80220 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 239 / Friday, December 11, 2020 / Notices 

please call (202) 366–9317 or (202) 366– 

9826 before visiting Dockets Operations. 

C. Privacy Act 

In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), 

DOT solicits comments from the public 

to better inform its rulemaking process. 

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 FDMS), which can be reviewed at 

www.transportation.gov/privacy. 

II. Background 

Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 

31315(b), FMCSA may grant an 

exemption from the FMCSRs for no 

longer than a 5-year period if it finds 

such exemption would likely achieve a 

level of safety that is equivalent to, or 

greater than, the level that would be 

achieved absent such exemption. The 

statute also allows the Agency to renew 

exemptions at the end of the 5-year 

period. FMCSA grants medical 

exemptions from the FMCSRs for a 2- 

year period to align with the maximum 

duration of a driver’s medical 

certification. 

The physical qualification standard 

for drivers regarding hearing found in 

49 CFR 391.41(b)(11) states that a 

person is physically qualified to drive a 

CMV if that person first perceives a 

forced whispered voice in the better ear 

at not less than 5 feet with or without 

the use of a hearing aid or, if tested by 

use of an audiometric device, does not 

have an average hearing loss in the 

better ear greater than 40 decibels at 500 

Hz, 1,000 Hz, and 2,000 Hz with or 

without a hearing aid when the 

audiometric device is calibrated to 

American National Standard (formerly 

ASA Standard) Z24.5—1951. 

This standard was adopted in 1970 

and was revised in 1971 to allow drivers 

to be qualified under this standard 

while wearing a hearing aid, 35 FR 

6458, 6463 (April 22, 1970) and 36 FR 

12857 (July 3, 1971). 

The 10 individuals listed in this 

notice have requested renewal of their 

exemptions from the hearing standard 

in § 391.41(b)(11), in accordance with 

FMCSA procedures. Accordingly, 

FMCSA has evaluated these 

applications for renewal on their merits 

and decided to extend each exemption 

for a renewable 2-year period. 

III. Request for Comments 

Interested parties or organizations 

possessing information that would 

otherwise show that any, or all, of these 

drivers are not currently achieving the 

statutory level of safety should 

immediately notify FMCSA. The 

Agency will evaluate any adverse 

evidence submitted and, if safety is 

being compromised or if continuation of 

the exemption would not be consistent 

with the goals and objectives of 49 

U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315(b), FMCSA 

will take immediate steps to revoke the 

exemption of a driver. 

IV. Basis for Renewing Exemptions 

In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) 

and 31315(b), each of the 10 applicants 

has satisfied the renewal conditions for 

obtaining an exemption from the 

hearing requirement. The 10 drivers in 

this notice remain in good standing with 

the Agency. In addition, for Commercial 

Driver’s License (CDL) holders, the 

Commercial Driver’s License 

Information System and the Motor 

Carrier Management Information System 

are searched for crash and violation 

data. For non-CDL holders, the Agency 

reviews the driving records from the 

State Driver’s Licensing Agency. These 

factors provide an adequate basis for 

predicting each driver’s ability to 

continue to safely operate a CMV in 

interstate commerce. Therefore, FMCSA 

concludes that extending the exemption 

for each of these drivers for a period of 

2 years is likely to achieve a level of 

safety equal to that existing without the 

exemption. 

As of December 16, 2020, and in 

accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 

31315(b), the following 10 individuals 

have satisfied the renewal conditions for 

obtaining an exemption from the 

hearing requirement in the FMCSRs for 

interstate CMV drivers: 

Joshua Cogan (MD) 

Ronald Cottrell (OR) 

Heath Focken (NE) 

Ahmed Gabr (NC) 

Daniel Hanson (PA) 

Arnold Hatton (DE) 

Donte Mason (TN) 

Taryn Peterson (IA) 

Greivin Salazar (CA) 

Eric Woods (MD) 

The drivers were included in docket 

number FMCSA–2018–0136. Their 

exemptions are applicable as of 

December 16, 2020, and will expire on 

December 16, 2022. 

