Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 175 / Monday, September 10, 2018 / Notices 45753 

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 and in the 

search box insert the docket number 

FMCSA–2018–0017 and click the search 

button. When the new screen appears, 

click on the blue ‘‘Comment Now!’’ 

button on the right hand side of the 

page. On the new page, enter 

information required including the 

specific section of this document to 

which each comment applies, and 

provide a reason for each suggestion or 

recommendation. 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, selfaddressed postcard or envelope. 

We will consider all comments and 

materials received during the comment 

period. FMCSA may issue a final 

determination at any time after the close 

of the comment period. 

V. Viewing Comments and Documents 

To view comments, as well as any 

documents mentioned in this preamble, 

go to http://www.regulations.gov and in 

the search box insert the docket number 

FMCSA–2018–0017 and click ‘‘Search.’’ 

Next, click ‘‘Open Docket Folder’’ and 

you will find all documents and 

comments related to this notice. 

Issued on: August 30, 2018 

Larry W. Minor, 

Associate Administrator for Policy. 

[FR Doc. 2018–19581 Filed 9–7–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration 

[Docket No. FMCSA–2015–0328] 

Qualification of Drivers; Exemption 

Applications; Hearing 

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration (FMCSA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of final disposition. 

SUMMARY: FMCSA announces its 

decision to renew exemptions for 3 

individuals from the hearing 

requirement in the Federal Motor 

Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) for 

interstate commercial motor vehicle 

(CMV) drivers. The exemptions enable 

these hard of hearing and deaf 

individuals to continue to operate CMVs 

in interstate commerce. 

DATES: The exemptions were applicable 

on May 18, 2018. The exemptions 

expire on May 18, 2020. 

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., e.t., 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. If you have questions 

regarding viewing or submitting 

material to the docket, contact Docket 

Services, telephone (202) 366–9826. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Electronic Access 

You may see all the comments online 

through the Federal Document 

Management System (FDMS) at: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. 

Docket: For access to the docket to 

read background documents or 

comments, go to http://

www.regulations.gov and/or Room 

W12–140 on the ground level of the 

West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue 

SE, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 

5 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. 

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 http://www.regulations.gov, 

as described in the system of records 

notice (DOT/ALL–14 FDMS), which can 

be reviewed at http://www.dot.gov/ 

privacy. 

II. Background 

On June 18, 2018, FMCSA published 

a notice announcing its decision to 

renew exemptions for 3 individuals 

from the hearing standard in 49 CFR 

391.41(b)(11) to operate a CMV in 

interstate commerce and requested 

comments from the public (83 FR 

28319). The public comment period 

ended on July 18, 2018, and no 

comments were received. 

As stated in the previous notice, 

FMCSA has evaluated the eligibility of 

these applicants and determined that 

renewing these exemptions would 

achieve a level of safety equivalent to or 

greater than the level that would be 

achieved by complying with the current 

regulation 49 CFR 391.41(b)(11). 

The physical qualification standard 

for drivers regarding hearing found in 

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

person is physically qualified to driver 

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. 

49 CFR 391.41(b)(11) was adopted in 

1970, with a revision 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). 

III. Discussion of Comments 

FMCSA received no comments in this 

preceding. 

Conclusion 

Based upon its evaluation of the 3 

renewal exemption applications, 

FMCSA announces its’ decision to 

exempt the following drivers from the 

hearing requirement in 49 CFR 391.41 

(b)(11): 

As of May 18, and in accordance with 

49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315, the 

following 3 individuals have satisfied 

the renewal conditions for obtaining an 

exemption from the hearing requirement 

in the FMCSRs for interstate CMV 

drivers (83 FR 28319). 

Tom Buretz, (FL); James Dalrymple, 

(AZ); and Derron Washington, (IL). 

The drivers were included in docket 

number FMCSA–2015–0328. Their 

exemptions are applicable as of May 18, 

2018, and will expire on May18, 2020. 

In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31315, 

each exemption will be valid for two 

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 and 

31315. 

Issued on: August 30, 2018. 

Larry W. Minor, 

Associate Administrator for Policy. 

[FR Doc. 2018–19575 Filed 9–7–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P 


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