Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 14, 2023 / Notices 78093 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Transit Administration 

Notice of Meeting of the Transit 

Advisory Committee for Safety 

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, 

Department of Transportation. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Federal Transit 

Administration (FTA) announces a 

public meeting of the Transit Advisory 

Committee for Safety (TRACS). 

DATES: The TRACS meeting will be held 

on December 6, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 

5:00 p.m., and December 7, 2023, from 

10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time. 

This will be a hybrid meeting, taking 

place both in person at the U.S. 

Department of Transportation (DOT) 

Headquarters and virtually via Zoom for 

Government. Requests to attend the 

meeting in person or virtually must be 

received no later than November 29, 

2023. Requests for disability 

accommodations must be received no 

later than November 29, 2023. Requests 

to verbally address the committee 

during the meeting must be submitted 

with a written copy of the remarks to 

DOT no later than November 29, 2023. 

Requests to submit written materials to 

be reviewed during the meeting must be 

received no later than November 29, 

2023. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in 

person at DOT Headquarters, 1200 New 

Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, District 

of Columbia, 20590 and virtually via 

Zoom for Government. Any committee 

related requests should be sent by email 

to TRACS@dot.gov. The virtual 

meeting’s online access link and a 

detailed agenda will be provided upon 

registration. They will also be posted on 

the TRACS web page at: https://

www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-andguidance/safety/transit-advisorycommittee-safety-tracs one week in 

advance of the meeting. A copy of the 

meeting minutes and other TRACS 

related information will also be 

available on the TRACS web page. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Joseph DeLorenzo, TRACS Designated 

Federal Officer, Associate 

Administrator, FTA Office of Transit 

Safety and Oversight, 

Joseph.DeLorenzo@dot.gov; or Bridget 

Zamperini, TRACS Program Manager, 

FTA Office of Transit Safety and 

Oversight, (202) 366–0306, or TRACS@

dot.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

notice is provided in accordance with 

the Federal Advisory Committee Act 

(FACA) (Pub. L. 92–463, 5 U.S.C. app. 

2). TRACS is composed of up to 25 

members representing a broad base of 

perspectives on transit safety necessary 

to discharge its responsibilities. Please 

see the TRACS web page for additional 

information at https://www.transit.

dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/ 

safety/transit-advisory-committeesafety-tracs. 

I. Background 

The U.S. Secretary of Transportation 

(Secretary) established TRACS in 

accordance with FACA to provide 

information, advice, and 

recommendations to the Secretary and 

FTA Administrator on matters relating 

to the safety of public transportation 

systems. 

II. Agenda 

• Welcome Remarks and Introductions 

• Overview of Hybrid Meeting Platform 

Functions 

• Review of Recommendations: 

Reducing Bus Collisions 

• Review of Recommendations: 

Advancing Rider and Worker Safety 

• Review of Recommendations: Cyber 

and Data Security Systems 

• Public Comments 

• Summary of Deliverables, Next Steps, 

and Concluding Remarks 

III. Public Participation 

The in-person attendance option will 

be open to the public on a first come, 

first served basis, as space is limited. 

Members of the public who wish to 

attend in-person are asked to register via 

email by submitting their name and 

affiliation to the email address listed in 

the ADDRESSES section. The virtual 

attendance option does not have 

restrictions. Members of the public who 

wish to attend virtually also are asked 

to register via email by submitting their 

name and affiliation to the email 

address listed in the ADDRESSES section. 

DOT is committed to providing equal 

access to this meeting for all 

participants. If you need alternative 

formats or services because of a 

disability, such as sign language, 

interpretation, or other ancillary aids, 

please contact the email address listed 

in the ADDRESSES section. 

There will be a total of 60 minutes 

allotted for oral comments from 

members of the public at the meeting. 

To accommodate as many speakers as 

possible, the time for each commenter 

may be limited. Individuals wishing to 

reserve speaking time during the 

meeting must submit a request at the 

time of registration, to include the 

individual’s name, address, and 

organizational affiliation to the email 

address listed in the ADDRESSES section. 

Written and oral comments for 

consideration by TRACS during the 

meeting must be submitted no later than 

the deadline listed in the DATES section 

to ensure transmission to TRACS 

members prior to the meeting. 

Comments received after that date will 

be distributed to the members but may 

not be reviewed prior to the meeting. 

Joseph P. DeLorenzo, 

Associate Administrator for Transit Safety 

and Oversight. 

[FR Doc. 2023–25090 Filed 11–13–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–57–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

National Highway Traffic Safety 

Administration 

[Docket No. NHTSA–2023–0018] 

Beat the Street Interiors, Inc.—Grant of 

Petition for Temporary Exemption 

From Shoulder Belt Requirement for 

Side-Facing Seats on Motorcoaches 

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic 

Safety Administration (NHTSA), 

Department of Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of grant of petition for 

temporary exemption. 

SUMMARY: This notice grants the petition 

of Beat the Street Interiors, Inc. (‘‘BTS’’) 

for a temporary exemption from a 

shoulder belt requirement of Federal 

Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 

No. 208, ‘‘Occupant crash protection,’’ 

for side-facing seats on motorcoaches. 

This grant permits the petitioner to 

install Type 1 seat belts (lap belt only) 

at side-facing seating positions instead 

of the Type 2 seat belts (lap and 

shoulder belts) required by FMVSS No. 

208. After reviewing the petition, the 

agency has determined that the 

requested exemption is warranted to 

enable the petitioner to sell a vehicle 

whose overall level of safety or impact 

protection is at least equal to that of a 

nonexempted vehicle. 

DATES: This exemption applies to the 

petitioner’s motorcoaches produced 

from November 14, 2023 until 

November 14, 2025. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Callie Roach, Office of the Chief 

Counsel, NCC–200, National Highway 

Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New 

Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC, 

20590. Telephone: 202–366–2992; Fax: 

202–366–3820. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
78094 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 14, 2023 / Notices 

1 49 CFR 1.95. 

2 49 CFR 555.5(b)(5) and 555.5(b)(7). 

3 555.8(b) and 555.8(e). 

4 78 FR 70415 (November 25, 2013); response to 

petitions for reconsideration, 81 FR 19902 (April 6, 

2016). The final rule became effective November 28, 

2016 for buses manufactured in a single stage, and 

a year later for buses manufactured in more than 

one stage. The requirement is found at FMVSS No. 

208 S4.4.5.1.2(c). 

5 75 FR at 50971. 

6 75 FR at 50971–50972. 

7http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/automotive/ 

projects/safety_consid_long_stg.pdf. 

8MAP–21 states at § 32702(6) that ‘‘the term 

‘motorcoach’ has the meaning given the term ‘overthe-road bus’ in section 3038(a)(3) of the 

Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (49 

U.S.C. 5310 note), but does not include a bus used 

in public transportation provided by, or on behalf 

of, a public transportation agency; or a school bus, 

including a multifunction school activity bus.’’ 

Section 3038(a)(3) (49 U.S.C. 5310 note) states: 

‘‘The term ‘over-the-road bus’ means a bus 

characterized by an elevated passenger deck located 

over a baggage compartment.’’ 

9For side-facing seats on buses other than OTRBs, 

in the final rule NHTSA permitted either lap or lap/ 

shoulder belts at the manufacturer’s option. 

10 78 FR at 70448, quoting from the agency’s 

Anton’s Law final rule which required lap/shoulder 

belts in forward-facing rear seating positions of light 

vehicles, 59 FR 70907. 

11Fildes, B., Digges, K., ‘‘Occupant Protection in 

Far Side Crashes,’’ Monash University Accident 

Research Center, Report No. 294, April 2010, pg. 57. 

12 78 FR at 70448. 

13 Id. 

14The petition is similar to petitions for 

temporary exemption NHTSA received from 14 

other final stage manufacturers on the same 

shoulder belt requirement of FMVSS No. 208 for 

side-facing seats on entertainer buses. The first 

petition was submitted by Hemphill Brothers 

I. Relevant Legal Authority and 

Regulations 

a. Statutory Authority for Temporary 

Exemptions 

The National Traffic and Motor 

Vehicle Safety Act (Safety Act), codified 

as 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301, provides the 

Secretary of Transportation authority to 

exempt, on a temporary basis, under 

specified circumstances, and on terms 

the Secretary considers appropriate, 

motor vehicles from a motor vehicle 

safety standard or bumper standard. 

This authority is set forth in 49 U.S.C. 

30113. The Secretary has delegated the 

authority for implementing this section 

to NHTSA.1

NHTSA established 49 CFR part 555, 

Temporary Exemption from Motor 

Vehicle Safety and Bumper Standards, 

to implement the statutory provisions 

concerning temporary exemptions. 

Under Part 555 subpart A, a vehicle 

manufacturer seeking an exemption 

must submit a petition for exemption 

containing specified information. 

Among other things, the petition must 

set forth (a) the reasons why granting 

the exemption would be in the public 

interest and consistent with the 

objectives of the Safety Act, and (b) 

information showing that the 

manufacturer satisfies one of four bases 

for an exemption.2 The petitioner is 

applying on the basis that compliance 

with the standard would prevent the 

manufacturer from selling a motor 

vehicle with an overall safety level at 

least equal to the overall safety level of 

nonexempt vehicles (see 49 CFR 

555.6(d)). A manufacturer is eligible for 

an exemption on this basis only if 

NHTSA determines the exemption is for 

not more than 2,500 vehicles to be sold 

in the U.S. in any 12-month period. An 

exemption on this basis may be granted 

for not more than two years but may be 

renewed upon reapplication.3

b. Seat Belt Requirements for Over-theRoad Buses in FMVSS No. 208 

On November 25, 2013, NHTSA 

published a final rule amending FMVSS 

No. 208 to require seat belts for each 

passenger seating position in all new 

over-the-road buses (OTRBs) (regardless 

of gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR)), 

and all other buses with GVWRs greater 

than 11,793 kilograms (kg) (26,000 

pounds (lbs.)) (with certain 

exclusions).4

In the notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM) preceding the final rule (75 FR 

50958, August 18, 2010), NHTSA 

proposed to permit manufacturers the 

option of installing either a Type 1 (lap 

belt) or a Type 2 (lap and shoulder belt) 

on side-facing seats.5 The proposed 

option was consistent with a provision 

in FMVSS No. 208 that allows lap belts 

for side-facing seats on buses with a 

GVWR of 4,536 kg (10,000 lbs.) or less. 

NHTSA proposed the option because 

the agency was unaware of any 

demonstrable increase in associated 

risks using lap belts when compared to 

using lap and shoulder belts on sidefacing seats. In the NPRM, NHTSA 

noted that 6 ‘‘a study commissioned by 

the European Commission regarding 

side-facing seats on minibuses and 

motorcoaches found that due to 

different seat belt designs, crash modes 

and a lack of real-world data, it cannot 

be determined whether a lap belt or a 

lap/shoulder belt would be the most 

effective.’’ 7

However, after the NPRM was 

published, the Motorcoach Enhanced 

Safety Act of 2012 was enacted as part 

of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 

21st Century Act (MAP–21), Public Law 

112–141 (July 6, 2012). Section 32703(a) 

of MAP–21 directed the Secretary of 

Transportation (authority delegated to 

NHTSA) to ‘‘prescribe regulations 

requiring safety belts to be installed in 

motorcoaches at each designated seating 

position.’’ 8 As MAP–21 defined ‘‘safety 

belt’’ to mean an integrated lap and 

shoulder belt, the final rule amended 

FMVSS No. 208 to require lap and 

shoulder belts at all designated seating 

positions, including side-facing seats, 

on OTRBs.9

Even as it did so, however, the agency 

reiterated its view that ‘‘the addition of 

a shoulder belt at [side-facing seats on 

light vehicles] is of limited value, given 

the paucity of data related to side facing 

seats.’’ 10 NHTSA also reiterated that 

there have been concerns expressed in 

literature about shoulder belts on sidefacing seats, noting in the final rule that, 

although the agency has no direct 

evidence that shoulder belts may cause 

serious neck injuries when applied to 

side-facing seats, there are simulation 

data indicative of potential carotid 

artery injury when the neck is loaded by 

the shoulder belt.11 The agency also 

noted that Australian Design Rule ADR 

5/04, ‘‘Anchorages for Seatbelts,’’ 

specifically prohibits shoulder belts for 

side-facing seats. 

