Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 8 / Thursday, January 12, 1995 / Rules and Regulations 2889

selected through the procedures in this

section. These procedures do not apply

to contracts awarded to business entities

other than individuals. Selections made

using the procedures in this section are

competitive (see 206.102(d)).

(C) Approval requirements for—

(1) Direct health care personal service

contracts (see 237.104(b)(ii)(A)(1)) and a

pay cap are in DoDI 6025.5, Personal

Services Contracting Authority for

Direct Health Care Providers. Requests

to enter into a personal service contract

for direct health care services must be

approved by the commander of the

medical/dental treatment facility where

the services will be performed.

(2) Services of clinical counselors,

family advocacy program staff, and

victim’s services representatives (see

237.104(b)(ii)(A)(2)), shall be in

accordance with agency procedures.

(D) The contracting officer must

ensure that the requiring activity

provides a copy of the approval with the

purchase request.

(E) The contracting officer must

provide adequate advance notice of

contracting opportunities to individuals

residing in the area of the facility. The

notice must include the qualification

criteria against which individuals

responding will be evaluated. The

contracting officer shall solicit

applicants through at least one local

publication which serves the area of the

facility. Acquisitions under this section

for personal service contracts are

exempt from the posting and synopsis

requirements of FAR Part 5.

(F) The contracting officer shall

provide the qualifications of individuals

responding to the notice to the

commander of the facility for evaluation

and ranking in accordance with agency

procedures. Individuals must be

considered solely on the basis of the

professional qualifications established

for the particular personal services

being acquired and the Government’s

estimate of reasonable rates, fees, or

other costs. The commander of the

facility shall provide the contracting

officer with rationale for the ranking of

individuals, consistent with the

required qualifications.

(G) Upon receipt from the facility of

the ranked listing of applicants, the

contracting officer shall either—

(1) Enter into negotiations with the

highest ranked applicant. If a mutually

satisfactory contract cannot be

negotiated, the contracting officer shall

terminate negotiations with the highest

ranked applicant and enter into

negotiations with the next highest.

(2) Enter into negotiations with all

qualified applicants and select on the

basis of qualifications and rates, fees, or

other costs.

(H) In the event only one individual

responds to an advertised requirement,

the contracting officer is authorized to

negotiate the contract award. In this

case, the individual must still meet the

minimum qualifications of the

requirement and the contracting officer

must be able to make a determination

that the price is fair and reasonable.

(I) If a fair and reasonable price

cannot be obtained from a qualified

individual, the requirement should be

canceled and acquired using procedures

other than those set forth in this section.

* * * * *

[FR Doc. 95–763 Filed 1–11–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 5000–04–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

49 CFR Part 1

[OST Docket No. 1; Amdt. 265]

Organization and Delegation of Powers

and Duties Delegations to the Director

of the Departmental Office of Civil

Rights

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This document contains a

delegation of authority to the Director of

the Departmental Office of Civil Rights

(DOCR) to conduct all stages of the

Department’s formal internal

discrimination complaint process and to

provide policy guidance concerning the

implementation and enforcement of all

civil rights laws, regulations and

executive orders for which the

Department of Transportation (DOT or

the Department) is responsible. This

document also amends the delegation of

authority to DOT Administrators

relating to internal civil rights functions

since, with the exception of certain

responsibilities related to the resolution

of informal complaints of

discrimination within DOT operating

administrations, these functions are

being transferred to the Director of

DOCR. There are no substantive changes

to the DOCR’s functions with respect to

the Department’s external civil rights

programs. The language changes dealing

with external programs are only

designed to more clearly state existing

authority and practice.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This rule becomes

effective on January 12, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Debra J. Rosen, Office of the Assistant

General Counsel for Environmental,

Civil Rights and General Law at (202)

366–9167 or Steven B. Farbman, Office

of the Assistant General Counsel for

Regulation and Enforcement at (202)

366–9306, Department of

Transportation, 400 7th Street SW.,

Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Consistent

with a provision in the Department of

Transportation and Related Agencies

Appropriations Act, 1995, Public Law

103–331, the Secretary of

Transportation approved the

consolidation of internal civil rights

functions within the Department. Under

the consolidation plan, all functions

relating to the processing of formal

administrative complaints of

employment discrimination filed by

Department employees and applicants

for federal employment with the

Department are assigned to the DOCR.

