Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation; Application for Exemption From the Natural Gas Vehicles for America

Summary: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requests public comment on an application for exemption submitted by National Gas Vehicles for America (NGVAmerica) regarding the provision in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) prohibiting the location of any part of a fuel system on a bus manufactured on or after January 1, 1973, ``within or above the passenger compartment.'' NGVAmerica states that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has adopted safety standards specific to natural gas vehicles that do not restrict the location of such fuel systems. NGVAmerica plans to file a petition in the near future to request a modification to the FMCSRs and requests the exemption to allow buses equipped with roof-mounted natural gas tanks operating in interstate commerce--and therefore subject to the FMCSRs--to operate without penalty while the differences between the NHTSA and FMCSA regulations are resolved.