Given that background, and believing 

there would be few side-facing seats on 

OTRBs, NHTSA stated in the November 

2013 final rule that manufacturers may 

petition NHTSA for a temporary 

exemption under 49 CFR part 555 to 

install lap belts instead of lap and 

shoulder belts at side-facing seats.12

NHTSA further explained that a 

manufacturer could seek such an 

exemption on the basis that the 

applicant is otherwise unable to sell a 

vehicle whose overall level of safety is 

at least equal to that of an non-exempted 

vehicle, stating that the agency would 

be receptive to an argument that, for 

side-facing seats, lap belts provide an 

equivalent level of safety to lap and 

shoulder belts.13

II. Petition From BTS 

In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 30113 

and the procedures in 49 CFR part 555, 

BTS, a final-stage manufacturer of 

entertainer motorcoaches, submitted a 

petition on September 13, 2022, asking 

NHTSA for a temporary exemption from 

the shoulder belt requirement of FMVSS 

No. 208 for side-facing seats on its 

vehicles. The petitioner seeks to install 

Type 1 seat belts (lap belt only) at sidefacing seating positions, instead of Type 

2 seat belts (lap and shoulder belts) as 

required by FMVSS No. 208. The basis 

for the petition is that compliance 

would prevent the petitioner from 

selling a motor vehicle with an overall 

safety level at least equal to the overall 

safety level of nonexempt vehicles (49 

CFR 555.6(d)).14


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 14, 2023 / Notices 78095 

Leasing Company, LLC (Hemphill). (Notice of 

receipt of petition, 84 FR 11735 (March 28, 2019); 

notice of grant of petition, 84 FR 61966 (November 

14, 2019)). Later, NHTSA granted 13 additional 

petitions submitted by All Access Coach Leasing 

LLC, Amadas Coach, Creative Mobile Interiors, D&S 

Classic Coach Inc., Farber Specialty Vehicles, 

Florida Coach, Inc., Geomarc, Inc., Integrity 

Interiors LLC, Nitetrain Coach Company, Inc., 

Pioneer Coach Interiors LLC, Roberts Brothers 

Coach Company, Russell Coachworks LLC, and 

Ultra Coach Inc. (Notice of receipt of the petitions, 

85 FR 51550 (August 20, 2022); notice of grant of 

petitions, 87 FR 33299 (June 1, 2022)). 

15The petition describes the bus shell as 

generally containing the following components: 

exterior frame; driver’s seat; dash cluster, 

speedometer, emissions light and emissions 

diagnosis connector; exterior lighting, headlights, 

marker lights, turn signals lights, and brake lights; 

exterior glass, windshield and side lights with 

emergency exits; windshield wiper system; braking 

system; tires, tire pressure monitoring system and 

suspension; and engine and transmission. 

16BTS petition at page 2. 

17 Id. 

18 Id. 

19 Id. at pages 3–5. 

20 Id. at page 2. 

21 Id. at page 5. 

22 Id. at page 6. 

23 Id. 

24 Id. 

25 Id. 

26 Id. 

27 Id. 

28 Id. at page 7. 

29 88 FR 25445. 

30 75 FR 50958 at pages 50971–72 (August 18, 

2010). 

31 78 FR 7041 at pages 70447–48. 