Thus, it is necessary to amend the

relevant parts of the CFR to reflect these

new authorities.

49 CFR Part 1 describes the

organization of DOT and provides for

the performance of duties imposed

upon, and the exercise of powers vested

in, the Secretary of Transportation by

law. Section 1.23 describes the spheres

of primary responsibility within DOT

and is being revised to reflect the new

responsibilities assigned to the DOCR

and to clarify the DOCR’s existing

responsibilities. Amended section 1.23

states that the DOCR is responsible for

conducting all stages of the formal

internal discrimination complaint

process. In addition, the DOCR is

responsible for providing policy

guidance within the Department

concerning the implementation and

enforcement of all civil rights laws,

regulations and executive orders for

which the Department is responsible,

and for reviewing and evaluating the

civil rights programs of the

Department’s operating administrations (OAs). Finally, amended section

1.23 states that the Director of the DOCR

serves as the Department’s Equal

Employment Opportunity Officer and

Title VI Coordinator.

Currently, section 1.45(a)(10)

delegates authority to the

Administrators of the DOT operating

administrations to accept or reject

internal complaints of discrimination by

their respective employees and

applicants for employment on the basis

of race, color, religion, sex, national

origin, or age arising within their

organizations. Under the consolidation,

the OAs (including the Coast Guard)

will retain responsibility for resolving

informal complaints of discrimination
2890 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 8 / Thursday, January 12, 1995 / Rules and Regulations

arising within their organizations as

well as for developing and

implementing affirmative action and

diversity plans within their

organizations, but will no longer be

involved once a complaint reaches the

formal process. Each Administrator and

the Assistant Secretary for

Administration, in the case of the Office

of the Secretary, retains his/her existing

responsibilities for appointing Equal

Opportunity Counselors within his/her

organization and assuring that the Equal

Opportunity Counseling program is

carried out in an effective manner. This

paragraph is amended to reflect the

OA’s revised responsibilities. OAs will

also retain their current responsibility

for representing management during the

various stages of the formal internal

complaint process. Similarly, language

has been added to section 1.54

delegating authority to Secretarial

Officers (including the Inspector

General) to resolve informal complaints

of discrimination arising within their

respective organizations and develop

and implement affirmative action and

diversity plans within their respective

organizations.

Section 1.59 currently delegates

authority to the Assistant Secretary for

Administration to carry out a number of

civil rights responsibilities. These

authorities are: development and

implementation of an affirmative action

plan in the Office of the Secretary to

assure equal employment opportunity

(section 1.59(b)(2)); reviewing proposals

of the Office of the Secretary for each

new appointment or transfer to assure

compliance with the Action Plan for

Equal Opportunity for the Office of the

Secretary (section 1.59(b)(5)(ii)); and

acceptance or rejection of internal

complaints of discrimination on the

basis of race, color, religion, sex,

national origin, or age arising within or

relating to the Office of the Secretary

(section 1.59(j)). Since, as described

above, this rulemaking delegates

authority to each Secretarial Officer to

develop and implement affirmative

action and diversity plans within their

respective organizations, sections

1.59(b)(2) and 1.59(b)(5)(ii) are no longer

needed and these delegations are hereby

withdrawn. Similarly, as described

above, DOCR is now responsible for

conducting all stages of the formal

internal complaint process, the

delegation to the Assistant Secretary for

Administration concerning the

acceptance or rejection of internal

complaints of discrimination is hereby

revoked.

This rulemaking adds new section

1.70 to 49 CFR Part 1, delegating to the

Director of the DOCR the authority to

conduct all stages of the Department’s

formal internal discrimination

complaint process and confirming the

DOCR’s long-standing responsibility to

provide policy guidance concerning the

implementation and enforcement of all

civil rights laws, regulations and

executive orders for which the

Department is responsible, to otherwise

perform activities to ensure compliance

with external civil rights programs, and

to review and evaluate their

implementation.

