Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 11 / Friday, January 16, 2015 / Notices 2471 

respondents × 45 minutes/60 minutes) + 

(50 State personnel interviews × 30 

minutes/60 minutes) = 63]. Minutes per 

response = 62.5 rounded to 63.] 

Background: The Federal Motor 

Carriers Safety Administration (FMCSA) 

needs a survey of its State partner-grant 

recipients who support the operation, 

regulation and enforcement of various 

mutually-beneficial safety programs. 

This knowledge will improve the 

Federal government’s understanding of 

the effectiveness of commercial motor 

vehicle (CMV) safety related grant 

programs. The FMCSA is interested in 

surveying grant recipients to collect 

information on the strengths, 

weaknesses, and effectiveness of 

FMCSA grant programs. 

In 2009, the Government 

Accountability Office (GAO) issued a 

final report on a FMCSA grant program 

called Performance Registration 

Information System Management 

PRISM. The GAO reported was entitled, 

‘‘Motor Carrier Safety: Commercial 

Vehicle Registration Program Has Kept 

Carriers from Operating, but 

Effectiveness Is Difficult to Measure, 

GAO–09–495.’’ The GAO recommended 

FMCSA measure the PRISM program’s 

effectiveness when the number of States 

that have the ability to deny, suspend, 

or revoke registrations of CMVs 

operated by OOS carriers is sufficient to 

make such measurements meaningful. 

The authority to require Federal 

Agencies to monitor grants is 2 CFR 

Chapter I, and Chapter II Parts 200, 215, 

220, 225, and 230 Uniform 

Administrative Requirements, Cost 

Principles, and Audit Requirements for 

Federal Awards. OMB Circular A–110, 

Reports and Records, sections 50 

through 53 set forth the procedures for 

monitoring and reporting on the 

recipient’s financial and program 

performance and the necessary standard 

reporting forms. 

The Agency proposes to collect the 

data for this project via electronic mail 

surveys and conduct clarifying 

interviews as appropriate. The 

information collection supports the 

DOT’s Strategic Goal of Safety, and will 

help confirm whether the program(s) 

improve public health and safety by 

reducing transportation-related fatalities 

and injuries. Therefore, the purpose of 

this ICR is to conduct a survey using 

Form MCSA–5888 to evaluate the 

effectiveness of FMCSA’s grant 

programs through the use of in-person 

interviews and electronic surveys. The 

survey will not be statistical in nature, 

as the intention is to receive the 

comments of all affected state partners. 

The survey will not exceed 30 questions 

and the complexity of the question 

structure will be Likert scale and short 

responses. The decision to use the 

Likert scale over the ordinal scale is the 

numbers in the ordinal level indicate 

the relative position of items, but not 

the magnitude of difference that you get 

from the Likert scale. For example, the 

survey will present a question like ‘‘The 

grant funding provided in support of 

your program is adequate to meet all 

aspects of the mission.’’ The response 

options may include: 

1. Strongly disagree 

2. Disagree 

3. Neutral 

3. Agree 

4. Strongly agree 

5. Not Applicable 

The Agency will use this information 

to establish a baseline of our grant 

programs from the grantee’s perspective 

for use in future grant-related decision 

making, to include: (1) Assessing the 

impacts of proposed rules, (2) 

identifying potential improvements in 

its grant supported safety programs, and 

(3) complement future budget and 

resource related decisions. 

Public Comments Invited: You are 

asked to comment on any aspect of this 

information collection, including: (1) 

Whether the proposed collection is 

necessary for the FMCSA to perform its 

functions; (2) the accuracy of the 

estimated burden; (3) ways for the 

FMCSA to enhance the quality, 

usefulness, and clarity of the collected 

information; and (4) ways that the 

burden could be minimized without 

reducing the quality of the collected 

information. 

Issued under the authority delegated in 49 

CFR 1.87 on January 5, 2015. 

G. Kelly Regal, 

Associate Administrator, Office of Research 

and Information Technology and Chief 

Information Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2015–00607 Filed 1–15–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration 

[Docket No. FMCSA–2014–0297] 

Qualification of Drivers; Exemption 

Applications; Vision 

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration (FMCSA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of final disposition. 

SUMMARY: FMCSA announces its 

decision to exempt 12 individuals from 

the vision requirement in the Federal 

Motor Carrier Safety Regulations 

(FMCSRs). They are unable to meet the 

vision requirement in one eye for 

various reasons. The exemptions will 

enable these individuals to operate 

commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in 

interstate commerce without meeting 

the prescribed vision requirement in 

one eye. The Agency has concluded that 

granting these exemptions will provide 

a level of safety that is equivalent to or 

greater than the level of safety 

maintained without the exemptions for 

these CMV drivers. 

DATES: The exemptions were granted 

November 22, 2014. The exemptions 

expire on November 22, 2016. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Elaine M. Papp, R.N., Chief, Medical 

Programs Division, (202) 366–4001, 

fmcsamedical@dot.gov, FMCSA, 

Department of Transportation, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE., Room W64– 

224, Washington, DC 20590–0001. 

Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. If you have questions 

on viewing or submitting material to the 

docket, contact Docket Services, 

telephone (202) 366–9826. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Electronic Access 

You may see all the comments online 

through the Federal Document 

Management System (FDMS) at http://

www.regulations.gov. 

Docket: For access to the docket to 

read background documents or 

comments, go to http://

www.regulations.gov and/or 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., 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. 

II. Background 

On October 22, 2014, FMCSA 

published a notice of receipt of 

exemption applications from certain 

individuals, and requested comments 

from the public (79 FR 63211). That 

notice listed 12 applicants’ case 

histories. The 12 individuals applied for 

exemptions from the vision requirement 

in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10), for drivers who 

operate CMVs in interstate commerce. 

Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315, 

FMCSA may grant an exemption for a 2- 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
2472 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 11 / Friday, January 16, 2015 / Notices 

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 statute also 

allows the Agency to renew exemptions 

at the end of the 2-year period. 

Accordingly, FMCSA has evaluated the 

12 applications on their merits and 

made a determination to grant 

exemptions to each of them. 

III. Vision and Driving Experience of 

the Applicants 

The vision requirement in the 

FMCSRs provides: 

A person is physically qualified to 

drive a commercial motor vehicle if that 

person has distant visual acuity of at 

least 20/40 (Snellen) in each eye 

without corrective lenses or visual 

acuity separately corrected to 20/40 

(Snellen) or better with corrective 

lenses, distant binocular acuity of a least 

20/40 (Snellen) in both eyes with or 

without corrective lenses, field of vision 

of at least 70° in the horizontal meridian 

in each eye, and the ability to recognize 

the colors of traffic signals and devices 

showing red, green, and amber (49 CFR 

391.41(b)(10)). 

FMCSA recognizes that some drivers 

do not meet the vision requirement but 

have adapted their driving to 

accommodate their vision limitation 

and demonstrated their ability to drive 

safely. The 12 exemption applicants 

listed in this notice are in this category. 

They are unable to meet the vision 

requirement in one eye for various 

reasons, including a scar, amblyopia, 

complete loss of vision, prosthetic eye, 

corneal scar, refractive amblyopia, and a 

corneal transplant. In most cases, their 

eye conditions were not recently 

developed. Eight of the applicants were 

either born with their vision 

impairments or have had them since 

childhood. 

The four individuals that sustained 

their vision conditions as adults have 

had it for a range of 20 to 45 years. 

Although each applicant has one eye 

which does not meet the vision 

requirement in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10), 

each has at least 20/40 corrected vision 

in the other eye, and in a doctor’s 

opinion, has sufficient vision to perform 

all the tasks necessary to operate a CMV. 

Doctors’ opinions are supported by the 

applicants’ possession of valid 

commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) or 

non-CDLs to operate CMVs. Before 

issuing CDLs, States subject drivers to 

knowledge and skills tests designed to 

evaluate their qualifications to operate a 

CMV. 

All of these applicants satisfied the 

testing requirements for their State of 

residence. By meeting State licensing 

requirements, the applicants 

demonstrated their ability to operate a 

CMV, with their limited vision, to the 

satisfaction of the State. 

While possessing a valid CDL or nonCDL, these 12 drivers have been 

authorized to drive a CMV in intrastate 

commerce, even though their vision 

disqualified them from driving in 

interstate commerce. They have driven 

CMVs with their limited vision in 

careers ranging from 4 to 50 years. In the 

past three years, one of the drivers was 

involved in a crash and one was 

convicted of a moving violation in a 

CMV. 

The qualifications, experience, and 

medical condition of each applicant 

were stated and discussed in detail in 

the October 22, 2014 notice (79 FR 

63211). 

IV. Basis for Exemption Determination 

Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315, 

FMCSA may grant an exemption from 

the vision requirement in 49 CFR 

391.41(b)(10) if the exemption is likely 

to achieve an equivalent or greater level 

of safety than would be achieved 

without the exemption. Without the 

exemption, applicants will continue to 

be restricted to intrastate driving. With 

the exemption, applicants can drive in 

interstate commerce. Thus, our analysis 

focuses on whether an equal or greater 

level of safety is likely to be achieved by 

permitting each of these drivers to drive 

in interstate commerce as opposed to 

restricting him or her to driving in 

intrastate commerce. 

To evaluate the effect of these 

exemptions on safety, FMCSA 

considered the medical reports about 

the applicants’ vision as well as their 

driving records and experience with the 

vision deficiency. 

To qualify for an exemption from the 

vision requirement, FMCSA requires a 

person to present verifiable evidence 

that he/she has driven a commercial 

vehicle safely with the vision deficiency 

for the past 3 years. Recent driving 

performance is especially important in 

evaluating future safety, according to 

several research studies designed to 

correlate past and future driving 

performance. Results of these studies 

support the principle that the best 

predictor of future performance by a 

driver is his/her past record of crashes 

and traffic violations. Copies of the 

studies may be found at Docket Number 

FMCSA–1998–3637. 

FMCSA believes it can properly apply 

the principle to monocular drivers, 

because data from the Federal Highway 

Administration’s (FHWA) former waiver 

study program clearly demonstrate the 

driving performance of experienced 

monocular drivers in the program is 

better than that of all CMV drivers 

collectively (See 61 FR 13338, 13345, 

March 26, 1996). The fact that 

experienced monocular drivers 

demonstrated safe driving records in the 

waiver program supports a conclusion 

that other monocular drivers, meeting 

the same qualifying conditions as those 

required by the waiver program, are also 

likely to have adapted to their vision 

deficiency and will continue to operate 

safely. 

The first major research correlating 

past and future performance was done 

in England by Greenwood and Yule in 

1920. Subsequent studies, building on 

that model, concluded that crash rates 

for the same individual exposed to 

certain risks for two different time 

periods vary only slightly (See Bates 

and Neyman, University of California 

Publications in Statistics, April 1952). 

Other studies demonstrated theories of 

predicting crash proneness from crash 

history coupled with other factors. 

These factors—such as age, sex, 

geographic location, mileage driven and 

conviction history—are used every day 

by insurance companies and motor 

vehicle bureaus to predict the 

probability of an individual 

experiencing future crashes (See Weber, 

Donald C., ‘‘Accident Rate Potential: An 

Application of Multiple Regression 

Analysis of a Poisson Process,’’ Journal 

of American Statistical Association, 

June 1971). A 1964 California Driver 

Record Study prepared by the California 

Department of Motor Vehicles 

concluded that the best overall crash 

predictor for both concurrent and 

nonconcurrent events is the number of 

single convictions. This study used 3 

consecutive years of data, comparing the 

experiences of drivers in the first 2 years 

with their experiences in the final year. 

Applying principles from these 

studies to the past 3-year record of the 

12 applicants, one of the drivers was 

involved in a crash, and one was 

convicted of a moving violation in a 

CMV. All the applicants achieved a 

record of safety while driving with their 

vision impairment, demonstrating the 

likelihood that they have adapted their 

driving skills to accommodate their 

condition. As the applicants’ ample 

driving histories with their vision 

deficiencies are good predictors of 

future performance, FMCSA concludes 

their ability to drive safely can be 

projected into the future. 

We believe that the applicants’ 

intrastate driving experience and history 

provide an adequate basis for predicting 

their ability to drive safely in interstate 

commerce. Intrastate driving, like 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 11 / Friday, January 16, 2015 / Notices 2473 

interstate operations, involves 

substantial driving on highways on the 

interstate system and on other roads 

built to interstate standards. Moreover, 

driving in congested urban areas 

exposes the driver to more pedestrian 

and vehicular traffic than exists on 

interstate highways. Faster reaction to 

traffic and traffic signals is generally 

required because distances between 

them are more compact. These 

conditions tax visual capacity and 

driver response just as intensely as 

interstate driving conditions. The 

veteran drivers in this proceeding have 

operated CMVs safely under those 

conditions for at least 3 years, most for 

much longer. Their experience and 

driving records lead us to believe that 

each applicant is capable of operating in 

interstate commerce as safely as he/she 

has been performing in intrastate 

commerce. Consequently, FMCSA finds 

that exempting these applicants from 

the vision requirement in 49 CFR 

391.41(b)(10) is likely to achieve a level 

of safety equal to that existing without 

the exemption. For this reason, the 

Agency is granting the exemptions for 

the 2-year period allowed by 49 U.S.C. 

31136(e) and 31315 to the 12 applicants 

listed in the notice of October 22, 2014 

(79 FR 63211). 

We recognize that the vision of an 

applicant may change and affect his/her 

ability to operate a CMV as safely as in 

the past. As a condition of the 

exemption, therefore, FMCSA will 

impose requirements on the 12 

individuals consistent with the 

grandfathering provisions applied to 

drivers who participated in the 

Agency’s vision waiver program. 

Those requirements are found at 49 

CFR 391.64(b) and include the 

following: (1) That each individual be 

physically examined every year (a) by 

an ophthalmologist or optometrist who 

attests that the vision in the better eye 

continues to meet the requirement 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, or keep a copy in his/her driver’s 

qualification file if he/she is selfemployed. The driver must have a copy 

of the certification when driving, for 

presentation to a duly authorized 

Federal, State, or local enforcement 

official. 

V. Discussion of Comments 

FMCSA received two comments in 

this proceeding. The comments are 

discussed below. 

An anonymous commenter and Sonia 

Sibrian stated that they believe that the 

current vision requirements are 

sufficient and that drivers with vision in 

one eye should not be granted an 

exemption. 

VI. Conclusion 

Based upon its evaluation of the 12 

exemption applications, FMCSA 

exempts the following drivers from the 

vision requirement in 49 CFR 

391.41(b)(10), subject to the 

requirements cited above (49 CFR 

391.64(b)): 

Rickie L. Brown (MS) 

Brian M. Goehring (PA) 

Dewey P. Huffman (OR) 

Purvis W. Kills Enemy At Night (SD) 

Daniel M. King (OK) 

Robby K. Leith II (CA) 

Roger F. Love (MN) 

Gary G. Medeiros II (ID) 

Michael J. Monroe (IA) 

Eugene F. Mapieralski (MN) 

Benjamin Riegelman (NJ) 

Stephen Susino (NJ) 

In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) 

and 31315, each exemption will be valid 

for 2 years unless revoked earlier by 

FMCSA. The exemption will be revoked 

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. 31136 and 31315. 

If the exemption is still effective at the 

end of the 2-year period, the person may 

apply to FMCSA for a renewal under 

procedures in effect at that time. 

Issued On: January 2, 2015. 

Larry W. Minor, 

Associate Administrator for Policy. 

[FR Doc. 2015–00604 Filed 1–15–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration 

[Docket No. FMCSA–2014–0300] 

Qualification of Drivers; Exemption 

Applications; Vision 

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration (FMCSA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of applications for 

exemptions, request for comments. 

SUMMARY: FMCSA announces receipt of 

applications from 51 individuals for 

exemption from the vision requirement 

in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Regulations. They are unable to meet 

the vision requirement in one eye for 

various reasons. The exemptions will 

enable these individuals to operate 

commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in 

interstate commerce without meeting 

the prescribed vision requirement in 

one eye. If granted, the exemptions 

would enable these individuals to 

qualify as drivers of commercial motor 

vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before February 17, 2015. All 

comments will be investigated by 

FMCSA. The exemptions will be issued 

the day after the comment period closes. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

bearing the Federal Docket Management 

System (FDMS) Docket No. FMCSA– 

2014–0300 using any of the following 

methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

on-line instructions for submitting 

comments. 

• 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. 

• Hand Delivery: 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. 

• Fax: 1–202–493–2251. 

Instructions: Each submission must 

include the Agency name and the 

docket numbers for this notice. Note 

that all comments received will be 

posted without change to http://

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information provided. Please 

see the Privacy Act heading below for 

further information. 

Docket: For access to the docket to 

read background documents or 

comments, go to http://

www.regulations.gov at any time or 

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., Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. The 

FDMS is available 24 hours each day, 

365 days each year. If you want 

acknowledgment that we received your 

comments, please include a selfaddressed, stamped envelope or 

postcard or print the acknowledgement 

page that appears after submitting 

comments on-line. 

Privacy Act: In accordance with 5 

U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES