[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 231 (Tuesday, December 1, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77336-77337]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-26477]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2020-0196]


Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation; Application 
for an Exemption From Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLCr

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of application for exemption; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA requests public comment on an application for exemption 
from Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems (Bendix) to allow its advanced 
vehicle safety systems, which are equipped with cameras, to be mounted 
lower in the windshield on commercial motor vehicles than is currently 
permitted.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 31, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Docket Number FMCSA-
2020-0196 using any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=FMCSA-2020-0196. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
    <bullet> Mail: Docket Operations, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    <bullet> Hand Delivery or Courier: Dockets Operations, U.S. 
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, 
Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001, between 9 a.m. 
and 5 p.m., ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. To be 
sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 366-9317 or (202) 
366-9826 before visiting Dockets Operations.
    <bullet> Fax: (202) 493-2251.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jos[eacute] R. Cestero, Vehicle 
and Roadside Operations Division, Office of Carrier, Driver, and 
Vehicle Safety, MC-PSV, (202) 366-5541, Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001. 
If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, 
call Dockets Operations at (202) 366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Public Participation and Request for Comments

    FMCSA encourages you to participate by submitting comments and 
related materials.

Submitting Comments

    If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this 
notice (FMCSA 2020-0196), indicate the specific section of this 
document to which the comment applies, and provide a reason for each 
suggestion or recommendation. You may submit your comments and material 
online or by fax, mail, or hand delivery, but please use only one of 
these means. FMCSA recommends that you include your name and a mailing 
address, an email address, or a phone number in the body of your 
document so FMCSA can

[[Page 77337]]

contact you if there are questions regarding your submission.
    To submit your comment online, go to www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=FMCSA-2020-0196, click on the ``Comment Now!'' button 
and type your comment into the text box on the following screen. Choose 
whether you are submitting your comment as an individual or on behalf 
of a third party and then submit.
    If you submit your comments by mail or hand delivery, submit them 
in an unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for 
copying and electronic filing. If you submit comments by mail and would 
like to know that they reached the facility, please enclose a stamped, 
self-addressed postcard or envelope.
    FMCSA will consider all comments and material received during the 
comment period.

Viewing Comments and Documents

    To view comments, as well as any documents mentioned in this 
preamble as being available in the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=FMCSA-2020-196 and choose the 
document to review. If you do not have access to the internet, you may 
view the docket online by visiting Dockets Operations in Room W12-140 
on the ground floor of the DOT West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue 
SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., ET, Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays. To be sure someone is there to 
help you, please call (202) 366-9317 or (202) 366-9826 before visiting 
Dockets Operations.

Privacy Act

    DOT solicits comments from the public to better inform its 
rulemaking process, in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c). DOT posts these 
comments, without edit, including any personal information the 
commenter provides, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the system 
of records notice (DOT/ALL 14--Federal Docket Management System), which 
can be reviewed at www.transportation.gov/privacy.

II. Legal Basis

    FMCSA has authority under 49 U.S.C. 31315(b) to grant exemptions 
from certain parts of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations 
(FMCSRs). FMCSA must publish a notice of each exemption request in the 
Federal Register (49 CFR 381.315(a)). The Agency must provide the 
public an opportunity to inspect the information relevant to the 
application, including any safety analyses that have been conducted. 
The Agency must also provide an opportunity for public comment on the 
request. The Agency reviews the safety analyses and the public comments 
and determines whether granting the exemption would likely achieve a 
level of safety equivalent to or greater than the level that would be 
achieved by the current regulation (49 CFR 381.305). The decision of 
the Agency must be published in the Federal Register (49 CFR 
381.315(b)). If the Agency denies the request, it must state the reason 
for doing so. If the decision is to grant the exemption, the notice 
must specify the person or class of persons receiving the exemption and 
the regulatory provision or provisions from which an exemption is 
granted. The notice must specify the effective period of the exemption 
(up to 5 years) and explain the terms and conditions of the exemption. 
The exemption may be renewed (49 CFR 381.315(c) and 49 CFR 381.300(b)).

Bendix's Application for Exemption

    The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations require devices 
meeting the definition of ``vehicle safety technology'' to be mounted 
(1) not more than 4 inches below the upper edge of the area swept by 
the windshield wipers, or (2) not more than 7 inches above the lower 
edge of the area swept by the windshield wipers, and outside the 
driver's sight lines to the road and highway signs and signals. Bendix 
has applied for an exemption from 49 CFR 393.60(e)(1) to allow its 
Bendix camera(s) with safety technologies to be mounted lower in the 
windshield than is currently permitted. A copy of the exemption 
application is included in the docket referenced at the beginning of 
this notice.

Request for Comments

    In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31315(b)(6), FMCSA requests public 
comment from all interested persons on Bendix's application for an 
exemption from 49 CFR 393.60(e)(1). All comments received before the 
close of business on the comment closing date indicated at the 
beginning of this notice will be considered and will be available for 
examination in the docket at the location listed under the ADDRESSES 
section of this notice. Comments received after the comment closing 
date will be filed in the public docket and will be considered to the 
extent practicable. In addition to late comments, FMCSA will also 
continue to file, in the public docket, relevant information that 
becomes available after the comment closing date. Interested persons 
should continue to examine the public docket for new material.

Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2020-26477 Filed 11-30-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P