G/TBT/N/USA/1037  
12 October 2015  
(15-5306)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION 
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Notifying Member: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):  
2. Agency responsible: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT) [1055] 
Name and address (including telephon e and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above : 
Please submit comments to: USA WTO TBT Enquiry Point 
Email: ncsci@nist.gov  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10 .1 [ ], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], other: 
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applic able, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Motor vehicle parts and 
accessories. Road vehicle systems (ICS: 43.040) 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Parts and 
Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation; Inspection, Repair, and Maintenance; General 
Amendments (10 pages, in English) 
6. Description of content: FMCSA proposes to amend the regulations for "Parts and 
Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation," an d "Inspection, Repair and Maintenance," of 
the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) in response to several petitions for 
rulemaking from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) and the American 
Trucking Associations (ATA), and two safety recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Specifically, the Agency proposes to add a definition of "major tread groove;" revise the rear lic ense plate lamp requirement to provide an 
exception for truck tractors registered in States that do not require tractors to have a rear 
license plate; provide specific requirements regarding when violations or defects noted on a roadside inspection report need to be corrected; amend Appendix G to the FMCSRs, 
"Minimum Periodic Inspection Standards," to include provisions for the inspection of 
antilock braking systems (ABS), automati c brake adjusters, and brake adjustment 
indicators, speed-restricted tires, and motorcoach passenger seat mounting anchorages; 
and amend the periodic inspection rules to el iminate the option for motor carriers to use a 
violation--free roadside inspection report as proof of completing a comprehensive inspection at least once every 12 months. In addition, the Agency proposes to eliminate introductory text from Appendix G to the FMCSRs because the discussion of the differences 
between the North American Standard Inspection out-of-service criteria and FMCSA's 
periodic inspection criteria is unnecessary.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable: Protection of human health or safety  G/TBT/N/USA/1037 
 
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  8. Relevant documents: 80 Federal Register (FR) 60592, 7 October 2015; Title 49 Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 393 and 396. Will appear in the Federal Register when adopted 
9. Proposed date of adoption: To be determined 
Proposed date of entry into force: To be determined   
10. Final date for comments: 7 December 2015 
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachm ents/2015/TBT/USA/15_3993_00_e.pdf