3992 Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 9 / Wednesday, January 15, 2025 / Notices 

IV. Applicant’s Request 

Bianco requests a 5-year exemption to 

allow drivers aged 18, 19, and 20 years, 

with a Wisconsin State-issued CLP and 

a ‘‘K’’ restriction on their CLP, to attend 

Bianco’s driver training facility in 

Michigan. The applicant’s driver 

training facility is listed on the Agency’s 

Training Provider Registry. The 

applicant states that its facility is 

located approximately 29 miles from the 

Wisconsin border. Bianco states that 

several students located in Wisconsin 

have inquired about attending its 

training program because Bianco’s 

training facility is their closest 

registered training provider. The 

applicant further adds that an option to 

attend a training program located within 

a reasonable driving distance would be 

invaluable to students who are working 

and attending school at the same time. 

Bianco indicates that drivers under 

this exemption will not operate a CMV 

without a licensed training provider in 

the vehicle, apart from range maneuvers 

on a training lot that is maintained and 

insured by the applicant. Bianco also 

requires pre-employment drug screens 

for all students prior to the start of its 

training class. The students are also 

required to complete all components of 

the ELDT as required under 49 CFR part 

380. A copy of Bianco’s application for 

exemption is available for review in the 

docket for this notice. 

V. Request for Comments 

In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 

31315(b), FMCSA requests public 

comment from all interested persons on 

Bianco’s application for an exemption. 

All comments received before the close 

of business on the comment closing date 

will be considered and will be available 

for examination in the docket at the 

location listed under the ADDRESSES

section of this notice. Comments 

received after the comment closing date 

will be filed in the public docket and 

will be considered to the extent 

practicable. In addition to late 

comments, FMCSA will also continue to 

file, in the public docket, relevant 

information that becomes available after 

the comment closing date. Interested 

persons should continue to examine the 

public docket for new material. 

Larry W. Minor, 

Associate Administrator for Policy. 

[FR Doc. 2025–00818 Filed 1–14–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration 

[Docket No. FMCSA–2024–0017] 

Qualification of Drivers; Exemption 

Applications; Hearing 

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration (FMCSA), Department 

of Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of final disposition. 

SUMMARY: FMCSA announces its 

decision to exempt 16 individuals from 

the hearing requirement in the Federal 

Motor Carrier Safety Regulations 

(FMCSRs) to operate a commercial 

motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate 

commerce. The exemptions enable these 

hard of hearing and deaf individuals to 

operate CMVs in interstate commerce. 

DATES: The exemptions were applicable 

December 24, 2024. The exemptions 

expire December 24, 2026. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Christine A. Hydock, Chief, Medical 

Programs Division, FMCSA, DOT, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 

20590–0001, (202) 366–4001, 

fmcsamedical@dot.gov. 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 Comments 

To view comments go to 

www.regulations.gov. Insert the docket 

number (FMCSA–2024–0017) in the 

keyword box and click ‘‘Search.’’ Next, 

sort the results by ‘‘Posted (OlderNewer),’’ choose the first notice listed, 

and click ‘‘Browse Comments.’’ If you 

do not have access to the internet, you 

may view the docket online by visiting 

Dockets Operations in 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 49 U.S.C. 

31315(b)(6), DOT solicits comments 

from the public on the exemption 

requests. 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 (Federal Docket Management 

System), which can be reviewed at 

https://www.transportation.gov/ 

individuals/privacy/privacy-act-systemrecords-notices, the comments are 

searchable by the name of the submitter. 

II. Background 

On November 19, 2024, FMCSA 

published a notice announcing receipt 

of applications from 16 individuals 

requesting an exemption from the 

hearing requirement in 49 CFR 

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

interstate commerce and requested 

comments from the public (89 FR 

91474). The public comment period 

ended on December 19, 2024, and no 

comments were received. 

FMCSA has evaluated the eligibility 

of these applicants and determined that 

granting exemptions to these 

individuals would likely achieve a level 

of safety that is equivalent to, or greater 

than, the level that would be achieved 

by complying with § 391.41(b)(11). 

The physical qualification standard 

for drivers regarding hearing found in 

§ 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 (Apr. 22, 1970) and 36 FR 

12857 (July 8, 1971), respectively). 

III. Discussion of Comments 

FMCSA received no comments in this 

proceeding. 

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 

statutes also allow the Agency to renew 

exemptions at the end of the 5-year 

period. However, FMCSA grants 

medical exemptions from the FMCSRs 

for a 2-year period to align with the 


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Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 9 / Wednesday, January 15, 2025 / Notices 3993 

maximum duration of a driver’s medical 

certification. 

