Document ID: FMCSA-2015-0328-0001
Agency: fmcsa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications: Hearing
Posted Date: 2016-03-07T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 44 (Monday, March 7, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11876-11878]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04973]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2015-0328]

Qualification of Drivers; Application for Exemptions; Hearing

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

ACTION: Notice of applications for exemptions; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 25 individuals 
for an exemption from the hearing requirement to operate commercial 
motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. If granted, the 
exemptions would enable these individuals to operate CMVs in interstate 
commerce.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 6, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments bearing the Federal Docket 
Management System (FDMS) Docket No. FMCSA-2015-0328 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 Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) is 
available 24 hours each day, 365 days each year. If you want

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acknowledgment that we received your comments, please include a self-
addressed, 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 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christine A. Hydock, Chief, Medical 
Programs Division, (202) 366-4001, fmcsamedical@dot.gov, FMCSA, 
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room W64-113, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., e.t., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315, FMCSA may grant an exemption 
from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) for a 2-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. The 25 individuals 
listed in this notice have recently requested such an exemption from 
the hearing requirement in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(11), which applies to 
drivers of CMVs in interstate commerce. Accordingly, the Agency will 
evaluate the qualifications of each applicant to determine whether 
granting the exemption will achieve the required level of safety 
mandated by statute.
    The physical qualification standard for drivers regarding hearing 
found in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(11) states that a person is physically 
qualified to drive a CMV if that person:

    First perceives a forced whispered voice in the better ear at 
not less than 5 feet with or without the use of a hearing aid or, if 
tested by use of an audiometric device, does not have an average 
hearing loss in the better ear greater than 40 decibels at 500 Hz, 
1,000 Hz, and 2,000 Hz with or without a hearing aid when the 
audiometric device is calibrated to American National Standard 
(formerly ASA Standard) Z24.5-1951.

    This standard was adopted in 1970 and was revised in 1971 to allow 
drivers to be qualified under this standard while wearing a hearing 
aid, 35 FR 6458, 6463 (April 22, 1970) and 36 FR 12857 (July 3, 1971).

II. Qualifications of Applicants

Eduardo Amaro

    Mr. Amaro, age 47, holds an operator's license in New Mexico.

Paul Aseka

    Mr. Aseka, age 36, holds an operator's license in Texas.

Thomas Buretz

    Mr. Buretz, age 54, holds a class A CDL in Florida.

Tye Cox

    Mr. Cox, age 28, holds an operator's license in Idaho.

James Dalrymple

    Mr. Dalrymple, age 61, holds a class A CDL in Arizona.

John Dumars

    Mr. Dumars, age 53, holds an operator's license in Florida.

Aaron Farley

    Mr. Farley, age 42, holds an operator's license in West Virginia.

Samuel Fernell

    Mr. Fernell, age 47, holds an operator's license in Ohio.

Heath Focken

    Mr. Focken, age 27, holds an operator's license in Nebraska.

 Michael Frutchey

    Mr. Frutchey, age 48, holds a chauffeur license in Michigan.

Gregg Glass

    Mr. Glass, age 53, holds an operator's license in Oregon.

Jaymes Haar

    Mr. Haar, age 28, holds a class A CDL in Iowa.

Michael McCarthy

    Mr. McCarthy, age 51, holds an operator's license in Minnesota.

Chad Meeker

    Mr. Meeker, age 39, holds a CDL in Michigan.

John Norton

    Mr. Norton, age 51, holds an operator's license in Michigan.

Taryn Peterson

    Mr. Peterson, age 28, holds an operator's license in Nebraska.

Stephen Paiz

    Mr. Paiz, age 31, holds an operator's license in New York.

David Quijano

    Mr. Quijano, age 43, holds an operator's license in Hawaii.

Brian Shoup

    Mr. Shoup, age 53, holds an operator's license in Ohio.

Ronald Sims

    Mr. Sims, age 65, holds a class A CDL in Florida.

Edward Spreen

    Mr. Spreen, age 35, holds an operator's license in Utah.

Fernando Valasquez

    Mr. Valasquez, age 31, holds an operator's license in Texas.

Kyle Voss

    Mr. Voss, age 26, holds an operator's license in Wisconsin.

Daron Washington

    Mr. Washington, age 50, holds a class A CDL in Illinois.

William Weeaks

    Mr. Weeaks, age 33, holds an operator's license in Oklahoma.

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 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-2015-0328 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 8\1/2\ 
by 11 inches, suitable for

[[Page 11878]]

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. FMCSA may issue a final determination 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-2015-0328 and click ``Search.'' Next, click 
``Open Docket Folder'' and you will find all documents and comments 
related to this notice.

    Issued on: February 24, 2016.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2016-04973 Filed 3-4-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P