The Department’s external civil rights

programs are largely carried out by the

operating administrations, under the

general policy guidance of the DOCR.

Also, the Departmental Office of Small

and Disadvantaged Business Utilization

provides primary policy direction for

the Department’s minority and

disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE)

program. Thus, this rule emphasizes

that the DOCR is to work cooperatively

with the OAs and other Department

components in developing guidance and

otherwise carrying out its

responsibilities for these external civil

rights programs in accordance with

statutes, regulations, and executive

orders of general applicability and DOTspecific statutes administered by these

organizations.

The applicable laws covered by the

delegation to the DOCR are numerous

and are listed in the delegation. In

addition to well recognized civil rights

laws such as Titles VI and VII of the

Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended,

the delegation covers such laws as the

Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health

Administration Reorganization Act, 42

U.S.C. 290dd(b), which provides that no

person is to be denied or deprived of

Federal civilian employment or a

Federal professional or other license or

right solely on the grounds of prior

substance abuse, except as otherwise

provided; the Equal Pay Act of 1963,

which prohibits employers with

employees subject to the Fair Labor

Standards Act from discriminating

against these employees on the basis of

sex in the payment of wages; The

Department of Transportation Coast

Guard Military Justice Manual, CG–488,

Part 700–9, which authorizes members

of the Coast Guard to file EEO

complaints of discrimination; and the

Federal Property and Administrative

Services Act of 1949, 40 U.S.C. 471 and

476, which provide that no individual

shall be subjected to sexual

discrimination under any program or

activity receiving Federal funds under

the Act.

The delegation also covers the

following DOT-specific statutes which

are administered by the OAs. While the

OAs will continue to administer their

respective statutes, including authorities

specifically delegated to Administrators

pursuant to regulation or DOT Order,

the DOCR retains its long-standing

authority to provide policy guidance to

the OAs concerning the implementation

and enforcement of these statutes and to

review and evaluate the OAs’ programs

under these statutes: 49 U.S.C. 47113

and 47123 (formerly section 505(f),

511(a)(17), and 520 of the Airport and

Airway Improvement Act of 1982, as

amended), which concern

nondiscrimination and minority and

DBE participation in projects funded

under chapter 471 of title 49, United

States Code; 49 U.S.C. 47107(e)

(formerly sections 511(a)(17) and 511(h)

of the Airport and Airway Improvement

Act of 1982, as amended), which

concerns DBE participation in airport

concessions pursuant to an agreement

with a sponsor that has received a grant

for airport development under chapter

471 of title 49, United States Code; 49

U.S.C. 41705 (formerly the Air Carrier

Access Act of 1986, as amended), which

prohibits discrimination by an air

carrier against any otherwise qualified

handicapped individual by reason of

such handicap; 49 U.S.C. 5310 (formerly

section 16 of the Federal Transit Act, as

amended), which concerns planning

and design of mass transportation

facilities to meet special needs of

elderly persons and persons with

disabilities; 49 U.S.C. 5332 (formerly

section 19 of the Federal Transit Act, as

amended), which concerns

nondiscrimination in programs or

activities receiving financial assistance

under chapter 53 of title 49, United

States Code; the Federal-Aid Highway

Act, as amended, 23 U.S.C. 140 and 324,

which concern nondiscrimination in

Federally funded highway programs; the

Highway Safety Act of 1966, as

amended, 23 U.S.C. 402(b)(1)(D), which

concerns access for physically

handicapped persons at pedestrian

crosswalks in state highway safety

programs; 49 U.S.C. 306, which

prohibits discrimination under any

program, project or activity receiving

financial assistance under certain

provisions of the Regional Rail

Reorganization Act of 1973 or the

Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory

Reform Act of 1976; and the Intermodal

Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of

1991, Pub. L. 102–240, 105 Stat. 1919,

section 1003, which authorizes the DBE

program for surface transportation

programs.

Since this rule relates to departmental

management, organization, procedure,

and practice, notice and public
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 8 / Thursday, January 12, 1995 / Rules and Regulations 2891

comment are unnecessary. For the same

reason, good cause exists for not

publishing this rule at least 30 days

before its effective date, as is ordinarily

required by 5 U.S.C. 553(d). Therefore,

this rule is effective on the date of its

publication.