32 78 FR 7041 at pages 70447–48 

A copy of the petition has been placed 

in the docket listed in the heading of 

this notice. To view the petition, go to 

http://www.regulations.gov and enter 

the docket number in the heading. 

c. Brief Overview of the Petition 

BTS states that it is a final-stage 

manufacturer of over-the-road buses and 

customizes motorcoaches to meet the 

needs of its entertainer clients and other 

specialized customers. BTS states that it 

typically receives a bus shell 15 from a 

manufacturer of incomplete vehicles 

and then builds out the complete 

interior of the vehicle.16 The petitioner 

states that the motorcoaches it 

completes are primarily used for touring 

artists and their crews.17 BTS states that 

it is a small business and expects to 

manufacture no more than 14 vehicles 

during the exemption period.18

Pursuant to 49 CFR 555.6(d), an 

application must provide ‘‘[a] detailed 

analysis of how the vehicle provides the 

overall level of safety or impact 

protection at least equal to that of 

nonexempt vehicles.’’ 

BTS reiterates the agency’s discussion 

from the August 2010 NPRM and 

November 2013 seat belt final rule, 

summarized above.19 BTS also 

references the 14 petitions that NHTSA 

has granted to other similar 

manufacturers.20 BTS states that 

NHTSA has not conducted testing on 

the impact or injuries to passengers in 

side-facing seats in motorcoaches, so 

‘‘there is no available credible data that 

supports requiring a Type 2 belt at the 

side-facing seating positions.’’ 21 BTS 

states that it believes that if not 

exempted from the requirement, BTS 

will be required to offer its customers ‘‘a 

motorcoach with a safety feature that 

could make the occupants less safe, or 

certainly at least no more safe, than if 

the feature was not installed.’’ 22

Pursuant to 49 CFR 555.5(b)(7), a 

petitioner must state why granting an 

exemption allowing it to install Type 1 

instead of Type 2 seat belts in sidefacing seats would be in the public 

interest and consistent with the 

objectives of the Safety Act. 

The petitioner states that granting an 

exemption would enable it to sell 

vehicles with Type 1 lap belts on its 

side-facing seats.23 BTS further states 

that granting this petition will provide 

relief to a small business.24

Additionally, because this petition 

follows NHTSA’s grant of 14 similar 

petitions, BTS states that granting this 

exemption will assist in providing a 

consistent, objective standard that is 

easy for manufacturers to understand 

and meet.25

BTS also states its belief that 

providing Type 1 belts at side-facing 

seats is consistent with the objectives of 

the Safety Act because it allows the 

manufacturer to determine the best 

approach to motor vehicle safety 

depending on the intended use of the 

vehicle and its overall design, and is 

consistent with current analysis of the 

NHTSA and the European Commission 

that indicates no demonstrable 

difference in risk between the two types 

of belts when installed in sidewaysfacing seats.26

In support of its petition, BTS also 

states that it produces only a small 

number of motorcoaches annually, 

expecting to manufacture only about 14 

motorcoaches under the period of 

exemption, well below the limit of 2,500 

vehicles.27

The petitioner also indicates that it 

expects to seek to renew this exemption, 

if granted, at the end of the exemption 

period.28

III. Receipt Notice Seeking Comments 

On April 26, 2023, NHTSA published 

a notice of receipt of the petition for 

temporary exemption from BTS and 

requested comment on the petition.29

No comments were received. 

IV. Agency Analysis and Decision 

The agency grants the petition. This 

grant will allow the petitioner to sell a 

vehicle whose overall level of safety or 

impact protection is at least equal to 

that of a nonexempted vehicle. 

In the rulemaking implementing 

MAP–21’s mandate for seat belts on 

motorcoaches, NHTSA’s proposal in the 

NPRM was to allow manufacturers an 

option of installing Type 1 (lap belt) or 

Type 2 (lap and shoulder belt) on sidefacing seats. The proposed option was 

consistent with a provision in FMVSS 

No. 208 that allows lap belts for sidefacing seats on buses with a GVWR of 

4,536 kg (10,000 lbs.) or less. NHTSA 

proposed the option because the agency 

was unaware of any demonstrable 

increase in associated risk of lap belts 

compared to lap and shoulder belts on 

side-facing seats.30 The agency believed 

that lap belts were as protective as lap 

and shoulder belts on side-facing seats. 