The Agency’s decision regarding these 

exemption applications is based on 

relevant scientific information and 

literature, and the 2008 Evidence 

Report, ‘‘Executive Summary on 

Hearing, Vestibular Function and 

Commercial Motor Driving Safety.’’ The 

evidence report reached two 

conclusions regarding the matter of 

hearing loss and CMV driver safety: (1) 

no studies that examined the 

relationship between hearing loss and 

crash risk exclusively among CMV 

drivers were identified; and (2) evidence 

from studies of the private driver’s 

license holder population does not 

support the contention that individuals 

with hearing impairment are at an 

increased risk for a crash. In addition, 

the Agency reviewed each applicant’s 

certified driving record from their State 

Driver’s Licensing Agency (SDLA). The 

information obtained from each 

applicant’s driving record provides the 

Agency with details regarding any 

moving violations or reported crash 

data., which demonstrates whether the 

driver has a safe driving history and is 

used as an indicator of future driving 

performance. If the driving record 

revealed a crash, FMCSA requested and 

reviewed the related police reports and 

other relevant documents, such as the 

citation and conviction information. 

Each applicant’s record demonstrated a 

safe driving history. Based on an 

individual assessment of each applicant 

that focused on whether an equal or 

greater level of safety would likely be 

achieved by permitting each of these 

drivers to drive in interstate commerce, 

the Agency finds the drivers granted 

this exemption have demonstrated that 

they do not pose a risk to public safety. 

Consequently, FMCSA finds further 

that in each case exempting these 

applicants from the hearing standard in 

§ 391.41(b)(11) would likely achieve a 

level of safety equal to that existing 

without the exemption, consistent with 

the applicable standard in 49 U.S.C. 

31315(b)(1). 

V. Terms and Conditions 

The terms and conditions of the 

exemption are provided to the 

applicants in the exemption document 

and include the following: each driver 

(1) must report to FMCSA the date, 

location, and time of any crashes as 

defined in § 390.5T, within 7 days of the 

crash; (2) must report to FMCSA any 

citations and convictions for 

disqualifying offenses under 49 CFR 

parts 383 and 391 within 7 days of the 

citations and convictions; (3) must 

submit to FMCSA annual certified 

driving records from their SDLA; and (4) 

is 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 

driver must meet all applicable 

commercial driver’s license testing 

requirements. 

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 16 

exemption applications, FMCSA 

exempts the following drivers from the 

hearing standard; in § 391.41(b)(11), 

subject to the requirements cited above: 

Bryan Brignac (MS) 

Anthony Byrd (CA) 

Margarita Casas (TX) 

Dorsey Chany (TX) 

Ali Elmasri (TX) 

Aldin Erskine (TX) 

Austin Hughes (AL) 

Milton Hunt (CA) 

Irfan Kabir (CT) 

Raymond Lee (TX) 

Leon McClish (TX) 

Maisel Rodriguez (IL) 

Maino Salas (CA) 

Jasmine Smith (MS) 

Justin Soliz (TX) 

Carter Wyant (MI) 

In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 

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, 49 

U.S.C. chapter 313, or the FMCSRs. 

Larry W. Minor, 

Associate Administrator for Policy. 

[FR Doc. 2025–00745 Filed 1–14–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration 

[Docket No. FMCSA–2014–0102; FMCSA– 

2014–0104; FMCSA–2014–0384; FMCSA– 

2017–0057; FMCSA–2017–0058; FMCSA– 

2018–0136; FMCSA–2022–0035; FMCSA– 

2022–0037] 

Qualification of Drivers; Exemption 

Applications; Hearing 

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration (FMCSA), Department 

of Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of final disposition. 

SUMMARY: FMCSA announces its 

decision to renew exemptions for 13 

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: Each group of renewed 

exemptions were applicable on the 

dates stated in the discussions below 

and will expire on the dates provided 

below. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Christine A. Hydock, Chief, Medical 

Programs Division, FMCSA, DOT, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W64–224, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001, (202) 366– 

4001, fmcsamedical@dot.gov. 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. Viewing Comments 

To view comments go to 

www.regulations.gov. Insert the docket 

number (FMCSA–2014–0102, FMCSA– 

2014–0104, FMCSA–2014–0384, 

FMCSA–2017–0057, FMCSA–2017– 

0058, FMCSA–2018–0136, FMCSA– 

2022–0035, or FMCSA–2022–0037) in 

the keyword box and click ‘‘Search.’’ 

Next, sort the results by ‘‘Posted 

(Newer-Older),’’ choose the first notice 

listed, and click ‘‘Browse Comments.’’ If 

you do not have access to the internet, 

you may view the docket online by 

visiting Dockets Operations 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 


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