Document ID: FMCSA-2009-0232-0001
Agency: fmcsa
Document Type: Rule
Title: Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Diabetes
Posted Date: 2009-08-26T04:00Z

[Federal Register: August 26, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 164)]
[Notices]               
[Page 43220-43221]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26au09-146]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

 
Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Diabetes

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

ACTION: Notice of denials.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces its denial of 189 applications from 
individuals who requested an exemption from the Federal diabetes 
standard applicable to interstate truck and bus drivers and the reasons 
for the denials. FMCSA has statutory authority to exempt individuals 
from the diabetes 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 diabetes standard for a renewable 2-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 189 individual exemption requests on 
their merits and made a determination 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 
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.

[[Page 43221]]

    The following 24 applicants lacked sufficient driving experience 
during the 3-year period prior to the date of their application: Brian 
J. Carew, Michael R. Castle, Brandon W. Cazier, Gary C. Christensen, 
Stephen G. Corbett, Boyd A. Dorris, Rex C. Ewen, Frank L. Fernald, Gary 
J. Flynn, James F. Gaab, Timothy L. Goodman, Charles T. Hankel, Jr., 
Gerald P. Hansen, Kory L. Johansen, Franklin P. Kingston, Linda L. 
Koenig-Warren, William L. Leichner, Gregory A. Leisgang, Wayne Martens, 
Thomas J. Martin, David McClaflin, Tommie A. Monroe, Wayne Ruhmann, Jay 
W. Slepner.
    The following 3 applicants had unacceptable driving performance 
during the 3-year review period: Drew R. Begin, Ken Greer, Charles E. 
Williams.
    Section 4129 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient 
Transportation Equity Act--A legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), which was 
signed into law on August 16, 2005, established several programmatic 
changes which included the elimination of the requirement for three 
years of experience operating CMVs. To address this, FMCSA immediately 
discontinued the use of the 3-year criterion for diabetic drivers and 
notified all applicants who had been denied because they did not meet 
this criterion and encouraged them to reapply.
    The following 7 applicants had unacceptable diabetic conditions: 
Joseph G. Corsaro, Jeffrey S. Hanson, James L. Mays, Dean A. Sewell, 
Ruth P. Stanley, Joseph Thomas, Jr., Leonard D. Walters.
    The following 17 applicants submitted false information and/or did 
not have an endocrinologist willing to state that they could operate a 
CMV from a diabetes standpoint: Tavis Boyd, George D. Buber, Richard E. 
Crum, Rhonda T. Dominick, Russell Forsman, Alfred Gjaltema, Nolan O. 
Good, Denis A. Hall, Randy A. Hicks, David G. Kagdis, Daniel E. 
Lindberg, George H. Morton, Jr., Ricky D. Pryor, Thomas E. Richards, 
William C. Sexton, Jr., George S. Thompson, Jr., James E. Yocum.
    The following 36 applicants currently meet the diabetes 
requirements of 49 CFR 391.41(b)(3) as they were not taking insulin: 
Charles G. Barnes, Randy L. Bear, Charles A. Best, Jonathan M. Bona, 
Daniel G. Brinkman, Joseph K. Campbell, Philip Capozzo, Dennis J. 
Dallmann, Richard W. DeSollar, Anthony W. Dick, Andrew Floyd, Leroy 
Foster, Richard F. Griffith, Gervis E. Hentz, Kia C. Jackson, Eugene F. 
Jackson, Shirley A. Kemp, Larry D. Kuhuski, Franklin P. Laner, Sr., 
Alex Madrid, Clifford A. McPherson, Murl L. Moore, John C. Nickles, 
Donald A. Peterman, Baylis C. Pope, Roger N. Raley, Timothy J. 
Rockwell, Jerry L. Ruffin, Layman J. Sherman, Victor A. Sutter, Mark A. 
Tidwell, Ophelia Toledo, James R. Tschida, Edward A. Vasey, George P. 
Ward, Jr.
    The following 19 applicants have either had more than one severe 
hypoglycemic episode which resulted in loss of consciousness, required 
hospitalization or the assistance of others, involved a period of 
impaired cognitive function that occurred without warning or have had 
one such episode but have not had 1 year of stability following the 
episode: Jerry L. Allen, Warren W. Braunschweig, Bobby A. Cole, Nancy 
Courtney, Timothy J. Crawshaw, Eddie D. Daugherty, Matthew J. 
Dombrowski, Richard Donald, Andrew J. Dreyer, Tony L. Gazaway, Glenn A. 
Kotzer, Stephen P. Larson, Lawrence E. Olson, Joseph W. Paolasini, 
Richard O. Price, Melvin J. Slone, Gary L. Sorensen, Graydon R. Stone, 
Stanley C. Tarvidas.
    The following 55 applicants have other medical conditions making 
them 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) or hold a valid exemption: David A. 
Arnett, Kristina M. Baker, Robert U. Ballard, William J. Bernhard, 
Herber A. Bertsche, Preston S. Brown, Daniel E. Bruggeman, Richard G. 
Callihan, Ronald Carter, Michael G. Deschenes, Gary L. Doman, Dennis C. 
Doyle, Henry L. Estrada, Sr., Harry W. Fersch, III, George F. Fry, 
Donald M. Gerber, Orlando Gonzalez, Robert F. Hansen, Leonard C. 
Jackson, Quency T. Johnson, Samuel E. Johnson, Jr., Ronald C. Jones, 
Stephen G. Kelly, Henrietta M. Ketcham, Leonard J. LaChance, Todd P. 
Larrow, Daryl C. Lenz, Gary F. Lucey, John E. Mawn, Harold G. McCusker, 
Willie McDaniel, Anthony R. Messina, Donald L. Miller, Richard E. 
Moore, Roland J. Mroz, Robert L. Mullinax, Karl F. Murhammer, Jr., 
Harry E. North, Michael W. Pelley, Richard E. Peterson, James C. 
Plumley, Albert L. Robinson, Gary M. Rooney, Temistocles E. Sanchez, 
Winston C. Saxon, Steven A. Shinall, Barry A. Shockey, Steven Simione, 
Rodney L. Stoltenberg, Rocky W. Tyler, Theodore L. Welson, Milton J. 
Williams, Leroy C. Williams, Anthony F. Wooten, Martin Wright, Jr.
    The following 3 applicants were denied for miscellaneous/multiple 
reasons: Brian F. Beebe, Kevin A. Mitchell, Steve Morris.
    The following 5 applicants were unable to or not willing to 
demonstrate proper management and monitoring of his/her diabetes 
whether by personal decision or medical inability: Ray G. Barker, 
Ronald J. Herd, Douglas A. Galanius, Francis T. Flood, Dana R. Ward.
    One applicant, Fred A. Taylor, did not submit the required 
documents.
    The following 2 applicants were Canadian applicants: Norman S. 
Peltzer, Kevin R. Durham.
    Finally, the following 17 applicants did not meet the minimum age 
requirement of at least 21 years old: Matthew S. Buckner, Dustin G. 
Cook, Jordan S. Denley, John K. Funkhouser, Michael J. Guido, Cody H. 
Heckemeyer, Cameron D. Hubbard, Troy M. Keller, Timothy L. Koehn, 
Justin T. Mattice, Justine Oyler, Thomas J. Paulus, Russell L. Peters, 
James W. Smith, Suzanne J. Sublaban, Cory A. Thomas, Justin K. 
Zimmerschied.

    Issued on: August 20, 2009.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy and Program Development.
[FR Doc. E9-20624 Filed 8-25-09; 8:45 am]

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