[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 215 (Tuesday, November 8, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67776-67777]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-22263]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket Nos. FMCSA-99-5578, FMCSA-99-5748, FMCSA-2000-7363, FMCSA-2000-
8398, FMCSA-2003-14223, FMCSA-2003-15892]


Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Vision

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

ACTION: Notice of renewal of exemption; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This notice publishes FMCSA decision to renew the exemptions 
from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Regulations for 22 individuals. FMCSA has statutory authority to exempt 
individuals from the vision standards if the exemptions granted will 
not compromise safety. The agency has concluded that granting the 
renewal of these exemptions will continue to provide a level of safety 
that will be equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety 
maintained without the exemptions for these commercial motor vehicle 
(CMV) drivers.

DATES: This decision is effective November 30, 2005. Comments from 
interested persons should be submitted by December 8, 2005.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT DMS Docket Numbers 
FMCSA-99-5578, FMCSA-99-5748, FMCSA-2000-7363, FMCSA-2000-8398, FMCSA-
2003-14223, FMCSA-2003-15892 by any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Web Site: http://dms.dot.gov. Follow the instructions for 
submitting comments on the DOT electronic docket site.
    <bullet> Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
    <bullet> Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    <bullet> Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the 
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and 
docket numbers for this notice. For detailed instructions on submitting 
comments and additional information on the rulemaking process, see the 
Public Participation heading of the Supplementary Information section 
of this document. Note that all comments received will be posted 
without change to http://dms.dot.gov, including any personal 
information provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading under 
Regulatory Notices.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to http://dms.dot.gov at any time or to Room PL-
401 on the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal Holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Mary D. Gunnels, Office of Bus and 
Truck Standards and Operations, (202) 366-4001, FMCSA, Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. 
Office hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., e.t., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Public Participation: The DMS is available 24 hours each day, 365 
days each year. You can get electronic submission and retrieval help 
guidelines under the ``help'' section of the DMS web site. If you want 
us to notify you that we received your comments, please include a self-
addressed, stamped envelope or postcard or print the acknowledgement 
page that appears after submitting comments on-line.
    Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all 
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review the 
Department of Transportation's complete Privacy Act Statement in the 
Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 70; 
Pages 19477-78) or you may visit http://dms.dot.gov.

Exemption Decision

    Under 49 U.S.C. 31315 and 31136(e), FMCSA may renew an exemption 
from

[[Page 67777]]

the vision requirements in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10), which applies to 
drivers of CMVs in interstate commerce, for a two-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 set out in 49 CFR part 381. This notice addresses 22 
individuals who have requested renewal of their exemptions in a timely 
manner. FMCSA has evaluated these 22 applications for renewal on their 
merits and decided to extend each exemption for a renewable two-year 
period. They are:

Terry J. Aldridge
Jerry D. Bridges
Roosevelt Bryant, Jr.
Thomas P. Cummings
Ralph E. Eckels
Marion R. Fox, Jr.
Gary R. Gutschow
Richard J. Hanna
James J. Hewitt
Carl M. Hill
John K. Love
Albert E. Malley
Roger J. Mason
David L. Menken
Richard L. Messinger
Eldon Miles
Rodney M. Mimbs
Walter F. Moniowczak
Ronald L. Roy
Thomas E. Walsh
Kevin P. Weinhold
Thomas A. Wise

    These exemptions are renewed subject to the following conditions: 
(1) That each individual have a physical examination every year (a) by 
an ophthalmologist or optometrist who attests that the vision in the 
better eye continues to meet the standard in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10), and 
(b) by a medical examiner who attests that the individual is otherwise 
physically qualified under 49 CFR 391.41; (2) that each individual 
provide a copy of the ophthalmologist's or optometrist's report to the 
medical examiner at the time of the annual medical examination; and (3) 
that each individual provide a copy of the annual medical certification 
to the employer for retention in the driver's qualification file and 
retain a copy of the certification on his/her person while driving for 
presentation to a duly authorized Federal, State, or local enforcement 
official. Each exemption will be valid for two years unless rescinded 
earlier by FMCSA. The exemption will be rescinded if: (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 
before it was granted; or (3) continuation of the exemption would not 
be consistent with the goals and objectives of 49 U.S.C. 31315 and 
31136(e).

Basis for Renewing Exemptions

    Under 49 U.S.C. 31315(b)(1), an exemption may be granted for no 
longer than two years from its approval date and may be renewed upon 
application for additional two year periods. In accordance with 49 
U.S.C. 31315 and 31136(e), each of the 22 applicants has satisfied the 
eligibility requirements for obtaining an exemption from the vision 
standard (64 FR 27027; 64 FR 51568; 66 FR 48504; 68 FR 54775; 64 FR 
68195; 65 FR 20251; 67 FR 17102; 65 FR 45817; 65 FR 77066; 68 FR 1654; 
66 FR 17743; 66 FR 33990; 66 FR 30502; 66 FR 41654; 67 FR 68719; 68 FR 
2629; 68 FR 10301; 68 FR 19596; 68 FR 52811; 68 FR 61860). Each of 
these 22 applicants has requested timely renewal of the exemption and 
has submitted evidence showing that the vision in the better eye 
continues to meet the standard specified at 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10) and 
that the vision impairment is stable. In addition, a review of each 
record of safety while driving with the respective vision deficiencies 
over the past two years indicates each applicant continues to meet the 
vision exemption standards. These factors provide an adequate basis for 
predicting each driver's ability to continue to drive safely in 
interstate commerce. Therefore, FMCSA concludes that extending the 
exemption for each renewal applicant for a period of two years is 
likely to achieve a level of safety equal to that existing without the 
exemption.

Comments

    FMCSA will review comments received at any time concerning a 
particular driver's safety record and determine if the continuation of 
the exemption is consistent with the requirements at 49 U.S.C. 31315 
and 31136(e). However, FMCSA requests that interested parties with 
specific data concerning the safety records of these drivers submit 
comments by December 8, 2005.
    In the past FMCSA has received comments from Advocates for Highway 
and Auto Safety (Advocates) expressing continued opposition to FMCSA's 
procedures for renewing exemptions from the vision requirement in 49 
CFR 391.41(b)(10). Specifically, Advocates objects to the agency's 
extension of the exemptions without any opportunity for public comment 
prior to the decision to renew, and reliance on a summary statement of 
evidence to make its decision to extend the exemption of each driver.
    The issues raised by Advocates were addressed at length in 69 FR 
51346 (August 18, 2004). FMCSA continues to find its exemption process 
consistent with the statutory and regulatory requirements.

    Issued on: November 3, 2005.
Rose A. McMurray,
Associate Administrator, Policy and Program Development.
[FR Doc. 05-22263 Filed 11-7-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P