Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 65 / Thursday, April 5, 2007 / Notices 16871 

to be sold for use on U.S. highways. The 

drivers are experienced CMV operators 

with valid Japanese-issued CDLs. 

Because each of the drivers was 

required to satisfy strict CDL testing 

standards in Japan to obtain a CDL, and 

has extensive training and experience 

operating CMVs, Isuzu believes that the 

exemption will maintain a level of 

safety equivalent to the level of safety 

that would be obtained absent the 

exemption. 

Method To Ensure an Equivalent or 

Greater Level of Safety 

Drivers in Japan must hold a 

conventional driver’s license for at least 

three years before applying to obtain a 

Japanese-issued CDL. At that point, they 

must take and pass both a knowledge 

test and a skills test in order to obtain 

a license to operate CMVs. These tests 

thoroughly assess the driver’s ability to 

operate a CMV, and are comparable to 

the tests administered to CDL applicants 

in the United States. Once a driver is 

granted a Japanese CDL, he or she is 

allowed to drive any CMV currently 

allowed on Japanese roads. There are no 

limits to types or weights of vehicles 

that may be operated by the drivers. 

Therefore, the process for obtaining a 

Japanese-issued CDL is considered to be 

comparable to, or as effective as, the 

requirements of 49 CFR part 383. 

Comments 

The Agency received one comment in 

response to its request for public 

comments (71 FR 42170, July 25, 2006). 

The commenter recommended that 

Isuzu use U.S. drivers for this testing. 

The commenter did not provide a 

substantive basis for this opinion. The 

docket number of this matter is 

referenced at the beginning of this 

notice. 

FMCSA Decision 

The FMCSA decision to grant these 

drivers an exemption from section 

383.23 is based on the merits of the 

application for exemption, the rigorous 

knowledge and skills testing of Japanese 

drivers concerning the safe operation of 

CMVs, and consideration of the 

comment submitted in response to the 

public notice. 

Terms and Conditions for the 

Exemption 

After considering the comment to the 

docket and based upon evaluation of the 

application for an exemption, FMCSA 

grants Isuzu an exemption from the 

Federal commercial driver’s license 

requirement in 49 CFR 383.23 for 76 

drivers, identified under the ‘‘Japanese 

Drivers’’ heading above, to test-drive 

CMVs within the United States, subject 

to the following terms and conditions: 

(1) That these drivers will be subject to 

drug and alcohol regulations, including 

testing, as provided in 49 CFR part 382, 

(2) that these drivers are subject to the 

same driver disqualification rules under 

49 CFR parts 383 and 391 that apply to 

other CMV drivers in the U.S., (3) that 

these drivers keep a copy of the 

exemption on the vehicle at all times, 

(4) that Isuzu notify FMCSA in writing 

of any accident, as defined in 49 CFR 

390.5, involving one of the exempted 

drivers, and (5) that Isuzu notify 

FMCSA in writing if any driver is 

convicted of a disqualifying offense 

described in section 383.51 or 391.15 of 

the FMCSRs. 

In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31315 

and 31136(e), the exemption will be 

valid for 2 years unless revoked earlier 

by the FMCSA. The exemption will be 

revoked if: (1) The drivers for Isuzu fail 

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. 

31315 and 31136. 

Issued on: March 30, 2007. 

John H. Hill, 

Administrator. 

[FR Doc. E7–6240 Filed 4–4–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Maritime Administration 

Reports, Forms and Recordkeeping 

Requirements; Agency Information 

Collection Activity Under OMB Review 

AGENCY: Maritime Administration, DOT. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: In compliance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 

U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice 

announces that the information 

collection abstracted below has been 

forwarded to the Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) for review and 

approval. The nature of the information 

collection is described as well as its 

expected burden. The Federal Register 

Notice with a 60-day comment period 

soliciting comments on the following 

collection of information was published 

on January 3, 2007. No comments were 

received. 

DATES: Comments must be submitted on 

or before May 7, 2007. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Thomas Christensen, Maritime 

Administration, 400 7th Street, SW., 

Washington, DC 20590. Telephone: 

(202) 366–5900, FAX: (202) 488–0941 or 

E-Mail: tom.christensen@dot.gov. Copies 

of this collection also can be obtained 

from that office. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Maritime 

Administration (MARAD). 

Title: Voluntary Tanker Agreement. 

OMB Control Number: 2133–0505. 

Type of Request: Extension of 

currently approved collection. 

Affected Public: Owners of tanker 

companies who operate in international 

trade and who have agreed to 

participate in this agreement. 

Forms: None. 

Abstract: The collection consists of a 

request from MARAD that each 

participant in the Voluntary Tanker 

Agreement submit a list of the names of 

ships owned, chartered, or contracted 

for by the participant, and their size and 

flags of registry. There is no prescribed 

format for this information. 

Annual Estimated Burden Hours: 

Fifteen hours (one hour per respondent). 

Addressee: Send comments to the 

Office of Information and Regulatory 

Affairs, Office of Management and 

Budget, 725 17th Street, NW., 

Washington, DC 20503, Attention: 

MARAD Desk Officer. 

Comments Are Invited On: Whether 

the proposed collection of information 

is necessary for the proper performance 

of the functions of the agency, including 

whether the information will have 

practical utility; the accuracy of the 

agency’s estimate of the burden of the 

proposed information collection; ways 

to enhance the quality, utility and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and ways to minimize the 

burden of the collection of information 

on respondents, including the use of 

automated collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology. 

A comment to OMB is best assured of 

having its full effect if OMB receives it 

within 30 days of publication. 

Issued in Washington, DC on March 21, 

2007. 

Daron T. Threet, 

Secretary, Maritime Administration. 

[FR Doc. E7–6309 Filed 4–4–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–81–P 


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