V. Conditions and Requirements 

The exemptions are extended subject 

to the following conditions: (1) Each 

driver must report any crashes or 

accidents as defined in § 390.5; and (2) 

report all citations and convictions for 

disqualifying offenses under 49 CFR 383 

and 49 CFR 391 to FMCSA; and (3) each 

driver prohibited from operating a 

motorcoach or bus with passengers in 

interstate commerce. The driver must 

also have a copy of the exemption when 

driving, for presentation to a duly 

authorized Federal, State, or local 

enforcement official. In addition, the 

exemption does not exempt the 

individual from meeting the applicable 

CDL testing requirements. Each 

exemption will be valid for 2 years 

unless rescinded earlier by FMCSA. The 

exemption will be rescinded if: (1) The 

person fails to comply with the terms 

and conditions of the exemption; (2) the 

exemption has resulted in a lower level 

of safety than was maintained before it 

was granted; or (3) continuation of the 

exemption would not be consistent with 

the goals and objectives of 49 U.S.C. 

31136(e) and 31315(b). 

VI. Preemption 

During the period the exemption is in 

effect, no State shall enforce any law or 

regulation that conflicts with this 

exemption with respect to a person 

operating under the exemption. 

VII. Conclusion 

Based upon its evaluation of the 10 

exemption applications, FMCSA renews 

the exemptions of the aforementioned 

drivers from the hearing requirement in 

§ 391.41(b)(11). In accordance with 49 

U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315(b), each 

exemption will be valid for two years 

unless revoked earlier by FMCSA. 

Larry W. Minor, 

Associate Administrator for Policy. 

[FR Doc. 2020–27212 Filed 12–10–20; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration 

[Docket No. FMCSA–2020–0012] 

Qualification of Drivers; Exemption 

Applications; Vision 

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration (FMCSA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of final disposition. 

SUMMARY: FMCSA announces its 

decision to exempt five individuals 

from the vision requirement in the 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Regulations (FMCSRs) to operate a 

commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in 

interstate commerce. They are unable to 

meet the vision requirement in one eye 

for various reasons. The exemptions 

enable these individuals to operate 

CMVs in interstate commerce without 

meeting the vision requirement in one 

eye. 


jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 239 / Friday, December 11, 2020 / Notices 80221 

DATES: The exemptions were applicable 

on December 3, 2020. The exemptions 

expire on December 3, 2022. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Christine A. Hydock, Chief, Medical 

Programs Division, (202) 366–4001, 

fmcsamedical@dot.gov, FMCSA, 

Department of Transportation, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W64–224, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001. Office 

hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., ET, 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. If you have questions 

regarding viewing or submitting 

material to the docket, contact Dockets 

Operations, (202) 366–9826. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Public Participation 

A. Viewing Documents and Comments 

To view comments, as well as any 

documents mentioned in this notice as 

being available in the docket, go to 

http://www.regulations.gov/ 

docket?D=FMCSA-2020-0012 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. 

B. Privacy Act 

In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), 

DOT solicits comments from the public 

to better inform its rulemaking process. 

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 FDMS), which can be reviewed at 

www.transportation.gov/privacy. 

II. Background 

On November 2, 2020, FMCSA 

published a notice announcing receipt 

of applications from five individuals 

requesting an exemption from the vision 

requirement in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10) 

and requested comments from the 

public (85 FR 69382). The public 

comment period ended on December 2, 

2020, and one comment was received. 

FMCSA has evaluated the eligibility 

of these applicants and determined that 

granting the exemptions to these 

individuals would achieve a level of 

safety equivalent to, or greater than, the 

level that would be achieved by 

complying with § 391.41(b)(10). 

The physical qualification standard 

for drivers regarding vision found in 

§ 391.41(b)(10) states that a person is 

physically qualified to drive a CMV if 

that person has distant visual acuity of 

at least 20/40 (Snellen) in each eye 

without corrective lenses or visual 

acuity separately corrected to 20/40 

(Snellen) or better with corrective 

lenses, distant binocular acuity of a least 

20/40 (Snellen) in both eyes with or 

without corrective lenses, field of vision 

of at least 70° in the horizontal meridian 

in each eye, and the ability to recognize 

the colors of traffic signals and devices 

showing red, green, and amber. 

III. Discussion of Comments 

FMCSA received one comment in this 

proceeding. Tracy Ibinger submitted a 

comment stating that the Minnesota 

Department of Public Safety has no 

objections to the Agency’s decision to 

grant an exemption to Wesley D. Enkers. 

IV. Basis for Exemption Determination 

Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 

31315(b), FMCSA may grant an 

exemption from the FMCSRs for no 

longer than a 5-year period if it finds 

such exemption would likely achieve a 

level of safety that is equivalent to, or 

greater than, the level that would be 

achieved absent such exemption. The 

statute also allows the Agency to renew 

exemptions at the end of the 5-year 

period. FMCSA grants medical 

exemptions from the FMCSRs for a 2- 

year period to align with the maximum 

duration of a driver’s medical 

certification. 

The Agency’s decision regarding these 

exemption applications is based on 

medical reports about the applicants’ 

vision, as well as their driving records 

and experience driving with the vision 

deficiency. The qualifications, 

experience, and medical condition of 

each applicant were stated and 

discussed in detail in the November 2, 

2020, Federal Register notice (85 FR 

69382) and will not be repeated here. 

FMCSA recognizes that some drivers 

do not meet the vision requirement but 

have adapted their driving to 

accommodate their limitation and 

demonstrated their ability to drive 

safely. The five exemption applicants 

listed in this notice are in this category. 

They are unable to meet the vision 

requirement in one eye for various 

reasons, including amblyopia, 

chorioretinal scarring, optic neuropathy, 

and prosthesis. In most cases, their eye 

conditions did not develop recently. 

Three of the applicants were either born 

with their vision impairments or have 

had them since childhood. The two 

individuals that developed their vision 

conditions as adults have had them for 

a range of 8 to 11 years. Although each 

applicant has one eye that does not meet 

the vision requirement in 

§ 391.41(b)(10), each has at least 20/40 

corrected vision in the other eye, and, 

in a doctor’s opinion, has sufficient 

vision to perform all the tasks necessary 

to operate a CMV. 

Doctors’ opinions are supported by 

the applicants’ possession of a valid 

license to operate a CMV. By meeting 

State licensing requirements, the 

applicants demonstrated their ability to 

operate a CMV with their limited vision 

in intrastate commerce, even though 

their vision disqualified them from 

driving in interstate commerce. We 

believe that the applicants’ intrastate 

driving experience and history provide 

an adequate basis for predicting their 

ability to drive safely in interstate 

commerce. Intrastate driving, like 

interstate operations, involves 

substantial driving on highways on the 

interstate system and on other roads 

built to interstate standards. Moreover, 

driving in congested urban areas 

exposes the driver to more pedestrian 

and vehicular traffic than exists on 

interstate highways. Faster reaction to 

traffic and traffic signals is generally 

required because distances between 

them are more compact. These 

conditions tax visual capacity and 

driver response just as intensely as 

interstate driving conditions. 

The applicants in this notice have 

driven CMVs with their limited vision 

in careers ranging for 8 to 50 years. In 

the past 3 years, no drivers were 

involved in crashes, and no drivers were 

convicted of moving violations in 

CMVs. All the applicants achieved a 

record of safety while driving with their 

vision impairment that demonstrates the 

likelihood that they have adapted their 

driving skills to accommodate their 

condition. As the applicants’ ample 

driving histories with their vision 

deficiencies are good predictors of 

future performance, FMCSA concludes 

their ability to drive safely can be 

projected into the future. 

Consequently, FMCSA finds that in 

each case exempting these applicants 

from the vision requirement in 

§ 391.41(b)(10) is likely to achieve a 

level of safety equal to that existing 

without the exemption. 

