Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation; Grant of Exemption For HELP Inc.
Notice of final disposition.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announces its decision to grant an exemption to HELP, Inc. that will allow the placement of its transponder systems at the bottom of windshields on commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) currently require antennas, transponders, and similar devices to be located not more than 6 inches below the upper edge of the windshield, outside the area swept by the windshield wipers, and outside the driver's sight lines to the road and highway signs and signals. The exemption will enable motor carriers to mount the HELP, Inc. transponder systems lower in the windshield than is currently permitted by the Agency's regulations in order to utilize a mounting location that maximizes the device's ability to send and receive roadside data. FMCSA believes that permitting the transponder systems to be mounted lower than currently allowed, but still outside the driver's sight lines to the road and highway signs and signals, will maintain a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety achieved without the exemption.