List of Subjects in 49 CFR Part 1

Authority delegations (Government

agencies) Organization and functions

(Government agencies).

In consideration of the foregoing, and

under the authority of 49 U.S.C. 322,

Part 1 of Title 49 Code of Federal

Regulations is amended as follows:

PART 1—[AMENDED]

1. The authority citation for part 1

continues to read as follows:

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322; Pub. L. 101–552;

28 U.S.C. 2672; 31 U.S.C. 3711(a)(2).

2. 49 CFR Subtitle A is amended as

follows:

a. Section 1.23 is amended by revising

paragraph (l) to read as follows:

§ 1.23 Spheres of primary responsibility.

* * * * *

(l) Departmental Office of Civil Rights.

The Director of the Departmental Office

of Civil Rights serves as the

Department’s Equal Employment

Opportunity (EEO) Officer and Title VI

Coordinator. The Director also serves as

principal advisor to the Secretary and

the Deputy Secretary on the civil rights

and nondiscrimination statutes,

regulations, and executive orders

applicable to the Department, including

titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act

of 1964, as amended, the Age

Discrimination in Employment Act of

1967, as amended, the Age

Discrimination Act of 1975, as

amended, section 504 of the

Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended,

the Americans with Disabilities Act of

1990, and the Equal Pay Act of 1963.

The Office of Civil Rights also provides

policy guidance to the operating

administrations and Secretarial officers

on these matters. Also, the Office

periodically reviews and evaluates the

civil rights programs of the operating

administrations to ensure that recipients

of DOT funds meet applicable Federal

civil rights requirements.

* * * * *

b. Section 1.45 is amended by revising

paragraph (a)(10) to read as follows:

§ 1.45 Delegations to all Administrators.

(a)* * *

(10) Exercise the authority of the

Secretary to resolve informal allegations

of discrimination arising in or relating

to their respective organizations through

Equal Employment Opportunity

counseling or the Alternative Dispute

Resolution process and to develop and

implement affirmative action and

diversity plans within their respective

organizations. With regard to external

civil rights programs, each

Administrator exercises authority

pursuant to statutes, regulations,

executive orders, or delegations in

subpart C of this Part to carry out these

programs, under the general policy

guidance of the Director of the

Departmental Office of Civil Rights,

including conducting compliance

reviews and other activities relating to

the enforcement of these statutes,

regulations, and executive orders.

* * * * *

c. Section 1.54 is amended by adding

a new paragraph (b)(11) to read as

follows:

§ 1.54 Delegations to all Secretarial

Officers.

* * * * *

(b)* * *

(11) Exercise the authority of the

Secretary to resolve informal allegations

of discrimination arising in or relating

to their respective organizations through

Equal Employment Opportunity

counseling or the Alternative Dispute

Resolution process and to develop and

implement affirmative action and

diversity plans within their respective

organizations.

d. Section 1.59 is amended as follows:

1. Paragraph (b)(2) is removed and

paragraphs (b) (3) through (9) are

redesignated as paragraphs (b) (2)

through (8) respectively.

2. Redesignated paragraph (b)(4)(ii) is

removed and reserved.

3. Paragraph (j) is removed and

paragraph (k) through (q) are

redesignated as (j) through (p),

respectively.

e. A new § 1.70 is added to read as

follows:

§ 1.70 Delegations to the Director of the

Departmental Office of Civil Rights.

The Director of the Departmental

Office of Civil Rights is delegated

authority to conduct all stages of the

formal internal discrimination

complaint process (including the

acceptance or rejection of complaints);

to provide policy guidance to the

operating administrations and

Secretarial officers concerning the

implementation and enforcement of all

civil rights laws, regulations and

executive orders for which the

Department is responsible; to otherwise

perform activities to ensure compliance

with external civil rights programs; and

to review and evaluate the operating

administrations’ enforcement of these

authorities.

These authorities include:

(a) Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of

1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 2000e et

seq.

(b) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of

1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 2000d et

seq.

(c) Section 504 of the Rehabilitation

Act of 1973, as amended, 29 U.S.C. 794

and 794a.

