[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 102 (Friday, May 24, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26167-26168]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-13097]



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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army


Transloading Arms, Ammunition, and Explosives

AGENCY: Military Traffic Management Command (MTMC), DOD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice supplements the notices published on November 24, 
1995 (Federal Register, Vol. 60, No. 226, page number 58054) and 
published on December 20, 1995 (Federal Register, Vol. 60, No. 244, 
page number 65640). Both MTMC Freight Traffic Rules Publication No. 1A, 
Item 48, and MTMC Guaranteed Traffic Rules Publication No. 50, Item 
145, are changed as follows:
    ``Transloading shipments of Division 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3 ammunition 
and explosives will be conducted as follows:
    a. Truckload shipments will not be off-loaded or transferred to 
another vehicle enroute, except in emergencies (as defined in 49 CFR 
390.5).
    b. Loading and unloading of less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments of 
Division 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3 ammunition and explosives will be 
accomplished only in a carrier terminal. For the purposes of this rule, 
a carrier terminal is defined as one which is equipped to handle safely 
the loading and unloading of Division 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3 ammunition and 
explosives from a commercial motor vehicle. In addition, when the 
transloading of Divisions 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3 ammunition and explosives 
occurs at a carrier terminal other than at that of the carrier of 
record, as indicated on the Government Bill of Lading, prior written 
approval must be received from a company official or the carrier 
terminal manager. All Federal, State, and local guidelines for handling 
Divisions 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3 ammunition and explosives will apply when 
transloading occurs. The carrier accepts liability for the integrity of 
the shipments, to include proper blocking and bracing, equal to or 
exceeding the standard used by the shipper.
    c. Transloading of ammunition and explosives shipments on a 
military installation must be approved by the installation commander.''

DATES: Effective July 23, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Headquarters, Military Traffic Management Command, ATTN: 
MTOP-T-SR, 629 NASSIF Building, 5611 Columbia Pike, Falls Church, VA 
22041-5050.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Julian Jolkovsky, MTOP-T-SR, (703) 681-3440.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: MTMC received comments from one motor 
carrier, the U.S. Army Industrial Operations Command, and the Naval 
Ordnance Center. One comment requests clarification of this rule as it 
pertains to interlining; this clarification is not necessary because 
interlining does not apply to this rule in today's environment. Another 
comment is that this rule will give carriers too much latitude while 
failing to enhance shipment safety and security; this rule does not 
give carriers any more latitude than necessary to deliver military 
cargo safely, securely, and efficiently. Because MTMC is responsible to 
ensure that transloading will be accomplished in the safest manner 
possible, transloading

[[Page 26168]]

is limited to locations that are capable and equipped to deal with 
these types of shipments. The same comment feels that this rule will 
invalidate the Motor Vehicle Inspection, DD Form 626. DD Form 626 
represents the condition of the equipment at the time of inspection at 
the origin activity and allows the Government to compare the origin 
inspection with the destination inspection to establish liability. Once 
the carrier equipment leaves the activity, the potential for change to 
the equipment remains, regardless of whether the shipment is 
transloaded. With this rule, the carrier accepts liability for shipment 
integrity, to include blocking and bracing. Another comment suggests 
requiring carriers to notify both origin and destination activities of 
seal changes. The rules publications allow adequate notification by 
requiring carriers to annotate seal changes on the Government Bill of 
Lading. To comply with another comment that this rule should clarify 
the meaning of ``proper blocking and bracing,'' MTMC will add to the 
end of the rule the words ``equal to or exceeding the standard used by 
the consignor.'' MTMC expects that in transloading a shipment, the 
carrier maintains shipment integrity at a level that is the same as or 
better than the consignor's. Transloading less-than-truckload shipments 
is an accepted practice. MTMC has considered all comments carefully and 
decided to implement the proposed change to its transloading 
procedures. If there are concerns regarding these procedures, the 
consignor has the option to select Exclusive Use of Vehicle service.
Gregory D. Showalter,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-13097 Filed 5-23-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-08-M