Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2017 / Notices 43647 

that occurred without warning in the 

past 12 months and no recurrent (two or 

more) severe hypoglycemic episodes in 

the last five years. His endocrinologist 

certifies that Mr. Vaughan understands 

diabetes management and monitoring, 

has stable control of his diabetes using 

insulin, and is able to drive a CMV 

safely. Mr. Vaughan meets the 

requirements of the vision standard at 

49 CFR 391.41(b)(10). His optometrist 

examined him in 2017 and certified that 

he does not have diabetic retinopathy. 

He holds a Class A CDL from 

Minnesota. 

John F. White 

Mr. White, 53, has had ITDM since 

2012. His endocrinologist examined him 

in 2017 and certified that he has had no 

severe hypoglycemic reactions resulting 

in loss of consciousness, requiring the 

assistance of another person, or 

resulting in impaired cognitive function 

that occurred without warning in the 

past 12 months and no recurrent (two or 

more) severe hypoglycemic episodes in 

the last five years. His endocrinologist 

certifies that Mr. White understands 

diabetes management and monitoring, 

has stable control of his diabetes using 

insulin, and is able to drive a CMV 

safely. Mr. White meets the 

requirements of the vision standard at 

49 CFR 391.41(b)(10). His optometrist 

examined him in 2017 and certified that 

he does not have diabetic retinopathy. 

He holds a Class A CDL from New York. 

Ronald E. Wolf 

Mr. Wolf, 73, has had ITDM since 

1986. His endocrinologist examined him 

in 2017 and certified that he has had no 

severe hypoglycemic reactions resulting 

in loss of consciousness, requiring the 

assistance of another person, or 

resulting in impaired cognitive function 

that occurred without warning in the 

past 12 months and no recurrent (two or 

more) severe hypoglycemic episodes in 

the last five years. His endocrinologist 

certifies that Mr. Wolf understands 

diabetes management and monitoring, 

has stable control of his diabetes using 

insulin, and is able to drive a CMV 

safely. Mr. Wolf meets the requirements 

of the vision standard at 49 CFR 

391.41(b)(10). His ophthalmologist 

examined him in 2017 and certified that 

he has stable nonproliferative diabetic 

retinopathy. He holds a Class A CDL 

from Illinois. 

III. Request for Comments 

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

and 31315, FMCSA requests public 

comment from all interested persons on 

the exemption petitions described in 

this notice. We will consider all 

comments received before the close of 

business on the closing date indicated 

in the date’s section of the notice. 

IV. Submitting Comments 

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 and in the 

search box insert the docket number 

FMCSA–2017–0233 and click the search 

button. When the new screen appears, 

click on the blue ‘‘Comment Now!’’ 

button on the right hand side of the 

page. On the new page, enter 

information required including the 

specific section of this document to 

which each comment applies, and 

provide a reason for each suggestion or 

recommendation. If you submit your 

comments by mail or hand delivery, 

submit them in an unbound format, no 

larger than 81⁄2 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, selfaddressed postcard or envelope. 

We will consider all comments and 

materials received during the comment 

period. FMCSA may issue a final 

determination at any time after the close 

of the comment period. 

V. Viewing Comments and Documents 

To view comments, as well as any 

documents mentioned in this preamble, 

go to http://www.regulations.gov and in 

the search box insert the docket number 

FMCSA–2017–0233 and click ‘‘Search.’’ 

Next, click ‘‘Open Docket Folder’’ and 

you will find all documents and 

comments related to this notice. 

Issued on: September 11, 2017. 

Larry W. Minor, 

Associate Administrator for Policy. 

[FR Doc. 2017–19763 Filed 9–15–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration 

[Docket No. FMCSA–2017–0023] 

Qualification of Drivers; Exemption 

Applications; Vision 

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration (FMCSA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of applications for 

exemption; request for comments. 

SUMMARY: FMCSA announces receipt of 

applications from 25 individuals for an 

exemption from the vision requirement 

in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Regulations (FMCSRs) to operate a 

commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in 

interstate commerce. If granted, the 

exemptions will enable these 

individuals to operate CMVs in 

interstate commerce without meeting 

the vision requirement in one eye. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before October 18, 2017. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

bearing the Federal Docket Management 

System (FDMS) Docket No. FMCSA– 

2017–0023 using any of the following 

methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

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

online 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., e.t., 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

Holidays. 

• Fax: 1–202–493–2251. 

Instructions: Each submission must 

include the Agency name and the 

docket number(s) 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., e.t., 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 online. 

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 


sradovich on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with NOTICES
43648 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2017 / Notices 

provides, to http://www.regulations.gov, 

as described in the system of records 

notice (DOT/ALL–14 FDMS), which can 

be reviewed at http://www.dot.gov/ 

privacy. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Christine A. Hydock, 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 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., e.t., 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. If you have questions 

regarding viewing or submitting 

material to the docket, contact Docket 

Services, telephone (202) 366–9826. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

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

FMCSA may grant an exemption from 

the FMCSRs 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 statute also allows the 

Agency to renew exemptions at the end 

of the two year period. 

The 25 individuals listed in this 

notice have requested an exemption 

from the vision requirement in 49 CFR 

391.41(b)(10). Accordingly, the Agency 

will evaluate the qualifications of each 

applicant to determine whether granting 

an exemption will achieve the required 

level of safety mandated by statute. 

The physical qualification standard 

for drivers regarding vision found in 49 

CFR 391.41(b)(10) states that a person is 

physically qualified to drive a CMV 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 at 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 standard 

red, green, and amber. 

In July 1992, the Agency first 

published the criteria for the Vision 

Waiver Program, which listed the 

conditions and reporting standards that 

CMV drivers approved for participation 

would need to meet (Qualification of 

Drivers; Vision Waivers, 57 FR 31458, 

July 16, 1992). The current Vision 

Exemption Program was established in 

1998, following the enactment of 

amendments to the statutes governing 

exemptions made by § 4007 of the 

Transportation Equity Act for the 21st 

Century (TEA–21), Public Law 105–178, 

112 Stat. 107, 401 (June 9, 1998). Vision 

exemptions are considered under the 

procedures established in 49 CFR part 

381 subpart C, on a case-by-case basis 

upon application by CMV drivers who 

do not meet the vision standards of 49 

CFR 391.41(b)(10). 

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 three 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 demonstrated 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 

three consecutive years of data, 

comparing the experiences of drivers in 

the first two years with their 

experiences in the final year. 

II. Qualifications of Applicants 

Paul A. Bartels 

Mr. Bartels, 73, has had amblyopia in 

his left eye since childhood. The visual 

acuity in his right eye is 20/20, and in 

his left eye, 20/400. Following an 

examination in 2017, his optometrist 

stated, ‘‘In my opinion, he has sufficient 

vision to perform the daily tasks 

required to operate a commercial 

vehicle.’’ Mr. Bartels reported that he 

has driven tractor-trailer combinations 

for 17 years, accumulating 1.8 million 

miles. He holds an operator’s license 

from Wisconsin. His driving record for 

the last three years shows no crashes 

and no convictions for moving 

violations in a CMV. 

Harold J. Bartley, Jr. 

Mr. Bartley, 49, has aphakia in his left 

eye due to a traumatic incident in 

childhood. The visual acuity in his right 

eye is 20/20, and in his left eye, 20/400. 

Following an examination in 2017, his 

optometrist stated, ‘‘Mr. Bartley has 

sufficient vision to drive a commercial 

vehicle.’’ Mr. Bartley reported that he 

has driven straight trucks for 13 years, 

accumulating 260,000 miles, and 

tractor-trailer combinations for nine 

years, accumulating 270,000 miles. He 

holds a Class A CDL from Kentucky. His 

driving record for the last three years 

shows no crashes and no convictions for 

moving violations in a CMV. 

Charles C. Berns 

Mr. Berns, 54, has fibrotic scarring in 

his right eye due to a traumatic incident 

in childhood. The visual acuity in his 

right eye is hand motion, and in his left 

eye, 20/20. Following an examination in 

2017, his optometrist stated, ‘‘It is my 

opinion that this patient has stable, 

long-standing vision deficiency in the 

right eye only and has sufficient visual 

acuity and peripheral vision in the left 

eye to operate a commercial vehicle 

safely.’’ Mr. Berns reported that he has 

driven straight trucks for 26 years, 

accumulating 39,000 miles, and tractortrailer combinations for 56 years, 

accumulating 42,000 miles. He holds a 

Class A CDL from Iowa. His driving 

record for the last three years shows no 


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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2017 / Notices 43649 

crashes and no convictions for moving 

violations in a CMV. 

Eric L. Boyle, Jr. 

Mr. Boyle, 31, has had amblyopia in 

his right eye since childhood. The 

visual acuity in his right eye is 20/80, 

and in his left eye, 20/20. Following an 

examination in 2017, his 

ophthalmologist stated, ‘‘Based on 

today’s exam, in my medical opinion 

the patient has sufficient vision to 

perform driving tasks required to 

operate a commercial vehicle.’’ Mr. 

Boyle reported that he has driven 

straight trucks for six years, 

accumulating 273,000 miles. He holds 

an operator’s license from Maryland. 

His driving record for the last three 

years shows no crashes and no 

convictions for moving violations in a 

CMV. 

Jeremiah E. Casey 

Mr. Casey, 37, has a cataract in his 

right eye due to a traumatic incident in 

childhood. The visual acuity in his right 

eye is 20/100, and in his left eye, 20/20. 

Following an examination in 2017, his 

optometrist stated, ‘‘In my medical 

opinion, Jeremiah Casey has sufficient 

vision to perform the driving tasks 

required to operate a commercial 

vehicle.’’ Mr. Casey reported that he has 

driven straight trucks for two years, 

accumulating 10,000 miles, and tractortrailer combinations for seven years, 

accumulating 525,000 miles. He holds a 

Class A CDL from Missouri. His driving 

record for the last three years shows no 

crashes but one conviction for speeding 

in a CMV; he exceeded the speed limit 

by ten mph. 

Leonard M. Cassieri 

Mr. Cassieri, 69, has a prosthetic right 

eye due to a traumatic incident in 1975. 

The visual acuity in his right eye is no 

light perception, and in his left eye, 20/ 

20. Following an examination in 2017, 

his ophthalmologist stated, ‘‘Patient has 

sufficient vision for driving and 

operating a commercial vehicle.’’ Mr. 

Cassieri reported that he has driven 

straight trucks for 50 years, 

accumulating 110,000 miles, and 

tractor-trailer combinations for 50 years, 

accumulating 110,000 miles. He holds a 

Class A CDL from California. His 

driving record for the last three years 

shows one crash, which he was not 

cited for, and one conviction for 

speeding in a CMV; he exceeded the 

speed limit by 22 mph. 

Mr. Randy J. Conrad 

Mr. Conrad, 63, has a prosthetic right 

eye due to a traumatic incident in 1972. 

The visual acuity in his right eye is no 

light perception, and in his left eye, 20/ 

20. Following an examination in 2017, 

his optometrist stated, ‘‘Based on these 

findings, I feel Randy J. Conrad has the 

visual abilities to continue operating a 

commercial motor vehicle in interstate 

commerce because the loss of his left 

eye occurred in 1972 and he has been 

driving a commercial vehicle since 

around 1973.’’ Mr. Conrad reported that 

he has driven straight trucks for 40 

years, accumulating two million miles, 

and tractor-trailer combinations for two 

years, accumulating 50,000 miles. He 

holds a Class A CDL from Iowa. His 

driving record for the last three years 

shows no crashes and no convictions for 

moving violations in a CMV. 

Jimmie E. Curtis 

Mr. Curtis, 36, has had retinal 

neovascularization in his left eye since 

2010. The visual acuity in his right eye 

is 20/20, and in his left eye, 20/200. 

Following an examination in 2017, his 

ophthalmologist stated, ‘‘In my medical 

opinion, he is visually capable of 

driving a commercial vehicle.’’ Mr. 

Curtis reported that he has driven 

straight trucks for 16 years, 

accumulating 402,000 miles, and 

tractor-trailer combinations for 16 years, 

accumulating 402,000 miles. He holds a 

Class A CDL from New Mexico. His 

driving record for the last three years 

shows no crashes and no convictions for 

moving violations in a CMV. 

Daniel E. Delano 

Mr. Delano, 60, has complete loss of 

vision in his right eye due to a traumatic 

incident in 1990. The visual acuity in 

his right eye is no light perception, and 

in his left eye, 20/20. Following an 

examination in 2017, his optometrist 

stated, ‘‘In my medical opinion, Mr. 

Daniel Delano has sufficient vision to 

perform the driving tasks to operate a 

commercial vehicle.’’ Mr. Delano 

reported that he has driven straight 

trucks for five years, accumulating 

190,000 miles. He holds an operator’s 

license from Virginia. His driving record 

for the last three years shows no crashes 

and no convictions for moving 

violations in a CMV. 

Jonathan P. Edwards 

Mr. Edwards, 42, has had amblyopia 

in his left eye since childhood. The 

visual acuity in his right eye is 20/20, 

and in his left eye, 20/100. Following an 

examination in 2017, his optometrist 

stated, ‘‘In my medical opinion, 

Jonathan Edwards has sufficient vision 

to perform driving tasks for a 

commercial vehicle.’’ Mr. Edwards 

reported that he has driven straight 

trucks for six years, accumulating 

210,000 miles. He holds an operator’s 

license from Pennsylvania. His driving 

record for the last three years shows no 

crashes and no convictions for moving 

violations in a CMV. 

James A. Green 

Mr. Green, 61, has had amblyopia in 

his left eye since childhood. The visual 

acuity in his right eye is 20/20, and in 

his left eye, 20/80. Following an 

examination in 2017, his optometrist 

stated, ‘‘In my opinion, Mr. Green has 

sufficient vision to operate a 

commercial vehicle.’’ Mr. Green 

reported that he has driven straight 

trucks for 35 years, accumulating 27,335 

miles. He holds a Class A CDL from 

Illinois. His driving record for the last 

three years shows no crashes and no 

convictions for moving violations in a 

CMV. 

Richard Healy 

Mr. Healy, 52, has retinal scarring in 

his left eye due to an infection in 

childhood. The visual acuity in his right 

eye is 20/20, and in his left eye, 

counting fingers. Following an 

examination in 2017, his 

ophthalmologist stated, ‘‘In my medical 

opinion, Richard Healy has sufficient 

vision to perform all driving tasks 

required to operate a commercial 

vehicle.’’ Mr. Healy reported that he has 

driven straight trucks for 14 years, 

accumulating 560,000 miles. He holds 

an operator’s license from Maryland. 

His driving record for the last three 

years shows no crashes and no 

convictions for moving violations in a 

CMV. 

Tommy G. Hillis 

Mr. Hillis, 63, has had a chorioretinal 

scar in his left eye since childhood. The 

visual acuity in his right eye is 20/20, 

and in his left eye, light perception. 

Following an examination in 2017, his 

optometrist stated, ‘‘In my medical 

opinion, Mr. Tommy Hillis has 

sufficient vision to perform the driving 

tasks required to operate a commercial 

vehicle.’’ Mr. Hillis reported that he has 

driven straight trucks for two years, 

accumulating 100,000 miles, and 

tractor-trailer combinations for 35 years, 

accumulating 2.5 million miles. He 

holds a Class A CDL from Texas. His 

driving record for the last three years 

shows no crashes and no convictions for 

moving violations in a CMV. 

Richard A. Honstad 

Mr. Honstad, 44, has had amblyopia 

in his left eye since childhood. The 

visual acuity in his right eye is 20/20, 

and in his left eye, 20/50. Following an 

examination in 2017, his optometrist 


sradovich on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with NOTICES
43650 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 179 / Monday, September 18, 2017 / Notices 

stated, ‘‘In my opinion Richard has 

sufficient vision to perform the driving 

tasks required to operate a commercial 

vehicle.’’ Mr. Honstad reported that he 

has driven straight trucks for 17 years, 

accumulating 144,000 miles. He holds 

an operator’s license from Minnesota. 

His driving record for the last three 

years shows no crashes and no 

convictions for moving violations in a 

CMV. 

Stephen M. Lovell 

Mr. Lovell, 61, has had amblyopia in 

his right eye since childhood. The 

visual acuity in his right eye is count 

fingers, and in his left eye, 20/20. 

Following an examination in 2017, his 

ophthalmologist stated, ‘‘He is safe to 

operate a commercial vehicle in my 

opinion, even though his vision is 

uniocular.’’ Mr. Lovell reported that he 

has driven straight trucks for 38 years, 

accumulating 3.23 million miles. He 

holds a Class AM CDL from Texas. His 

driving record for the last three years 

shows no crashes and no convictions for 

moving violations in a CMV. 

Thomas P. Maio 

Mr. Maio, 30, has had amblyopia in 

left eye since childhood. The visual 

acuity in his right eye is 20/20, and in 

his left eye, 20/70. Following an 

examination in 2017, his optometrist 

stated, ‘‘In my professional opinion, Mr. 

Maio has sufficient vision to perform 

the driving tasks required to operate a 

commercial vehicle.’’ Mr. Maio reported 

that he has driven straight trucks for 

eight years, accumulating 600,000 miles, 

and tractor-trailer combinations for 

eight years, accumulating 4,000 miles. 

He holds a Class A CDL from Maine. His 

driving record for the last three years 

shows no crashes and no convictions for 

moving violations in a CMV. 

Carlos Marquez 

Mr. Marquez, 49, has had a retinal 

detachment in his left eye due to a 

traumatic incident in 1975. The visual 

acuity in his right eye is 20/20, and in 

his left eye, hand motion. Following an 

examination in 2017, his 

ophthalmologist stated, ‘‘Mr. Carlos 

Marquez has sufficient vision to perform 

the driving tasks required to operate a 

commercial vehicle.’’ Mr. Marquez 

reported that he has driven tractortrailer combinations for ten years, 

accumulating one million miles. He 

holds a Class ABCD CDL from 

Wisconsin. His driving record for the 

last three years shows no crashes and no 

convictions for moving violations in a 

CMV. 

Jason L. McBride 

Mr. McBride, 40, has complete loss of 

vision of his left eye due to a traumatic 

incident in childhood. The visual acuity 

in his right eye is 20/20, and in his left 

eye, no light perception. Following an 

examination in 2017, his optometrist 

stated, ‘‘I believe he has adequate vision 

for operation of a commercial vehicle.’’ 

Mr. McBride reported that he has driven 

tractor-trailer combinations for 16 years, 

accumulating 2.4 million miles. He 

holds a Class CA CDL from Michigan. 

His driving record for the last three 

years shows no crashes and no 

convictions for moving violations in a 

CMV. 

Dennis M. Olson 

Mr. Olson, 55, has had amblyopia in 

his left eye since childhood. The visual 

acuity in his right eye is 20/20, and in 

his left eye, 20/125. Following an 

examination in 2017, his optometrist 

stated, ‘‘In my medical opinion, Dennis 

Olson has sufficient vision to perform 

the driving tasks required to operate a 

commercial vehicle.’’ Mr. Olson 

reported that he has driven straight 

trucks for 20 years, accumulating 10,000 

miles, and tractor-trailer combinations 

for 20 years, accumulating 8,000 miles. 

He holds a Class ABCD CDL from 

Wisconsin. His driving record for the 

last three years shows no crashes and no 

convictions for moving violations in a 

CMV. 

Kameron W. Quinalty 

Mr. Quinalty, 27, has had macular 

coloboma in his left eye since birth. The 

visual acuity in his right eye is 20/20, 

and in his left eye, 20/100. Following an 

examination in 2017, his optometrist 

stated, ‘‘Mr. Quinalty exhibits excellent 

visual skills . . . in my professional 

opinion, based on the testing performed 

today, Mr. Quinalty should function 

well enough to continue drive [sic] 

commercially.’’ Mr. Quinalty reported 

that he has driven straight trucks for 

seven years, accumulating 17,500 miles. 

He holds a Class B CDL from Arkansas. 

His driving record for the last three 

years shows no crashes and no 

convictions for moving violations in a 

CMV. 

Daniel C. Sagert 

Mr. Sagert, 53, has complete loss of 

vision in his left eye due to a traumatic 

incident 1999. The visual acuity in his 

right eye is 20/20, and in his left eye, 

no light perception. Following an 

examination in 2017, his optometrist 

stated, ‘‘In my medical opinion, after 

evaluating Mr. Sagert with a formal eye 

examination on 4/26/2017 and field of 

vision test on 4/28/2017, Mr [sic] Sagert 

has sufficient vision to perform the 

driving tasks involved with operating a 

commercial vehicle.’’ Mr. Sagert 

reported that he has driven straight 

trucks for 17 years, accumulating 

442,000 miles, and tractor-trailer 

combinations for 17 years, accumulating 

442,000 miles. He holds a Class ABCD 

CDL from Wisconsin. His driving record 

for the last three years shows no crashes 

and no convictions for moving 

violations in a CMV. 

Robert D. Steele 

Mr. Steele, 55, has had amblyopia in 

his left eye since childhood. The visual 

acuity in his right eye is 20/20, and in 

his left eye, 20/200. Following an 

examination in 2017, his optometrist 

stated, ‘‘In my opinion, this man has 

sufficient vision to perform the driving 

tasks required to operate a commercial 

vehicle.’’ Mr. Steele reported that he has 

driven tractor-trailer combinations for 

37 years, accumulating 2.59 million 

miles. He holds a Class A CDL from 

Washington. His driving record for the 

last three years shows no crashes and no 

convictions for moving violations in a 

CMV. 

Richard C. Strassburg 

Mr. Strassburg, 62, has phthisis bulbi 

in his right eye due to a traumatic 

incident in 2013. The visual acuity in 

his right eye is light perception, and in 

his left eye, 20/25. Following an 

examination in 2017, his 

ophthalmologist stated, ‘‘I do believe 

that the patient does have sufficient 

vision to perform the driving tasks 

required to operate a commercial 

vehicle.’’ Mr. Strassburg reported that 

he has driven straight trucks for 45 

years, accumulating 450,000 miles, 

tractor-trailer combinations for 44 years, 

accumulating 3.3 million miles, and 

buses for two years, accumulating 

20,000 miles. He holds a Class AM CDL 

from New York. His driving record for 

the last three years shows no crashes 

and no convictions for moving 

violations in a CMV. 

Jeremy E. Studebaker 

Mr. Studebaker, 41, has had a 

prosthetic right eye since childhood. 

The visual acuity in his right eye is no 

light perception, and in his left eye, 20/ 

20. Following an examination in 2017, 

his optometrist stated, ‘‘In my opinion, 

Jeremy appears to have sufficient vision 

in his left eye to perform the driving 

tasks required to operate a commercial 

vehicle.’’ Mr. Studebaker reported that 

he has driven straight trucks for 13 

years, accumulating 130,000 miles. He 

holds an operator’s license from 

Indiana. His driving record for the last 


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e47b48a9ea42dd67d999246e23d97970&mc=

true&node=pt49.5.391&rgn=div5#ap49.5.391_171.a 

and https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2015- 

title49-vol5/pdf/CFR-2015-title49-vol5-part391-

appA.pdf. 

three years shows no crashes and no 

convictions for moving violations in a 

CMV. 

Daniel D. Woodworth 

Mr. Woodworth, 56, has had 

amblyopia in his left eye since 

childhood. The visual acuity in his right 

eye is 20/20, and in his left eye, 20/150. 

Following an examination in 2017, his 

optometrist stated, ‘‘In my medical 

opinion, I do believe that the patient has 

sufficient vision to perform the driving 

task [sic] required to operate a 

commercial vehicle.’’ Mr. Woodworth 

reported that he has driven straight 

trucks for 35 years, accumulating 

700,000 miles, and tractor-trailer 

combinations for 25 years, accumulating 

750,000 miles. He holds an operator’s 

license from Louisiana. His driving 

record for the last three years shows no 

crashes and no convictions for moving 

violations in a CMV. 

III. Request for Comments 

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

and 31315, FMCSA requests public 

comments from all interested persons 

on the exemption petitions described in 

this notice. We will consider all 

comments and material received before 

the close of business on the closing date 

indicated in the dates section of the 

notice. 

IV. Submitting Comments 

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 and in the 

search box insert the docket number 

FMCSA–2017–0023 and click the search 

button. When the new screen appears, 

click on the blue ‘‘Comment Now!’’ 

button on the right hand side of the 

page. On the new page, enter 

information required including the 

specific section of this document to 

which each comment applies, and 

provide a reason for each suggestion or 

recommendation. If you submit your 

comments by mail or hand delivery, 

submit them in an unbound format, no 

larger than 81⁄2 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, selfaddressed postcard or envelope. 

We will consider all comments and 

materials received during the comment 

period. FMCSA may issue a final 

determination at any time after the close 

of the comment period. 

V. Viewing Comments and Documents 

To view comments, as well as any 

documents mentioned in this preamble, 

go to http://www.regulations.gov and in 

the search box insert the docket number 

FMCSA–2017–0023 and click ‘‘Search.’’ 

Next, click ‘‘Open Docket Folder’’ and 

you will find all documents and 

comments related to this notice. 

Issued on: September 11, 2017. 

Larry W. Minor, 

Associate Administrator for Policy. 

[FR Doc. 2017–19759 Filed 9–15–17; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration 

[FMCSA Docket No. FMCSA–2017–0178] 

Qualification of Drivers; Exemption 

Applications; Epilepsy and Seizure 

Disorders 

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration (FMCSA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of final disposition. 

SUMMARY: FMCSA announces its 

decision to exempt seven individuals 

from the requirement in the Federal 

Motor Carrier Safety Regulations 

(FMCSRs) that interstate commercial 

motor vehicle (CMV) drivers have ‘‘no 

established medical history or clinical 

diagnosis of epilepsy or any other 

condition which is likely to cause loss 

of consciousness or any loss of ability to 

control a CMV.’’ The exemptions enable 

these individuals who have had one or 

more seizures and are taking antiseizure medication to operate CMVs in 

interstate commerce. 

DATES: The exemptions were applicable 

on August 1, 2017. The exemptions 

expire on August 1, 2019. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Christine A. Hydock, 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., e.t., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. If you have 

questions regarding 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., 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 http://www.regulations.gov, 

as described in the system of records 

notice (DOT/ALL–14 FDMS), which can 

be reviewed at http://www.dot.gov/ 

privacy. 

II. Background 

On June 29, 2017, FMCSA published 

a notice announcing receipt of 

applications from seven individuals 

requesting an exemption from the 

epilepsy prohibition in 49 CFR 

391.41(b)(8) and requested comments 

from the public (82 FR 29624). The 

public comment period ended on July 

31, 2017, and no were received. 

FMCSA has evaluated the eligibility 

of these applicants and determined that 

granting exemptions to these 

individuals would achieve a level of 

safety equivalent to or greater than the 

level that would be achieved by 

complying with the current regulation 

49 CFR 391.41(b)(8). 

The physical qualification standard 

for drivers regarding epilepsy found in 

49 CFR 391.41(b)(8) states that a person 

is physically qualified to drive a CMV 

if that person: 

Has no established medical history or 

clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or any other 

condition which is likely to cause the loss of 

consciousness or any loss of ability to control 

a CMV. 

In addition to the regulations, FMCSA 

has published advisory criteria 1 to 

assist medical examiners in determining 

whether drivers with certain medical 

conditions are qualified to operate a 

CMV in interstate commerce. [49 CFR 

part 391, APPENDIX A TO PART 391— 


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