(d) Section 501 of the Rehabilitation

Act of 1973, as amended, 29 U.S.C. 791.

(e) Age Discrimination in

Employment Act of 1967, as amended,

29 U.S.C. 621 et seq.

(f) Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as

amended, 42 U.S.C. 6101.

(g) Americans with Disabilities Act of

1990, Pub. L. No. 101–336, 104 Stat. 327

(1990) (codified at 42 U.S.C. 12101–

121213).

(h) Equal Pay Act of 1963 (enacted as

section 6(d) of the Fair Labor Standards

Act of 1938, 29 U.S.C. 206(d)).

(i) Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental

Health Administration Reorganization

Act, 42 U.S.C. 290dd(b).

(j) 29 CFR Parts 1600 through 1691

(Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission Regulations).

(k) Department of Transportation

Coast Guard Military Justice Manual,

CG–488, Part 700–9 (Civil Rights

Complaints).

(l) Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of

1968, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 3601 et

seq. (fair housing provisions).

(m) The Federal Property and

Administrative Services Act of 1949, 40

U.S.C. 476.

(n) Title IX of the Education

Amendments Act of 1972, 20 U.S.C.

1681.

(o) Executive Order No. 12898,

Federal Actions To Address

Environmental Justice in Minority

Populations and Low-Income

Populations. (In coordination with the

Assistant Secretary for Transportation

Policy.)

(p) 49 U.S.C. 47113, 47107, and 47123

(formerly sections 505(f), 511(a)(17), and

520 of the Airport and Airway

Improvement Act of 1982, as amended).

(q) 49 U.S.C. 41705 (formerly the Air

Carrier Access Act of 1986, as

amended).

(r) The Federal-Aid Highway Act, as

amended, 23 U.S.C. 140 and 324.

(s) 49 U.S.C. 306.

(t) 49 U.S.C. 5310, 5332 (formerly

sections 16 and 19 of the Federal Transit

Act, as amended).

(u) The Intermodal Surface

Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991,

Pub. L. 102–240, 105 Stat. 1919, section

1003.
2892 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 8 / Thursday, January 12, 1995 / Rules and Regulations

1Automatic Slack Adjusters for Heavy Vehicle

Brake Systems, February 1991, DOT HS 724, and

the National Transportation Safety Board Heavy

Vehicle Airbrake Performance, 1992, PB92–917003/

NTSB/SS–92/01

(v) The Highway Safety Act of 1966,

as amended, 23 U.S.C. 402(b)(1)(D).

Issued at Washington, DC this 5th day of

January 1995.

Federico Pen ̃ a,

Secretary of Transportation.

[FR Doc. 95–753 Filed 1–11–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–62–U

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

49 CFR Part 571

[Docket No. 93–54, Notice 2]

RIN 2127–AE54

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety

Standards; Air Brake Systems; LongStroke Brake Chambers

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA),

Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: Consistent with a

recommendation by the National

Transportation Safety Board and in

response to a petition for rulemaking

from the American Trucking

Associations (ATA), this final rule

amends the reservoir requirements in

Standard No. 121, Air Brake Systems,

for trucks, buses, and trailers equipped

with air brakes. The agency believes that

the amendments will improve the

braking efficiency of such vehicles and

reduce the number of brakes found to be

out of adjustment during inspections. It

will do this by removing a design

restriction that tends to discourage the

use of long-stroke brake chambers, a

technology with potentially significant

safety benefits.

DATES: Effective Date: The amendments

become effective on February 13, 1995.

Petitions for Reconsideration: Any

petitions for reconsideration of this rule

must be received by NHTSA no later

than February 13, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Petitions for reconsideration

of this rule should refer to Docket 93–

54; Notice 2 and should be submitted to:

Administrator, National Highway

Traffic Safety Administration, 400

Seventh Street SW., Washington, D.C.

