Document ID: FMCSA-2008-0241-0001
Agency: fmcsa
Document Type: Rule
Title: Exemption Applications: Qualification of Drivers; Vision
Posted Date: 2008-08-05T04:00Z

[Federal Register: August 5, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 151)]
[Notices]               
[Page 45516-45519]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05au08-108]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

 
Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Vision

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

ACTION: Notice of denials.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces its denial of 381 applications from 
individuals who requested exemptions from the Federal vision standard 
applicable to interstate truck and bus drivers and the reasons for the 
denials. FMCSA has statutory authority to exempt individuals from the 
vision requirement if the exemptions granted will not compromise 
safety. The Agency has concluded that granting these exemptions does 
not provide a level of safety that will be equivalent to, or greater 
than, the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these 
commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Mary D. Gunnels, Director, Medical 
Programs, 202-366-4001, U.S. Department of Transportation, FMCSA, 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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315, FMCSA may grant an exemption 
from the Federal vision standard for a renewable two-year period if it 
finds ``such an exemption would likely achieve a level of safety that 
is equivalent to, or greater than, the level that would be achieved 
absent such an exemption.'' The procedures for requesting an exemption 
are set out in 49 CFR part 381.
    Accordingly, FMCSA evaluated these 381 individual exemption 
requests on their merits and made the determinations that these 
applicants do not satisfy the criteria eligibility or meet the terms 
and conditions of the Federal exemption program. Each applicant has, 
prior to this notice, received a letter of final disposition on his/her 
exemption

[[Page 45517]]

request. Those decision letters fully outlined the basis for the denial 
and constitute final Agency action. The list published today summarizes 
the Agency's recent denials as required under 49 U.S.C. 31315(b)(4) by 
periodically publishing names and reasons for denials.
    The following 55 applicants lacked sufficient driving experience 
during the three-year period prior to the date of their application:

Balsman, Stanley W.
Barr, Michael J.
Berheimer, Mark S.
Biddison, Jr., William G.
Bishop, Jr., Raymond E.
Brown, Dean N.
Burgess, James W.
Burns, Jerry A.
Campos, Basiliom
Cox, Michael L.
Crosby, Blake L.
Dunn, Darby K.
Dykes, Robert L.
Dykman, David L.
Eaton, Matthew C.
Edenfield, Christopher S.
Ellis, Jeffery K.
Freeman, Jr., George
Furcht, Thomas C.
Gaither, Larry N.
Gary, Dean A.
Goodapple, Jeanette
Hand, Terry O.
Hankins, Gerald W.
Harper, Larry
Hickman, James W.
Higgins, David N.
Ingram, George M.
Lair, Christopher
Lanuez, Richard A.
Mans, David R.
Martinez, Michael M.
McKinley, Haley E.
Morris, Richan A.
Ottens, John P.
Penner, Stuart
Phillips, Leonoth J.
Prill, Robert J.
Prouty, Norman L.
Ramirez, Blas
Rhodes, Jerry W.
Rodriguez, Juan
Ruzicka, Kent W.
Sarphie, Jeffrey E.
Schmidt, Jr., Herbert J.
Screws, John
Sharp, Richard
Shultz, Rodney A.
Sida, Jose M.
Smallman, David S.
Swann, III, George S.
Ward, Lawrence R.
Watts, Gary L.
Williamson, Jeremy D.
Zehner, Jon T.

    The following 49 applicants did not have any experience operating a 
CMV.

Alvarado, Roberto
Ashford, Michael
Batteiger, Alan S.
Bodie, Jay M.
Broyles, Carl D.
Buck, Donald H.
Butry, William N.
Carter, Richard L.
Cozart, Ste'phon J.
Dempsey, John D.
DeSmith, Robert D.
Dixon, Daryl D.
Doman, Gary
Easton, James A.
Frandin, Kelvin
Hansell, Brad
Hartzell, Sean M.
Haymon, Roland L.
Hudgins, James M.
Hurst, Bryan E.
Ivery, Mathias
Jensen, John
Jones, Anleka E.
Jones, Dale A.
Kadlec, Mark J.
Knapp, Gerald W.
Lacosse, Chad
Langford, Harry D.
Main, Stacy A.
McIntosh, Thomas P.
McWilliams, Joseph B.
Moore, Arthur L.
Moreno, Salvador P.
Moultrie, Jr., Moses
Nesto, Gina M.
Paynter, Paul S.
Ratcliff, Jr., Robert
Rexhaj, Avni
Rhoads, Matthew S.
Rogers, Adam E.
Scanlon, David
Shuff, William H.
Silva, Hector
Steemblock, Pam J.
Thomas, James
Townsend, Dewayne K.
Ugarte, Salvador
Veloz, Richard S.
Weems, Timothy M.

    The following 82 applicants did not have 3 years of experience 
driving a CMV on public highways with the vision deficiency.

Alford, David
Anderson, Victor A.
Arendt, Dennis
Bard, James B.
Batton, Ralph S.
Bejarano, Luis A.
Bellon, Steven W.
Bohle, Ernest E.
Borkholder, Vernon
Braswell, Jimmie E.
Brenaman, Bradley A.
Burnam, Jonathan C.
Burns, John
Carrington, Randal
Carswell, Tracy W.
Carter, Ronald
Chauhan, Satwinder S.
Clark III, Curtis
Cleveland, Travis E.
Corrales, Ramon A.
Courville, Kenneth
Dale, Lawerence E.
Davidson, John
Davis, Donald
Dotter, Kurt E.
Edwards, Cleveland
Ellis, Bruce A.
Fierro, Saul
Fleming, William D.
Garvin, Jay M.
Greenfield, Larry L.
Hare, Dwight A.
Hargrove, Raymond C.
Harrison, Timothy E.
Heaps, Isaac P.
Hendren, Dillon L.
Henifin, Mark
Hever, Jr., Frank S.
Holder, Samuel
Honeywell, Verne A.
Johnson, William C.
Jones, Paul D.
Julian, Charles
Lab, Kenneth Wade
Lampus, Jr., Richard D.
Lofthus, Barry G.
Makus, Fred A.
Messier, Charles D.
Miller, Vernie H.
Molenaar, Dale R.
Moore, Richard E.
Nevezi, John
Nickel, Jeffrey D.
Nowviock, Al V.
Parks, Willie L.
Perry, Sr., Christopher B.
Price, Dean L.
Prince, Kenneth W.
Proctor, Gilbert D.
Quarles, Chad M.
Rebhahn, Craig
Reece, Tommy R.
Rhodes, Clifford W.
Rigney, Kevin J.
Roberts, Kyle
Robertson, Billy D.
Shaw, Mark R.
Slayton, Johnny J.
Stanten, Leonard R.
Stanton, Larry E.
Stavedahl, Curtis R.
Strub, Jeremy M.
Survis, Thomas L.
Thomas, George W.
Thompson, Joe L.
Vasquez, Joel
Vickerman, Ronald E.
Von Haden, Norman L.
Warnock, Melvin
White, Jeffrey S.
Williams, Charles
Woosley, Darrell F.

    The following 32 applicants did not have 3 years of recent 
experience

[[Page 45518]]

driving a CMV with the vision deficiency.

Boersma, Michael L.
Brock, Jim
Dahleen, Larry A.
Foster, Kelly L.
Frank, Bradley D.
Frazier, Jr., Willie
Furgerson, Danny F.
Garza, Jr., Gabino
Gelats, Miguel E.
Gillespie, Larry D.
Gowens, Eddie L.
Hettinger, Edward
Hill, Jr., Albert J.
Jerkovich, Frank
Kennedy, John E.
Leonard, Richard B.
Lococo, Anthony
McDaniel, Bobby G.
McGrew, Charles E.
McLaughlin, James F.
Olson, Harold J.
Pate, Ronald L.
Paulson, Michael A.
Perryman, Duane R.
Rush, Jr., Kenneth L.
Schafer, Justin M.
Seagroves, Larry K.
Serrano, Manuel A.
Smiley, Richard
Smith, Matthew
Steckmyer, Mark A.
Tisdale, Raphis L.

    The following 51 applicants did not have sufficient driving 
experience over the past 3 years under normal highway operating 
conditions.

Bennett, Stephen T.
Bierschbach, James B.
Brawley, Lawrence
Clem, Michael G.
Cliffe, Terry L.
Conner, Harvey D.
Cumbee, Eddie L.
Dewey, Scott H.
Dixon, David J.
Espinoza, Miguel H.
Fossum, Jr., Kyle K.
Games, George J.
Goetze, Horst W.
Greenwood, James
Greil, Bruce J.
Hammond, Latashia L.
Handy, Kenneth L.
Hartigan, Patrick T.
Hilmer, Steven H.
Isadore, James
Johnson, Charles
Keeling, Alton A.
Kleen, Keith D.
Kniesly, Nickolas L.
Kushak, Joseph K.
Lewis, Christopher W.
Maxwell, Brian A.
McGinley, Patrick M.
Mishler, Manford C.
Mozee, Phillip H.
Nordrum, Joseph H.
Ontiiveros, Joe E.
Pagan, Pedro L.
Parker, Milton
Perry, Suzanne M.
Peterson, David A.
Popp, Francis
Prewett, Paul
Prince, Kenneth N.
Robbins, Thomas G.
Serfass, Eugene A.
Simmons, Rodger S.
Taylor, Wade D.
Terry, Charles A.
Toews, Delton D.
Varga, Paul G.
Walker, Ronald L.
West, Andrew F.
Whitehead, Hilliard
Wilburn, Wesley L.
Yeilding, Robert A.
    One applicant, Larry D. Neely, had more than 2 commercial motor 
vehicle violations during a 3-year period and/or application process. 
Each applicant is only allowed 2 moving citations.
    One applicant, Sean C. Beland, did not have sufficient peripheral 
vision in the better eye to qualify for an exemption.
    One applicant, Donald M. Neil, had other medical conditions making 
applicant otherwise unqualified under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Regulations. All applicants must meet all other physical qualifications 
standards in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(1-13).
    One applicant, Danny F. Ahlgren, had more than 2 serious CMV 
violations within a three-year period. Each applicant is allowed a 
total of 2 moving violations, one of which can be serious.
    The following 11 applicants had commercial driver's licenses 
suspensions during the three-year review period in relation to a moving 
violation. Applicants do not qualify for an exemption with a suspension 
during the three-year period.

Carman, Mitchell L.
Couch, John L.
Day, Richard R.
MacInnis, Robert J.
Pellom, Jr., Evert
Potthast, Michael D.
Skinner, Shane
Turley, Douglas M.
Turner, Emerson J.
Vidal, Moises L.
Witzel, Michaell

    The following 7 applicants did not have verifiable proof of 
commercial driving experience over the past 3 years under normal 
highway operating conditions that would serve as an adequate predictor 
of future safe performance.

Farrow, Harold J.
Harris, Dave N.
Hough, Norman
Ochse, Raymond K.
Raley, Johnnie
Staley, Ronald W.
Wood, Wayne

    The following 11 applicants did not hold a license which allowed 
operation of vehicles over 10,000 pounds for all or part of the three-
year period.

Barnes, Matthew D.
Harris, Richard J.
Howell, David
Lins, James P.
Loebrick, Elvin E.
Lopez, Daniel L.
Rounsley, Michael W.
Routin, Kevin L.
Sancho, Mark
Updegrove, Greggory
Young, Walter H.

    Two applicants, James W. Harris and Gene Schipper, were denied 
because their optometrist/ophthalmologist was not willing to state that 
Mr. Harris and Mr. Schipper are able to operate a CMV from a vision 
standpoint.
    The following 27 applicants were denied for miscellaneous reasons.

Austin, David
Bottorff, Robert M.
Brown, Charlene
Bryan, Elvis J.
Campbell, Richard
Eakin, Bobby D.
Engle, Denice M.
Gardner, Eric W.
Gardner, James
Grant, Paul
Hilliard, James
Houle, Douglas F.
Jones, Dennis W.
Koceja, Douglas
Lake, Joseph
Lambert, Kevin R.
Livingston, Jr. Donald R.
Lowe, Jerry
Lowery, Eric R.
Moser, Gary P.
Oestmann, Ronald L.
Reed, Jr., James C.
Reid, Robert C.
Schreifels, Eldred
Sherman IV, Charles A.
Vazquez, Santos
Williams, Roy G.

    One applicant, Thomas Williams, has not had stable vision for a 3-
year period.
    Two applicants, Plynie A. Deen and Leonard L. LaChance, never 
submitted required documents.
    One applicant, Taylor B. Villeneuve, was a Canadian applicant.
    Two applicants, Gene R. Foss and Earnest M. Meeks, did not meet the 
vision standard in the better eye.
    Finally, the following 44 applicants met the current federal vision 
standards.

[[Page 45519]]

Exemptions are not required for applicants that meet the current 
regulations for vision.

Abadie, Ronald G.
Ashe, Harry R.
Barr, Frank H.
Beier, Roger H.
Benton, Thomas F.
Bickers, Larry M.
Biggs, Dwayne A.
Brooks, Sherry L.
Brown, Bruce S.
Butler, Steven
Caldwell, Kenneth
Caluen, Robert G.
Costlow, James K.
Crachy, Mark S.
Czarneski, Franklyn J.
Downey, Michael
Duby, James C.
Ericson, Matthew A.
Farr, Thomas W.
Gallardo, Julio
Hambrick, Gary J.
Hoffman, Daryl A.
Jackson, Eddie, L.
Johnson, Donald
Johnson, Nicholas
Krill, Harold J.
Leary, Kevin C.
Ledford, David L.
Leriche, Samson
Majewski, Mariusz
Mann, Jonathan D.
McGaffey, Wesley L.
Myers, Michael
Nyman, Timothy C.
Oldacker, Edward
Peterson, Donald T.
Porter, Larry H.
Pringle, Juanita F.
Savely, Danny W.
Schwab, Charles F.
Stokes, Jr., Linwood L.
Tibbetts, Norman
Tousignant, Daniel
Whall, David

    Issued on: July 30, 2008.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy and Program Development.
[FR Doc. E8-17858 Filed 8-4-08; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P