Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 73 / Thursday, April 16, 2015 / Notices 20561 

button choose the document listed to 

review. If you do not have access to the 

Internet, you may view the docket 

online by visiting the Docket 

Management Facility in Room W12–140 

on the ground floor of the DOT West 

Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 

Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. 

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

except Federal holidays. 

Issued on: April 10, 2015. 

Larry W. Minor, 

Associate Administrator for Policy. 

[FR Doc. 2015–08728 Filed 4–15–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration 

[Docket No. FMCSA–2012–0032] 

Commercial Driver’s License 

Standards: Application for Renewal of 

Exemption; Daimler Trucks North 

America (Daimler) 

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration (FMCSA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of application for 

renewal of exemption; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: FMCSA announces that 

Daimler Trucks North America 

(Daimler) has requested the renewal of 

an exemption from the requirement for 

a commercial driver’s license (CDL) for 

one commercial motor vehicle (CMV) 

driver, Sven Ennerst, who holds a 

German commercial license. The 

renewal would allow Mr. Ennerst to 

continue to test-drive Daimler vehicles 

on U.S. roads to better understand 

product requirements for these systems 

in ‘‘real world’’ environments, and 

verify results. Daimler believes that 

German regulations ensure that holders 

of a German commercial license will 

likely achieve a level of safety equal to 

or greater than that of drivers who hold 

a U.S. CDL. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before May 18, 2015. Proposed 

effective dates of the exemption renewal 

are July 22, 2015 through July 22, 2017. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

identified by Federal Docket 

Management System Number FMCSA– 

2012–0032 by any of the following 

methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: 1–202–493–2251. 

• Mail: Docket Management Facility, 

U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building, 

Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001. 

• Hand Delivery or Courier: West 

Building, Ground Floor, Room W12– 

140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 

between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. E.T., Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

Instructions: All submissions must 

include the Agency name and docket 

number. For detailed instructions on 

submitting comments and additional 

information on the exemption process, 

see the Public Participation heading 

below. Note that all comments received 

will be posted without change to 

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information provided. Please 

see the Privacy Act heading below. 

Docket: For access to the docket to 

read background documents or 

comments received, go to 

www.regulations.gov at any time and in 

the box labeled ‘‘SEARCH for’’ enter 

FMCSA–2012–0032 and click on the tab 

labeled ‘‘SEARCH.’’ 

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.dot.gov/privacy. 

Public Participation: The Federal 

eRulemaking Portal is available 24 

hours each day, 365 days each year. You 

can get electronic submission and 

retrieval help and guidelines under the 

‘‘help’’ section of the Federal 

eRulemaking Portal Web site. If you 

want us to notify you that we received 

your comments, please include a selfaddressed, stamped envelope or 

postcard, or print the acknowledgement 

page that appears after submitting 

comments online. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Richard Clemente, FMCSA Driver and 

Carrier Operations Division; Office of 

Carrier, Driver and Vehicle Safety 

Standards; Telephone: 202–366–4325. 

Email: MCPSD@dot.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

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

FMCSA may renew an exemption from 

the CDL requirements of 49 CFR 383.23 

for a maximum 2-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 

procedures for requesting an exemption 

(including renewals) are prescribed in 

49 CFR part 381. 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 renewal 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)) 

with the reason for granting or denying 

the exemption renewal, and, if granted, 

the specific person or class of persons 

receiving the exemption, and the 

regulatory provision or provisions from 

which exemption is granted. The notice 

must specify the effective period of the 

exemption (up to 2 years), and explain 

the terms and conditions of the 

exemption. The exemption may be 

renewed (49 CFR 381.300(b)). 

Daimler Application for Exemption 

Renewal 

Daimler has applied for a 2-year 

renewal of an exemption for one of its 

engineers from 49 CFR 383.23, which 

prescribes licensing requirements for 

drivers operating CMVs in interstate or 

intrastate commerce. This driver, Sven 

Ennerst, holds a valid German 

commercial license but is unable to 

obtain a CDL in any of the U.S. States 

due to residency requirements. A copy 

of the request for renewal, dated 

February 18, 2015, is in the docket 

identified at the beginning of this 

notice. 

FMCSA initially granted an 

exemption to Mr. Ennerst on July 22, 

2014 (79 FR 42626). This exemption 

was effective July 22, 2014 and expires 

July 22, 2015. Detailed information 

about the qualifications and experience 

of Mr. Ennerst was provided by Daimler 

in its original application, a copy of 

which is in the docket referenced above. 

Renewal of the exemption will enable 

Mr. Ennerst to operate CMVs in 

interstate or intrastate commerce to 

support Daimler field tests designed to 

meet future vehicle safety and 

environmental requirements and to 

develop improved safety and emission 

technologies. According to Daimler, Mr. 