20590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Richard Carter, Office of Vehicle Safety

Standards, National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, 400 Seventh

Street SW., Washington, D.C. 20590

(202–366–5274).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

Standard No. 121, Air Brake Systems,

specifies performance requirements

applicable to vehicles equipped with air

brakes. The Standard also requires airbraked vehicles to be equipped with

various types of equipment, including

an air compressor, reservoirs, and a

pressure gauge. (See section S5.1)

Standard No. 121 does not specify the

length of stroke of brake chambers, but

it establishes a ratio between the volume

of the service reservoirs and the volume

of the brake chambers. The reservoirs

store energy, in the form of air at high

pressure that is used to apply the

vehicle’s brakes. Without such

reservoirs, the vehicle’s air compressor

could not maintain adequate brake

system pressure during successive rapid

brake applications. The effect of this

ratio is that if the brake chamber stroke

is lengthened, thereby increasing its

volume, it may be necessary to enlarge

the service reservoirs.

With respect to trucks and buses,

Section S5.1.2.1 currently specifies that

The combined volume of all service

reservoirs and supply reservoirs shall be at

least 12 times the combined volume of all

service brake chambers at maximum travel of

pistons or diaphragms. However, the

reservoirs on the truck portion of an auto

transporter need not meet this requirement.

Similarly, with respect to trailers,

section S5.2.1.1 specifies

The total volume of each service reservoir

shall be at least eight times the combined

volume of all service brake chambers

serviced by that reservoir at the maximum

travel of the pistons or diaphragms of those

service brake chambers. However, the

reservoirs on a heavy hauler trailer and on

the trailer portion of an auto transporter need

not meet the requirements specified in

S5.2.1.1.

These provisions were intended to

ensure that a vehicle’s braking system

has sufficient compressed air to provide

adequate brake pressure after a number

of brake applications.

Brake chambers with longer strokes

are commonly known as ‘‘long-stroke’’

chambers, in reference to the longer

piston or pushrod travel that they

require. Reports 1 by NHTSA and the

National Transportation Safety Board

(NTSB) have indicated that long stroke

chambers can help improve brake

adjustment on heavy vehicles. However,

the reports also note that the reservoir

requirements in Standard No. 121

would necessitate much larger

reservoirs when long-stroke chambers

are used. Thus, while the current

requirements do not prohibit long-stroke

chambers, the requirements for reservoir

size significantly discourage their use.

II. Petition

On March 17, 1992, the American

Trucking Associations (ATA) petitioned

the agency to amend the reservoir

requirements in Standard No. 121 to

facilitate the installation of long-stroke

chambers. With respect to trucks, buses,

and trailers equipped with long-stroke

chambers, ATA recommended that the

combined volume of all the reservoirs

be based on the ‘‘rated volume’’ of the

service brake chambers, rather than on

the volume of the chambers at the

maximum travel of the piston. The

‘‘rated volume’’ of each brake chamber

would be determined pursuant to a table

of specified values according to the area

of the brake diaphragm and the length

of the stroke. In other words, under

ATA’s recommended amendment, if a

‘‘type 30’’ brake chamber (with a

diaphragm of approximately 30 square

inches) had a full stroke of at least 2.50

inches, then the rated volume of the

brake chamber would have to be at least

84 cubic inches. As a practical matter,

the use of long stroke chambers should

have a minimal effect on reservoir

capacity. For other types of brake

chambers not presented on the table, the

rated volume would be the volume of

the brake chamber at maximum travel of

the brake pistons or pushrods.

In support of its petition, ATA argued

that manufacturers would have to incur

unnecessary costs associated with

increasing the size of the reservoirs if

standard brake chambers were replaced

with long-stroke chambers. Along with

these additional costs, some vehicle

configurations would have to be

redesigned due to lack of adequate

locations with sufficient space to

accommodate large reservoirs. The lack

of space is especially significant with

short wheel base single unit trucks

equipped with extensive accessories

(e.g., power-take-off units (PTOs), tail

gate lifts, refrigeration units, larger

brakes) which compete for

undercarriage space.

III. Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

On August 2, 1993, NHTSA proposed

amending Standard No. 121’s reservoir

requirements for trucks, buses, and

trailers to facilitate the introduction of

long-stroke brake chambers. (58 FR

41078). Specifically, the agency

proposed that the method for

calculating air reservoir requirements

would be based on the ‘‘rated volume’’