[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 168 (Wednesday, August 31, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51857-51858]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-17276]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2005-22056]


Public Meeting To Discuss the Implementation of the North 
American Standard for Cargo Securement

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

[[Page 51858]]


ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces the second in a series of public meetings 
concerning the implementation of the North American Standard for 
Protection Against Shifting or Falling Cargo. On September 27, 2002, 
FMCSA published a final rule revising its regulations concerning 
protection against shifting and falling cargo for commercial motor 
vehicles (CMVs) engaged in interstate commerce. Motor carriers 
operating in the United States were given until January 1, 2004, to 
comply with the new regulations. On September 23, 2004, Canada's 
Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety 
approved a new National Safety Code Standard for cargo securement. Full 
implementation of the new cargo securement requirements in Canada began 
in the summer of 2005. The purpose of this meeting is second in a 
series of meetings to discuss the process for ensuring the consistent 
interpretation of the harmonized cargo securement standards by FMCSA 
and the Canadian Provinces, and of the issues raised by enforcement 
agencies and motor carriers in the U.S., and to address potential 
implementation issues for the Canadian Provinces, and motor carriers 
operating in Canada.

DATES: The meeting will be held on September 29-30, 2005. The meeting 
will begin at 1 p.m. and end at 5 p.m on September 29, and continue 
from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on September 30.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Beau Rivage Resort, 875 
Beach Boulevard, Biloxi, Mississippi.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Larry W. Minor, Director of the 
Office of Bus and Truck Standards and Operations (MC-PS), 202-366-4009, 
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street SW., 
Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On September 27, 2002 (67 FR 61212), FMCSA published a final rule 
revising its regulations concerning protection against shifting and 
falling cargo for CMVs operated in interstate commerce (49 CFR part 
393). The new cargo securement standards are based on the North 
American Cargo Securement Standard Model Regulations, reflecting the 
results of a multi-year comprehensive research program to evaluate the 
then-current U.S. and Canadian cargo securement regulations; the motor 
carrier industry's best practices; and recommendations presented during 
a series of public meetings involving U.S. and Canadian industry 
experts, Federal, State and Provincial enforcement officials, and other 
interested parties. The Agency indicated that the intent of the 
rulemaking is to reduce the number of crashes caused by cargo shifting 
on or within, or falling from, CMVs operating in interstate commerce, 
and to harmonize to the greatest extent practicable U.S., Canadian and 
Mexican cargo securement regulations. Motor carriers were given until 
January 1, 2004, to comply with the new regulations.

Maintaining Uniformity Between U.S. and Canadian Cargo Securement 
Standards

    FMCSA believes it is necessary to continue working with U.S. and 
Canadian industry experts, Federal, State and Provincial enforcement 
officials, and other interested parties to maintain to the greatest 
extent practicable, harmonization of U.S. and Canadian cargo securement 
standards. A major part of this effort includes uniformity in 
interpreting the meaning of the requirements adopted by the U.S. and 
Canada. While there are some differences between certain provisions of 
the regulations adopted by FMCSA and Canada's National Safety Code 
Standard 10, most of the contents of the model regulations have been 
adopted, or will soon be adopted, by almost all jurisdictions in the 
U.S. and Canada. To ensure consistency in the interpretation and 
enforcement of the requirements, FMCSA is working with its partners in 
Canada to develop a process for sharing information about requests for 
interpretation, and exchanging technical information that would be 
helpful to the regulatory agencies in developing responses to such 
requests. FMCSA would also work with its partners in Canada to ensure 
that interpretations are made available to all interested parties in an 
efficient and timely manner.
    As part of the process for ensuring consistent interpretations of 
the harmonized cargo securement regulations, FMCSA is holding this 
public meeting to provide all interested parties the opportunity to 
participate in the discussions between the Agency and its Canadian 
counterparts about interpretations and other implementation issues. 
This is the second in a series of public meetings on this subject. The 
first meeting was held April 21-22 in Albuquerque, New Mexico (70 FR 
16884, April 1, 2005). Minutes from the Albuquerque meeting, and the 
presentations made by participants have been placed in the docket 
listed at the beginning of this notice. The minutes and presentations 
from the Biloxi meeting and any future cargo securement implementation 
issues meetings will be placed in this docket. Future public meetings 
will be announced in the Federal Register.

Meeting Information

    The meeting will be held on September 29-30, 2005, at the Beau 
Rivage Resort, 875 Beach Boulevard, Biloxi, Mississippi. The meeting is 
scheduled from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on September 29, and from 9 a.m. to 5 
p.m. on September 30. The meeting is being held in connection with the 
Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's (CVSA) 2005 Fall Workshop. 
Attendance for the cargo securement meeting is free of charge and open 
to all interested parties. However, anyone interested in attending the 
sessions and committee meetings of the CVSA's 2005 Fall Workshop must 
register with the CVSA and pay the appropriate registration fee. For 
further information about registration for other sessions or meetings 
of the CVSA's 2005 Fall Workshop please contact the CVSA at (202) 775-
1623.

    Issued on: August 24, 2005.
Warren E. Hoemann,
Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 05-17276 Filed 8-30-05; 8:45 am]
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