Ennerst will typically drive for no more 

than 6 hours per day for 2 consecutive 

days, and 10 percent of the test driving 

will be on two-lane State highways, 

while 90 percent will be on interstate 

highways. The driving will consist of no 

more than 200 miles per day, for a total 

of 400 miles during a two-day period on 

a quarterly basis. He will in all cases be 

accompanied by a holder of a U.S. CDL 

who is familiar with the routes to be 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
20562 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 73 / Thursday, April 16, 2015 / Notices 

traveled. Daimler requests that the 

exemption renewal cover a two-year 

period. 

Daimler has explained in prior 

exemption requests that the German 

knowledge and skills tests and training 

program ensure that Daimler’s drivers 

operating under the exemption will 

achieve a level of safety that is 

equivalent to, or greater than, the level 

of safety obtained by complying with 

the U.S. requirement for a CDL. 

Method To Ensure an Equivalent or 

Greater Level of Safety 

FMCSA has previously determined 

that the process for obtaining a German 

commercial license is comparable to, or 

as effective as, the requirements of Part 

383, and adequately assesses the 

driver’s ability to operate CMVs in the 

U.S. In the past 2 years, FMCSA has 

published several similar Daimler 

exemption requests, most recently a 

notice granting a 2-year exemption to 

Daimler driver Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard 

(79 FR 51641, August 29, 2014). 

Request for Comments 

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

and 31315(b)(4), FMCSA requests public 

comment on Daimler’s request for a 

renewal of Mr. Ennerst’s exemption 

from 49 CFR 383.23. The Agency will 

consider all comments received by close 

of business on May 18, 2015. 

FMCSA will review all comments 

received by this date and determine 

whether renewal of the exemption is 

consistent with the requirements of 49 

U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315. As indicated 

above, on prior occasions, the Agency 

determined that providing an exemption 

for other Daimler drivers does not 

compromise the level of safety that 

would exist if the exemption were not 

granted. These prior FMCSA decisions 

were based on careful consideration of 

the comments received, and on the 

merits of each driver’s demonstrated 

knowledge and skills about the safe 

operation of CMVs. 

Issued on: April 8, 2015. 

Larry W. Minor, 

Associate Administrator for Policy. 

[FR Doc. 2015–08726 Filed 4–15–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration 

[Docket No. FMCSA–2014–0301] 

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 23 individuals from 

the vision requirement in the Federal 

Motor Carrier Safety Regulations 

(FMCSRs). They are unable to meet the 

vision requirement in one eye for 

various reasons. The exemptions will 

enable these individuals to operate 

commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in 

interstate commerce without meeting 

the prescribed vision requirement in 

one eye. The Agency has concluded that 

granting these exemptions will provide 

a level of safety that is equivalent to or 

greater than the level of safety 

maintained without the exemptions for 

these CMV drivers. 

DATES: The exemptions were granted 

March 7, 2015. The exemptions expire 

on March 7, 2017. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Charles A. Horan, III, Director, Carrier, 

Driver and Vehicle Safety Standards, 

(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., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. If you have questions 

on 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., 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 www.regulations.gov, as 

described in the system of records 

notice (DOT/ALL–14 FDMS), which can 

be reviewed at www.dot.gov/privacy. 

II. Background 

On February 4, 2015, FMCSA 

published a notice of receipt of 

exemption applications from certain 

individuals, and requested comments 

from the public (80 FR 6162). That 

notice listed 23 applicants’ case 

histories. The 23 individuals applied for 

exemptions from the vision requirement 

in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10), for drivers who 

operate CMVs in interstate commerce. 

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

FMCSA may grant an exemption for a 2- 

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 2-year period. 

Accordingly, FMCSA has evaluated the 

23 applications on their merits and 

made a determination to grant 

exemptions to each of them. 

III. Vision and Driving Experience of 

the Applicants 

The vision requirement in the 

FMCSRs provides: 

A person is physically qualified to 

drive a commercial motor vehicle 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 (49 CFR 

391.41(b)(10)). 

FMCSA recognizes that some drivers 

do not meet the vision requirement but 

have adapted their driving to 

accommodate their vision limitation 

and demonstrated their ability to drive 

safely. The 23 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 optic nerve damage, 

neuropathy due to meningitis, retinal 

detachment, phthisical cornea, 

amblyopia, macular scarring, retinal 

scarring, central retinal artery 

obstruction, corneal scar, conjunctional 

cyst, strabismic amblyopia, complete 

loss of vision, chorioretinal scarring, 

prosthetic eye, and central retinal vein 

occlusion. In most cases, their eye 

conditions were not recently developed. 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES