[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 165 (Monday, August 30, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48476-48477]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18568]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2020-0054; Notice 1]


Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 
Model Year 2019 Schuler Spezialfahrzeuge GmbH Trailers Are Eligible for 
Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Receipt of petition.

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SUMMARY: This document announces the National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration (NHTSA) receipt of a petition for a decision that model 
year (MY) 2019 Schuler Spezialfahrzeuge GmbH trailers that were not 
originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal motor 
vehicle safety standards (FMVSS), are eligible for importation into the 
United States because they are capable of being readily altered to 
conform to the standards.

DATES: The closing date for comments on the petition is September 29, 
2021.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written data, 
views, and arguments on this petition. Comments must refer to the 
docket and notice number cited in the title of this notice and may be 
submitted by any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Mail: Send comments by mail addressed to the U.S. 
Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building 
Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 
20590.
    <bullet> Hand Delivery: Deliver comments by hand to the U.S. 
Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building 
Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 
20590. The Docket Section is open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
except for Federal Holidays.
    <bullet> Electronically: Submit comments electronically by logging 
onto the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) website at https://www.regulations.gov/. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
    <bullet> Comments may also be faxed to (202) 493-2251.
    Comments must be written in the English language, and be no greater 
than 15 pages in length, although there is no limit to the length of 
necessary attachments to the comments. If comments are submitted in 
hard copy form, please ensure that two copies are provided. If you wish 
to receive confirmation that comments you have submitted by mail were 
received, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard along with 
the comments. Note that all comments received will be posted without 
change to https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal 
information provided.
    All comments and supporting materials received before the close of 
business on the closing date indicated above will be filed in the 
docket and will be considered. All comments and supporting materials 
received after the closing date will also be filed and will be 
considered to the fullest extent possible.
    All comments, background documentation, and supporting materials 
submitted to the docket may be viewed by anyone at the address and 
times given above. The documents may also be viewed on the internet at 
https://www.regulations.gov by following the online instructions for 
accessing the dockets. The docket ID number for this petition is shown 
in the heading of this notice.
    DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement is available for review in a 
Federal Register notice published on April 11, 2000, (65 FR 19477-78).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Mazurowski, Office of Vehicle 
Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202-366-1012).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Under 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(A), a motor vehicle that was not 
originally manufactured to conform to all applicable FMVSS shall be 
refused admission into the United States unless NHTSA has decided that 
the motor vehicle is substantially similar to a motor vehicle 
originally manufactured

[[Page 48477]]

for importation into and sale in the United States, certified under 49 
U.S.C. 30115, and of the same MY as the model of the motor vehicle to 
be compared, and is capable of being readily altered to conform to all 
applicable FMVSS.
    Petitions for eligibility decisions may be submitted by either 
manufacturers or importers who have registered with NHTSA pursuant to 
49 CFR part 592. As specified in 49 CFR 593.7, NHTSA publishes notice 
of each petition that it receives in the Federal Register, and affords 
interested persons an opportunity to comment on the petition. At the 
close of the comment period, NHTSA decides, on the basis of the 
petition and any comments that it has received, whether the vehicle is 
eligible for importation. The agency then publishes this decision in 
the Federal Register.
    Skytop Rover Co., Inc., (Registered Importer R-6-343), of 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has petitioned NHTSA to decide whether 
nonconforming MY 2019 Schuler Spezialfahrzeuge GmbH trailers are 
eligible for importation into the United States. The vehicles which 
America's Import & Export Authority Inc. believes are capable of being 
readily altered to conform to all applicable FMVSS.
    Skytop Rover Co., Inc. submitted information with its petition 
intended to demonstrate that non-U.S. certified MY 2019 Schuler 
Spezialfahrzeuge GmbH trailers, as originally manufactured, conform to 
many applicable FMVSS, or are capable of being readily altered to 
conform to those standards. Specifically, the petitioner claims that 
the non-U.S. certified MY 2019 Schuler Spezialfahrzeuge GmbH trailers, 
as originally manufactured, are only subject to: FMVSS Nos. 108, Lamps, 
Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment, 119, New Pneumatic Tires, 
120, Tire and Rim Selection, 121, Air Brake Systems, 223, Rear Impact 
Guards, 224, Rear Impact Protection.
    The petitioner also contends that the subject non-U.S. certified 
vehicles meet the following FMVSS:
    FMVSS No. 108, Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment: 
The petitioner claims the vehicle meets all aspects of this standard. 
The petitioner provided pictures of the lighting and retro-reflective 
tape on the vehicle as equipped however the images revealed no 
retroreflective tape applied to the upper corners of the rear extremity 
of the vehicle.
    FMVSS No. 119, New Pneumatic Tires: The petitioner claims the 
vehicle is equipped with tires that bear the relevant ``DOT'' markings/
symbols and all required information for U.S. DOT certification.
    FMVSS No. 121, Air Brake Systems: The petitioner claims the vehicle 
meets all aspects of this standard. The petitioner provided a test 
report limited in scope to service brake and park brake actuation and 
release timing tests. The test report showed results that are within 
the requirements for brake actuation specified for this FMVSS. The 
petitioner did not provide any further substantiation of compliance 
with this standard.
    FMVSS Nos. 223, Rear Impact Guards and 224, Rear Impact Protection: 
The petitioner claims the rearmost structural element of the trailer 
has a ground clearance of less than 22 inches and therefor is excluded 
from the requirements of FMVSS No. 224. The petitioner also states that 
a rear impact guard is not required therefor FMVSS No. 223 is not 
applicable. The petitioner provided photographs depicting the 
measurements of the ground clearance of the rearmost structural member 
of the trailer that appear to support this claim.
    The petitioner also contends that the subject non-U.S. certified 
vehicles are capable of meeting the requirements set forth in 49 CFR 
part 565, Vehicle Identification Number Requirements and 49 CFR, part 
567, Certification by affixing a safety certification label to the 
trailer on the ``Left Front Half at Shoulder Height'' that contains the 
VIN number of the vehicle to fully comply with these standards.
    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(A), (a)(1)(B), and (b)(1); 49 CFR 
593.7; delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.95 and 501.8.

Otto G. Matheke III,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2021-18568 Filed 8-27-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P