption; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: This notice publishes the FMCSA decision to renew the
exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier
Safety Regulations for 20 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.
DATES: This decision is effective May 30, 2004. Comments from
interested
[[Page 26207]]
persons should be submitted by June 10, 2004.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT DMS Docket Numbers
FMCSA-99-5748, FMCSA-2001-11426 and FMCSA-2002-11714 by any of the
following methods:
Web Site: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://dms.dot.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments on the DOT electronic docket site.
Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401,
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 am
and 5 pm, Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays.
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the on-line instructions for submitting
comments.
Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and
docket numbers for this notice. For detailed instructions on submitting
comments and additional information on the rulemaking process, see the
Public Participation heading of the Supplementary Information section
of this document. Note that all comments received will be posted
without change to
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://dms.dot.gov,
including any personal information provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading under
Regulatory Notices.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://dms.dot.gov
at any time or to Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW.,
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal Holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Sandra Zywokarte, Office of Bus
and Truck Standards and Operations, (202) 366-2987, FMCSA, Department
of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
Office hours are from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., e.t., Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Public Participation: The DMS is available 24 hours each day, 365
days each year. You can get electronic submission and retrieval help
guidelines under the ``help'' section of the DMS web site. If you want
us to notify you that we received your comments, please include a self-
addressed, stamped envelope or postcard or print the acknowledgement
page that appears after submitting comments on-line.
Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review the
Department of Transportation's complete Privacy Act Statement in the
Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70;
Pages 19477-78) or you may visit
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://dms.dot.gov.
Exemption Decision
Under 49 U.S.C. 31315 and 31136(e), the FMCSA may renew an
exemption from the vision requirement in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10), which
applies to drivers of CMVs in interstate commerce, for a 2-year period
if it finds ``such exemption would likely achieve a level of safety
that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level that would be
achieved absent such exemption.'' The procedures for requesting an
exemption (including renewals) are set out in 49 CFR part 381. This
notice addresses 20 individuals who have requested renewal of their
exemptions in a timely manner. The FMCSA has evaluated these 20
applications for renewal on their merits and decided to extend each
exemption for a renewable 2-year period. They are: Paul R. Barron, Joe
W. Brewer, James D. Coates, Micahel D. DeBerry, Donald D. Dunphy, James
W. Ellis, IV, John E. Engstad, David W. Grooms, Joe H. Hanniford, Sammy
K. Hines, David A. Inman, Harry L. Jones, Teddie W. King, Lawrence C.
Moody, Stanley W. Nunn, William R. Proffitt, Charles L. Schnell,
Charles L. Shirey, Kevin R. Stoner, Carl J. Suggs.
These exemptions are extended subject to the following conditions:
(1) That each individual have a physical exam every year (a) by an
ophthalmologist or optometrist who attests that the vision in the
better eye continues to meet the standard in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10), and
(b) by a medical examiner who attests that the individual is otherwise
physically qualified under 49 CFR 391.41; (2) that each individual
provide a copy of the ophthalmologist's or optometrist's report to the
medical examiner at the time of the annual medical examination; and (3)
that each individual provide a copy of the annual medical certification
to the employer for retention in the driver's qualification file and
retain a copy of the certification on his/her person while driving for
presentation to a duly authorized Federal, State, or local enforcement
official. Each exemption will be valid for 2 years unless rescinded
earlier by the FMCSA. The exemption will be rescinded if: (1) The
person fails to comply with the terms and conditions of the exemption;
(2) the exemption has resulted in a lower level of safety than was
maintained before it was granted; or (3) continuation of the exemption
would not be consistent with the goals and objectives of 49 U.S.C.
31315 and 31136(e).
Basis for Renewing Exemptions
Under 49 U.S.C. 31315(b)(1), an exemption may be granted for no
longer than 2 years from its approval date and may be renewed upon
application for additional 2-year periods. In accordance with 49 U.S.C.
31315 and 31136(e), each of the 20 applicants has satisfied the entry
conditions for obtaining an exemption from the vision requirements (64
FR 40404, 64 FR 66962, 67 FR 10475, 67 FR 10471, 67 FR 19798, 67 FR
15662, 67 FR 37907). Each of these 20 applicants has requested timely
renewal of the exemption and has submitted evidence showing that the
vision in the better eye continues to meet the standard specified at 49
CFR 391.41(b)(10) and that the vision impairment is stable. In
addition, a review of each record of safety while driving with the
respective vision deficiencies over the past 2 years indicates each
applicant continues to meet the vision exemption standards. These
factors provide an adequate basis for predicting each driver's ability
to continue to drive safely in interstate commerce. Therefore, the
FMCSA concludes that extending the exemption for each renewal applicant
for a period of 2 years is likely to achieve a level of safety equal to
that existing without the exemption.
Comments
The FMCSA will review comments received at any time concerning a
particular driver's safety record and determine if the continuation of
the exemption is consistent with the requirements at 49 U.S.C. 31315
and 31136(e). However, the FMCSA requests that interested parties with
specific data concerning the safety records of these drivers submit
comments by June 10, 2004.
In the past the FMCSA has received comments from Advocates for
Highway and Auto Safety (Advocates) expressing continued opposition to
the FMCSA's procedures for renewing exemptions from the vision
requirement in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10). Specifically, Advocates objects to
the agency's extension of the
[[Page 26208]]
exemptions without any opportunity for public comment prior to the
decision to renew, and reliance on a summary statement of evidence to
make its decision to extend the exemption of each driver.
The issues raised by Advocates were addressed at length in 66 FR
17994 (April 4, 2001). The FMCSA continues to find its exemption
process appropriate to the statutory and regulatory requirements.
Issued on: April 23, 2004.
Rose A. McMurray,
Associate Administrator, Policy and Program Development.
[FR Doc. 04-10584 Filed 5-10-04; 8:45 am]
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