General Requirements; Inspection, Repair, and Maintenance; Intermodal Container Chassis and Trailers
Extension of comment period.
The FHWA is extending the comment period for its February 17, 1999, advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) in which the agency announced that it was considering revisions to the requirements in parts 390 and 396 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) that place upon motor carriers the responsibility for maintaining intermodal container chassis and trailers. The rulemaking was initiated in response to a petition filed by the American Trucking Associations, Inc. (ATA) and the ATA Intermodal Conference (the petitioners). In the petition, the petitioners contend that motor carriers have no opportunity to maintain this equipment and parties who do have the opportunity often fail to do so. The petitioners now request that the FHWA extend the comment period to allow them additional time to collect and analyze certain data needed to respond to the specific questions asked in the ANPRM. In response to the petitioners' request for an extended comment period, the National Association of Waterfront Employers (NAWE) and the National Maritime Safety Association (NMSA) also requested an extension of time to file their comments, but 30 days beyond anytime the FHWA may grant to the petitioners. The FHWA has determined that granting an extension is appropriate given the types of questions asked in the ANPRM and the need for informed responses from potential commenters. The FHWA also has determined that granting the NAWE and the NMSA a further 30-day extension beyond that afforded to petitioners is not appropriate.