[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 245 (Monday, December 22, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 76295-76297]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-29853]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

49 CFR Part 350

[Docket No. FMCSA-2014-0470]


State Inspection Programs for Passenger-Carrying Vehicles; 
Listening Sessions

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

ACTION: Notice of public listening sessions.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: FMCSA announces that it will hold two public listening 
sessions on January 13 and 18, 2015, to solicit information concerning 
section 32710 of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act 
(Pub. L. 112-141, MAP-21). This provision requires FMCSA to complete a 
rulemaking proceeding to consider requiring States to establish a 
program for annual inspections of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) 
designed or used to transport passengers. Additionally, under MAP-21, 
FMCSA must assess the risks associated with improperly maintained or 
inspected CMVs designed or used to transport passengers; the 
effectiveness of existing Federal standards for the inspection of such 
vehicles in mitigating the risks associated with improperly maintained 
vehicles and ensuring the safe and proper operation condition of such 
vehicles; and the costs and benefits of a mandatory inspection program. 
Any data regarding this topic would be appreciated.
    The January 13, 2015, session will be held at the American Bus 
Association's (ABA) Marketplace conference in St. Louis, Missouri. The 
January 18, 2015, session will be held at the United Motorcoach 
Association (UMA) Expo 2015 conference in New Orleans,

[[Page 76296]]

Louisiana. All comments will be transcribed and placed in the docket 
referenced above for FMCSA's consideration. The entire proceedings for 
both days will be webcast.

DATES: The listening sessions will be held on Tuesday, January 13, 
2015, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Local 
Time, and on Sunday, January 18 from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., Local Time.

ADDRESSES: The January 13 listening session will be held at the 
America's Center, 701 Washington Ave., St. Louis, MO 63101, in Room 
123. The January 18 session will be held at the Ernest N. Morial 
Convention Center, 900 Convention Center Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70130, 
in Room 235-236. In addition to attending the session in person, the 
Agency offers several ways to provide comments, as enumerated below.
    Internet Address for Live Webcast. FMCSA will post specific 
information on how to participate via the Internet on the FMCSA Web 
site at www.fmcsa.dot.gov in advance of the listening sessions.
    You may submit comments identified by Docket Number FMCSA-2014-0470 
using any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
    <bullet> Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building, Ground 
Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    <bullet> Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building, Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    <bullet> Fax: 202-493-2251.
    Each submission must include the Agency name and the docket number 
for this notice. Note that DOT posts all comments received, without 
change, to www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
included in a comment. Please see the Privacy Act heading below. To 
avoid duplication, please use only one of these four methods. See the 
``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion of the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for instructions on submitting 
comments.
    <bullet> Docket: For access to the docket to read background 
documents or comments, go to www.regulations.gov at any time or visit 
Room W12-140 on the ground level of the West Building, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., ET, Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays. The online Federal document 
management system is available 24 hours each day, 365 days each year. 
If you would like acknowledgment that the Agency received your 
comments, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope or postcard 
or print the acknowledgment page that appears after submitting comments 
on-line.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shannon L. Watson, Senior Policy 
Advisor, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001 or by telephone at 202-366-2551. 
If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, 
contact Docket Services, telephone (202) 366-9826.
    If you need sign language interpretation or any other accessibility 
accommodation, please contact Ms. Watson by Monday, January 5, 2015, to 
allow us to arrange for such services. FMCSA cannot guarantee that 
interpreter services requested on short notice will be provided.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Submitting Comments

    If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this 
notice (FMCSA-2014-0470), and provide a reason for each suggestion or 
recommendation. You may submit your comments and material online or by 
fax, mail, or hand delivery, but please use only one of these means. 
FMCSA recommends that you include your name and a mailing address, an 
email address, or a phone number in the body of your document so that 
FMCSA can contact you if there are questions regarding your submission.
    To submit your comment online, go to http://www.regulations.gov, 
put the docket number, FMCSA-2014-0470, in the keyword box, and click 
``Search.'' When the new screen appears, click on the ``Comment Now!'' 
button and type your comment into the text box on the following screen. 
Choose whether you are submitting your comment as an individual or on 
behalf of a third party and then submit.
    If you submit your comments by mail or hand delivery, submit them 
in an unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for 
copying and electronic filing. If you submit comments by mail and would 
like to know that they reached the facility, please enclose a stamped, 
self-addressed postcard or envelope.
    We will consider all comments and material received during the 
comment period and may draft a request for further comment to support 
consideration of further regulatory action.

Viewing Comments and Documents

    To view comments, as well as any documents mentioned in this 
preamble as being available in the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov. Insert the docket number, FMCSA-2014-0470, in the 
keyword box, and click ``Search.'' Next, click the ``Open Docket 
Folder'' button and choose the document to review. If you do not have 
access to the Internet, you may view the docket online by visiting the 
Docket Management Facility in Room W12-140 on the ground floor of the 
DOT West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., E.T., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays.

Privacy Act

    In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the 
public to better inform its rulemaking process. DOT posts these 
comments, without edit, including any personal information the 
commenter provides, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the system 
of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at 
www.dot.gov/privacy.

Background

    On July 6, 2012, the President signed MAP-21 into law. The new law 
included certain requirements concerning State inspection programs for 
passenger-carrying vehicles (e.g., motorcoaches). Specifically, Section 
32710 requires the Secretary of Transportation to complete a rulemaking 
proceeding to consider requiring States to establish a program for 
annual inspections of CMVs designed or used to transport passengers. 
FMCSA must also include an assessment of the following: (1) The risks 
associated with improperly maintained or inspected CMVs designed or 
used to transport passengers; (2) the effectiveness of existing Federal 
standards for the inspection of such vehicles in--(a) mitigating the 
risks associated with improperly maintained vehicles; and (b) ensuring 
the safe and proper operation condition of such vehicles; and (3) the 
costs and benefits of a mandatory inspection program. Any data with 
regard to the topic would be appreciated.
    To help inform consideration of the MAP-21 requirements, the Agency 
believes it would be helpful to conduct a series of public listening 
sessions to provide all interested parties the

[[Page 76297]]

opportunity to share their views on the subject.
    The Agency requests information on the following questions:
    <bullet> Does your State or the States in which you domicile buses 
conduct mandatory bus inspections? Are these inspections conducted 
annually and by State employees or 3rd party inspectors? If conducted 
by 3rd party inspectors, what oversight is or should be required? What 
is the cost of these inspections?
    <bullet> If your State imposes mandatory inspection of buses, how 
do you assess the effectiveness of such inspections? For example, have 
you measured the occurrence of bus-involved crashes, injuries and/or 
fatalities before and after the imposition of a mandatory inspection 
requirement?
    <bullet> Which vehicle defects are most prevalent at these 
inspections? What conclusions do you draw from the results of these 
inspections?
    <bullet> Where should these inspections be performed? At a ``brick 
and mortar'' facility or at the carrier's place of business? If at the 
carrier's place of business, what accommodations must be made to ensure 
appropriate access (e.g. pits, lifts, etc.) to conduct full inspections 
of motorcoaches and other large vehicles? What should the fees be for 
the various types of inspections?
    <bullet> How much does it cost to establish and run inspection 
programs on an annual basis? Would self-inspection or 3rd party 
inspections be an option to a State inspection? How would the costs 
differ? Do you envision other more preferable options?
    <bullet> Should States allow fleets to self-inspect? How many 
fleets use their own mechanics, as opposed to 3rd party inspectors, to 
conduct bus inspections?
    <bullet> Has your State or organization collected data related to 
crashes, injuries and/or fatalities attributable to improperly 
maintained or inspected buses? If so, what conclusions have you drawn 
from that data?

II. Meeting Participation and Information FMCSA Seeks From the Public

    The listening sessions are open to the public. Speakers should try 
to limit their remarks to 3-5 minutes. No preregistration is required. 
Attendees may submit material to the FMCSA staff at the session for 
inclusion in the pubic docket referenced at the beginning of this 
notice.
    FMCSA will docket the transcripts of the webcast and a separate 
transcription of the listening session will be prepared by an official 
court reporter.

    Issued on: December 15, 2014.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2014-29853 Filed 12-19-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P