NHTSA continues to believe this to be 

true.31

The petitioner cited discussion of 

safety concerns about the shoulder belt 

portion of a lap and shoulder belt on 

side-facing seats. However, it did not 

provide any additional information 

about the potential for ‘‘serious injury’’ 

beyond reciting what NHTSA stated on 

the matter in the November 2013 final 

rule. Accordingly, NHTSA believes that 

the potential safety risk at issue is 

theoretical; as explained in the 

November 2013 final rule,32 and the 

agency cannot affirmatively conclude, 

based on available information, that 

shoulder belts on side-facing seats are 

associated with a demonstrated risk of 

serious neck injuries in frontal crashes. 

At the same time, NHTSA believes a 

shoulder belt is of limited value on sidefacing seats for the reasons explained in 

the final rule. Given the uncertainties 

about shoulder belts on side-facing 

seats, the few side-facing seats there are 

on buses subject to the November 2013 

final rule, and that FMVSS No. 208 does 

not require shoulder belts on side-facing 

seats on any other vehicle type, NHTSA 

is granting the petition for temporary 

exemption. 

The grant will permit the petitioner to 

install Type 1 seat belts (lap belt only) 

at side-facing seating positions, instead 

of Type 2 seat belts (lap and shoulder 

belts) at those positions, on the OTRBs 

it manufactures. This exemption does 

not apply to forward-facing designated 

seating positions on the petitioner’s 

vehicles. Under FMVSS No. 208, the 

forward-facing seating positions must 

have Type 2 lap and shoulder belts. 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
78096 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 14, 2023 / Notices 

33According to 13 CFR 121.201, the Small 

Business Administration’s size standards 

regulations used to define small business concerns, 

manufacturers of these buses fall under North 

American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 

No. 336213, Motor Home Manufacturing, which has 

a size standard of 1,250 employees or fewer. 

34 49 CFR 555.9(c)(2) refers to § 567.5(c)(7)(iii) as 

the regulation setting forth the certification 

statement final-stage manufacturers are to use in 

their certification labels. That reference to 

§ 567.5(c)(7)(iii) is outdated; it should be to 

§ 567.5(d)(2)(v)(A). The certification label 

requirements for final-stage manufacturers formerly 

were in § 567(c)(7)(iii) but the requirements were 

moved to § 567.5(d)(2)(v)(A) (see, 70 FR 7433; 

February 14, 2005). 

NHTSA believes that granting the 

petitioner’s exemption request is 

consistent with the public interest. The 

exemption will enable the applicant to 

sell buses whose overall level of safety 

is at least equal to that of non-exempted 

vehicles. Further, we acknowledge that 

the petitioner is a small business as 

defined in 13 CFR 121.201 33 Thus, this 

temporary exemption not only permits 

the manufacturer to sell vehicles whose 

overall level of safety is at least equal to 

that of non-exempted vehicles, but also 

provides relief to a small business. 

A grant is consistent with the Safety 

Act. The requested exemption will not 

impact motor vehicle safety because the 

exempted buses will provide overall 

safety at least equal to that of 

nonexempted buses. Further, the 

petitioner produces a small number of 

affected vehicles annually. The 

petitioner stated that it expects to 

produce no more than 14 affected 

vehicles during the exemption period. 

Thus, NHTSA concludes that the 

petitioner will manufacture very few 

vehicles relative to the 2,500 per 

manufacturer limit set forth in the 

Safety Act and 49 CFR 555.6(d)(4). 

Further, as explained below, in 

accordance with 49 CFR 555.9 and 

§ 30113(h) of the Safety Act, prospective 

purchasers will also be notified of the 

exemption prior to making their 

purchasing decisions. The vehicles must 

have a label notifying prospective 

purchasers that the vehicles are 

exempted from the shoulder belt 

requirement of FMVSS No. 208 for the 

side-facing seats. 

