General Requirements Inspection, Repair, and Maintenance; Intermodal Container Chassis and Trailers

Summary: In response to a petition for rulemaking filed by the American Trucking Associations, Inc. (ATA) and the ATA Intermodal Conference (the petitioners), the FHWA agreed to consider 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 petitioners contend that motor carriers have no opportunity to maintain this equipment and that the parties who do have the opportunity often fail to do so. The FHWA, therefore, is seeking information on the extent of this problem and public comments on the solution proposed by petitioners, i.e., to mandate joint responsibility between the ``equipment provider'' and the motor carrier for maintaining this type of intermodal equipment.