V. Conditions and Requirements 

The terms and conditions of the 

exemption are provided to the 

applicants in the exemption document 

and includes the following: (1) Each 

driver must be physically examined 

every year (a) by an ophthalmologist or 

optometrist who attests that the vision 


jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
80222 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 239 / Friday, December 11, 2020 / Notices 

in the better eye continues to meet the 

standard in § 391.41(b)(10) and (b) by a 

certified medical examiner (ME) who 

attests that the individual is otherwise 

physically qualified under § 391.41; (2) 

each driver must provide a copy of the 

ophthalmologist’s or optometrist’s 

report to the ME at the time of the 

annual medical examination; and (3) 

each driver must provide a copy of the 

annual medical certification to the 

employer for retention in the driver’s 

qualification file, or keep a copy in his/ 

her driver’s qualification file if he/she is 

self-employed. The driver must also 

have a copy of the exemption when 

driving, for presentation to a duly 

authorized Federal, State, or local 

enforcement official. 

VI. Preemption 

During the period the exemption is in 

effect, no State shall enforce any law or 

regulation that conflicts with this 

exemption with respect to a person 

operating under the exemption. 

VII. Conclusion 

Based upon its evaluation of the five 

exemption applications, FMCSA 

exempts the following drivers from the 

vision requirement, § 391.41(b)(10), 

subject to the requirements cited above: 

Wesley D. Enkers (MN) 

Michael J. Jewell (CO) 

Anthony G. Offutt (OR) 

Joseph Sottile (IL) 

Michael Westervelt (MT) 

In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) 

and 31315(b), each exemption will be 

valid for 2 years from the effective date 

unless revoked earlier by FMCSA. The 

exemption will be revoked if the 

following occurs: (1) The person fails to 

comply with the terms and conditions 

of the exemption; (2) the exemption has 

resulted in a lower level of safety than 

was maintained prior to being granted; 

or (3) continuation of the exemption 

would not be consistent with the goals 

and objectives of 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 

31315(b). 

Larry W. Minor, 

Associate Administrator for Policy. 

[FR Doc. 2020–27215 Filed 12–10–20; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration 

[Docket No. FMCSA–2020–0052] 

Qualification of Drivers; Exemption 

Applications; Epilepsy and Seizure 

Disorders 

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration (FMCSA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of applications for 

exemption; request for comments. 

SUMMARY: FMCSA announces receipt of 

applications from three individuals for 

an exemption from the prohibition in 

the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Regulations (FMCSRs) against persons 

with a clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or 

any other condition that is likely to 

cause a loss of consciousness or any loss 

of ability to control a commercial motor 

vehicle (CMV) to drive in interstate 

commerce. If granted, the exemptions 

would enable these individuals who 

have had one or more seizures and are 

taking anti-seizure medication to 

operate CMVs in interstate commerce. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before January 11, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

identified by the Federal Docket 

Management System (FDMS) Docket No. 

FMCSA–2020–0052 using any of the 

following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov/

docket?D=FMCSA-2020-0052. Follow 

the online instructions for submitting 

comments. 

• Mail: Dockets Operations; U.S. 

Department of Transportation, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building 

Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001. 

• Hand Delivery: West Building 

Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, 

DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., ET, 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

Holidays. 

• Fax: (202) 493–2251. 

To avoid duplication, please use only 

one of these four methods. See the 

‘‘Public Participation’’ portion of the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for 

instructions on submitting comments. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Christine A. Hydock, Chief, Medical 

Programs Division, (202) 366–4001, 

fmcsamedical@dot.gov, FMCSA, 

Department of Transportation, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W64–224, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001. Office 

hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., ET, 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. If you have questions 

regarding viewing or submitting 

material to the docket, contact Dockets 

Operations, (202) 366–9826. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Public Participation 

A. Submitting Comments 

If you submit a comment, please 

include the docket number for this 

notice (Docket No. FMCSA–2020–0052), 

indicate the specific section of this 

document to which each 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 that FMCSA can contact you if there 

are questions regarding your 

submission. 

To submit your comment online, go to 

http://www.regulations.gov/

docket?D=FMCSA-2020-0052. 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 81⁄2 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. 

B. Viewing Documents and Comments 

To view comments, as well as any 

documents mentioned in this notice as 

being available in the docket, go to 

http://www.regulations.gov/

docket?D=FMCSA-2020-0052 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. 


jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES