Document ID: NHTSA-2010-0119-0002
Agency: nhtsa
Document Type: Rule
Title: Petition for Decision That Nonconforming Buses Are Eligible for Importation: 1987-1988 Leyland Motors Olympian Open Top Model DoubleDecker Buses
Posted Date: 2010-09-02T04:00Z

[Federal Register: September 2, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 170)]
[Notices]               
[Page 54002-54003]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02se10-105]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA-2010-0119; Notice 1]

 
Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 
1987-1988 Leyland Motors Olympian Open Top Model Double Decker Buses 
Are Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition.

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SUMMARY: This document announces receipt by the National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that 
1987-1988 Leyland Motors Olympian open top model double decker buses 
that were not originally manufactured to comply with all applicable 
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) are eligible for 
importation into the United States because they have safety features 
that comply with, or are capable of being altered to comply with, all 
such standards.

DATES:  The closing date for comments on the petition is October 4, 
2010.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to the docket and notice numbers above 
and be submitted by 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 or Courier: West Building Ground Floor, Room 
W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET, 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
    Instructions: Comments must be written in the English language, and 
be no greater than 15 pages in length,

[[Page 54003]]

although there is no limit to the length of necessary attachments to 
the comments. If comments are submitted in hard copy form, please 
ensure that two copies are provided. If you wish to receive 
confirmation that your comments were received, please enclose a 
stamped, self-addressed postcard with the comments. 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.
    Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all 
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's 
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on 
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78).
    How to Read Comments submitted to the Docket: You may read the 
comments received by Docket Management at the address and times given 
above. You may also view the documents from the Internet at http://
www.regulations.gov.
    Follow the online instructions for accessing the dockets. The 
docket ID number and title of this notice are shown at the heading of 
this document notice. Please note that even after the comment closing 
date, we will continue to file relevant information in the Docket as it 
becomes available. Further, some people may submit late comments. 
Accordingly, we recommend that you periodically search the Docket for 
new material.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Coleman Sachs, Office of Vehicle 
Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202-366-3151).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Under 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(B), a motor vehicle that was not 
originally manufactured to conform to all applicable FMVSS, and has no 
substantially similar U.S.-certified counterpart, shall be refused 
admission into the United States unless NHTSA has decided that the 
motor vehicle has safety features that comply with, or are capable of 
being altered to comply with, all applicable FMVSS based on destructive 
test data or such other evidence as NHTSA decides to be adequate.
    Petitions for eligibility decisions may be submitted by either 
manufacturers or importers who have registered with NHTSA pursuant to 
49 CFR Part 592. As specified in 49 CFR 593.7, NHTSA publishes notices 
in the Federal Register for each petition that it receives, and affords 
interested persons an opportunity to comment on the petitions. At the 
close of the comment period, NHTSA decides, on the basis of the 
petitions and any comments that it has received, whether the vehicle(s) 
is eligible for importation. The agency then publishes their decision 
in the Federal Register.
    G&K Automotive Conversion, Inc. of Santa Ana, California (G&K) 
(Registered Importer 90-007) has petitioned NHTSA to decide whether 
nonconforming 1987-1988 Leyland Motors Olympian open top model double 
decker buses are eligible for importation into the United States.
    G&K submitted information with its petition intended to demonstrate 
that non-U.S. certified 1987-1988 Leyland Motors Olympian open top 
model double decker buses, as originally manufactured, conform to many 
FMVSS, or are capable of being altered to conform to those standards.
    Specifically, the petitioner claims that non-U.S. certified 1987-
1988 Leyland Motors Olympian open top model double decker buses, as 
originally manufactured, comply with Standard Nos. 102 Transmission 
Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking 
Effect, 103 Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems, 104 Windshield 
Wiping and Washing Systems, 105 Vehicle Identification Number--Basic 
Requirements, 106 Brake Hoses, 107 Reflecting Surfaces, 111 Rearview 
Mirrors, 119 New Pneumatic Tires for Vehicles other than Passenger 
Cars, 121 Air Brake Systems, 124 Accelerator Control Systems, 205 
Glazing Materials, 207 Seating Systems, 217 Bus Emergency Exits and 
Window Retention and Release, and 302 Flammability of Interior 
Materials.
    With regard to Standard No. 121 Air Brake Systems, the petition 
asserts that all elements of the braking system comply with the 
applicable FMVSS No. 121 requirements. The petitioner further explains 
that the subject vehicle's brake system is similar to that installed on 
the 1972 to 1977 Bristol VRT double decker buses that NHTSA determined 
eligible for importation by Registered Importers under VCP-4 and VCP-
10. NHTSA is concerned that the brake system on the vehicles that are 
the subject of the petition may not, in fact, have been originally 
manufactured to comply with all requirements of Standard No. 121. As a 
consequence, the agency is soliciting specific comments with respect to 
this issue.
    Petitioner also contends that the vehicle is capable of being 
altered to meet the following standards, in the manners indicated:
    Standard No. 101 Controls and Displays: Installation of a seat belt 
telltale lamp and label to ensure that these displays meet the 
requirements of this standard.
    Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated 
Equipment: Installation of the following U.S.-conforming components: 
(a) Headlamps; (b) clearance lamps; (c) identification lamps; (d) side 
marker lamps; (e) reflex reflectors; and (f) license plate lamps as 
necessary to meet the requirements of this standard.
    Standard No. 120 New Pneumatic Tires for Vehicles Other than 
Passenger Cars: Installation of a tire information placard.
    Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection: Installation of a 
driver's seat belt and an audible seat belt warning system to meet the 
requirements of this standard.
    Standard No. 209 Seat Belt Assemblies: Installation of driver's 
seat belt that meets the requirements of this standard.
    Standard No. 210 Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages: Installation of 
driver's seat belt anchorages that meet the requirements of this 
standard.
    All comments received before the close of business on the closing 
date indicated above will be considered, and will be available for 
examination in the docket at the above addresses both before and after 
that date. To the extent possible, comments filed after the closing 
date will also be considered. Notice of final action on the petition 
will be published in the Federal Register pursuant to the authority 
indicated below.

    Authority:  49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(A) and (b)(1); 49 CFR 593.8; 
delegations of authority at 49 CFR 1.50 and 501.8.

    Issued on: August 26, 2010.
Claude H. Harris,
Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2010-21926 Filed 9-1-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P