. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/USA/164/Add.1 
6 August 2009  
 (09-3813) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION  
 
Addendum
 
  
 The following communication, dated 30 July 2009, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of United States
.  
 
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TITLE:  Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Air Brake Systems; Final Rule  AGENCY:  Department of Transportation, Na tional Highway Traffic Safety Administration 
 ACTION:  Final Rule 
 
SUMMARY:  This document amends the Federal motor vehicle safety standard on air brake systems 
to improve the stopping distance performance of truck tractors. The rule requires the vast majority of 
new heavy truck tractors to achieve a 30 percent re duction in stopping distance compared to currently 
required levels. For these heavy truck tractors (approxi mately 99 percent of the fleet), the amended 
standard requires those vehicles to stop in not more than 250 feet when loaded to their gross vehicle 
weight rating (GVWR) and tested at a speed of 60 miles per hour (mph). For a small number of very heavy severe service tractors, the stopping distan ce requirement will be 310 feet under these same 
conditions. In addition, this final rule requires that  all heavy truck tractors must stop within 235 feet 
when loaded to their light ly loaded vehicle weight  (LLVW).    The purpose of these amendments is to 
reduce the number of fatalities and injuries assoc iated with crashes involving tractor-trailer 
combinations and other vehicles. In addition, we an ticipate that this rule will prevent a substantial 
amount of property damage through averting or l essening the severity of crashes involving these 
vehicles. Once all subject heavy truck tractors on  the road are equipped with enhanced braking 
systems, we estimate that annually, approximately  227 lives will be saved and 300 serious injuries 
will be prevented. In addition, this final rule is expected to prevent over $169 million in property 
damage annually, an amount which alone is expected to exceed the total cost of the rule.    There are a 
number of simple and effective manufacturing solutions that vehicle manufacturers can use to meet the requirements of this final rule. These solutions include installation of enhanced drum brakes, air 
disc brakes, or hybrid disc/drum systems. We note that currently a number of vehicles in the commercial fleet already utilize these improved braki ng systems and already realize performance that 
would meet the requirements of the amended standard. Includes responses to public review 
comments.  DATES:  Effective 24 November 2009.  Compliance Date: Three-axle tractors with a GVWR of 
59,600 pounds or less must meet the reduced stoppi ng distance requirements specified in this final 
rule by 1 August 2011. Two-axle tractors and tract ors with a GVWR above 59,600 pounds must meet 
the reduced stopping distance requireme nts specified in this final rule by 1 August 2013.  Petitions for 
reconsideration must be received by NH TSA not later than 10 September 2009. G/TBT/N/USA/164/Add.1 
Page 2  
 
   
For further information contact:    Mr. Jeff Woods Office of Crash Avoidance Standards  
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 
U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 USA T:  202-366-6206 
Fax: 202-366-7002 
Email: jwoods@nhtsa.dot.gov  Full text at: http://edocket.access.gpo. gov/2009/E9-17533.htm
 
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-17533.pdf  
     
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