V. Labeling 

Under 49 CFR 555.9(b), a 

manufacturer of an exempted vehicle 

must securely affix to the windshield or 

side window of each exempted vehicle 

a label containing a statement that the 

vehicle meets all applicable FMVSS in 

effect on the date of manufacture 

‘‘except for Standard Nos. [Listing the 

standards by number and title for which 

an exemption has been granted] 

exempted pursuant to NHTSA 

Exemption No.__.’’ This label notifies 

prospective purchasers about the 

exemption and its subject. Under 

§ 555.9(c)(2), this information must also 

be included on the vehicle’s 

certification label.34

The text of § 555.9 does not expressly 

indicate how the required statement on 

the two labels should read in situations 

in which an exemption covers part, but 

not all, of an FMVSS. In this case, 

NHTSA believes that a blanket 

statement that the vehicle has been 

exempted from Standard No. 208, 

without an indication that the 

exemption is limited to the shoulder 

belt on side-facing seats, could be 

confusing. A purchaser might 

incorrectly believe that the vehicle has 

been exempted from all requirements of 

FMVSS No. 208. For this reason, 

NHTSA believes the two labels should 

state that the vehicle meets all 

applicable FMVSS ‘‘except for the 

shoulder belt requirement for sidefacing seats (Standard No. 208, 

Occupant Crash Protection), exempted 

pursuant to NHTSA Exemption No. 23– 

02.’’ 

In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 

30113(b)(3)(B)(iv), the petitioner is 

granted NHTSA Temporary Exemption 

No. EX 23–02 from the shoulder belt 

requirement of 49 CFR 571.208 for sidefacing seats on their motorcoaches. The 

exemption shall remain effective for the 

period designated at the beginning of 

this document in the DATES section. 

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30113; delegation 

of authority at 49 CFR 1.95. 

Ann Carlson, 

Acting Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2023–25073 Filed 11–13–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

Solicitation of Nominations for 

Appointment to the Advisory 

Committee on Former Prisoners of War 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans 

Affairs (VA) is seeking nominations of 

qualified candidates to be considered 

for appointment to the Advisory 

Committee (Committee) on Former 

Prisoners of War (FPOW). 

DATES: Nominations for membership on 

the Committee must be received no later 

than 5 p.m. EST on December 15, 2023. 

ADDRESSES: All nominations should be 

mailed to Outreach, Transition and 

Economic Development (OTED), 

Veterans Benefits Administration 

(VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs, 

1800 G St. NW, Washington, DC 20006 

or emailed to julian.wright2@va.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Julian Wright, Designated Federal 

Officer (DFO), OTED, Department of 

Veterans Affairs, 1800 G St. NW, 

Washington, DC 20006, telephone (202) 

302–8629. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 

carrying out the duties set forth, the 

activities of the Committee include, but 

are not limited to: 

(1) Advising the Secretary on how VA 

can assist and represent FPOWs’, 

including recommendations regarding 

expanding services and benefits to 

FPOWs’ and related policy. 

Administrative, legislative and/or 

regulatory actions; 

(2) Advising the Secretary on 

incorporating lessons learned from 

current, and previous, successful family 

research and outreach efforts that 

measure the impact of provided care 

and benefits services on FPOWs; 

(3) Advising the Secretary on 

collaborating with family support 

programs within VA and engaging with 

other VA and non-VA advisory 

committees focused on specific 

demographics of FPOWs; 

(4) Advising the Secretary on working 

with interagency, intergovernmental, 

private/non-profit, community, and 

Veteran service organizations to identify 

and address gaps in services for FPOWs; 

(5) Providing such reports as the 

Committee deems necessary, but not 

less than one report per year, to the 

Secretary, through the DFO/VBA to 

describe the Committee’s activities, 

deliberations, and findings, which may 

include but are not limited to: (1) 

identification of current challenges and 

recommendations for remediation 

related to access to care and benefits 

services of FPOWs; and (2) 

identification of current best practices 

in care and benefits delivery to FPOWs, 

and the impact of such best practices. 

Authority: The Committee is 

authorized by statute and operates 

under the provisions of the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act (FACA). The 

Committee advises the Secretary on the 

following: 

(1) The administration of benefits for 

Veterans who are FPOW, in the areas of 

service-connected compensation, 

dependency and indemnity 

compensation, health care, and 

rehabilitation. 

(2) The use of VA care and benefits 

services by FPOWs, and possible 

adjustments to such care and benefits 

services. 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES