Source: https://www.global-regulation.com/law/united-states/26732/hazardous-materials-safety-permit-%2528hmsp%2529-program%253a-amendment-to-enforcement-policy.html
Timestamp: 2018-10-16 07:45:32
Document Index: 200314700

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 134', '§ 385', '§ 385', '§ 385', '§ 385', '§ 385', '§ 385', '§ 385', '§ 385', '§ 385', '§ 385', '§ 385', '§ 385']

Hazardous Materials Safety Permit (HMSP) Program: Amendment to Enforcement Policy (United States)
Link to law: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/text/raw_text/201/515/091.txt
FMCSA's Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS) contains records for approximately 525,000 active interstate motor carriers operating in the United States. MCMIS records show almost 11,000 interstate and intrastate motor carriers that have had an inspection indicating that they transport hazardous material requiring placards. 1
Approximately 1,500 motor carriers possess an HMSP.
On December 16, 2014, Congress passed the 2015 Omnibus Appropriations law entitled, “Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015,” Pub. L. 113-235, 128 Stat. 2130 (Dec. 16, 2014) which restricts FMCSA's use of appropriated funds “to deny an application to renew a Hazardous Materials Safety Program permit for a motor carrier based on that carrier's Hazardous Materials Out-of-Service rate, unless the carrier has the opportunity to submit a written description of corrective actions taken, and other documentation the carrier wishes the Secretary to consider, including submitting a corrective action plan, and the Secretary determines the actions or plan is insufficient to address the safety concerns that resulted in that Hazardous Materials Out-of- Service rate.” Pub. L. 113-235, div. K, Title I, § 134. By using SMS scores to identify a HMSP holder for a safety fitness review, the Agency, while complying with this congressional limitation, will ensure that transportation of the hazardous materials specified in 49 CFR 385.403 does not present an undue safety risk to the public.
The first recommendation in the HMSP Report to Congress was for FMCSA to fully utilize the Agency's SMS to provide continuous monitoring of HMSP holders' safety performance in order to determine a carrier's continuing suitability to retain or renew a non-temporary HMSP. Carriers applying for a six-month T-HMSP will be subject to the requirements for initial issuance of a HMSP in § 385.407. Temporary HMSPs are issued when a motor carrier meets all of the qualifications in § 385.407 except for having a safety rating assigned. If the carrier has no safety rating, the T-HMSP is issued, and the motor carrier is assigned for a comprehensive investigation within six months of the FMCSA field staff being notified. FMCSA may extend the T-HMSP for two months, when necessary due to the Agency's inability to schedule a comprehensive investigation during the initial six-month timeframe. Once the carrier receives a comprehensive investigation, and subsequently is assigned a satisfactory safety rating, the carrier is eligible for a full, non-temporary HMSP subject to the initial requirements in § 385.407. Once the non-temporary HMSP is issued, the Agency will place the carrier under the continuous monitoring program described herein.
• 60th percentile for Unsafe Driving, Hours of Service Compliance, and Crash Indicator;
• 75th percentile for Driver Fitness, Controlled Substances/Alcohol, and Vehicle Maintenance; and
• 80th percentile for Hazardous Material Compliance.
For carriers that have a non-temporary HMSP, FMCSA will review the permit holder's SMS scores monthly to determine if the carrier has met or exceeded intervention thresholds for either the Hazardous Materials Compliance BASIC (HM BASIC) or met or exceeded thresholds for any two of the other BASICs for the preceding two consecutive months. If the carrier meets or exceeds the HM BASIC or meets or exceeds thresholds of any other two BASICs over a consecutive two-month period, FMCSA will identify the carrier for investigation with hazardous material compliance emphasis. Using the monthly data provides a more powerful tool for identifying the HMSP carriers that have overall compliance problems, warranting a comprehensive investigation, or issues in one particular area of safety performance ( i.e., crash rate, driver, vehicle, or hazardous material). A comprehensive investigation will entail a full-rated review that will also determine whether the carrier meets the safety fitness requirement in 49 CFR 385.421(a)(3).
If a carrier fails to comply with the applicable regulations, or an order issued under those regulations, indicating that the carrier is not fit to transport hazardous material that requires a HMSP, such conduct could similarly trigger a proposed suspension or revocation under § 385.421(a)(5), (6), (7), (8), or (10). It should be noted that a proposed suspension or revocation under 385.421(a)(5) would be based on serious instances of non-compliance, a less than satisfactory safety rating, or loss of operating authority. The proposed suspension or revocation would be subject to the 30-day notice requirement in § 385.421(c)(2), and the carrier would have an opportunity to take corrective action and/or to apply for administrative review under § 385.423 before FMCSA took final action.
If a carrier's non-temporary HMSP is denied, suspended or revoked pursuant to § 385.421, the carrier will have various options for seeking administrative review and providing evidence of corrective action. If the suspension or revocation is based on a less than satisfactory safety rating, the carrier may request administrative review of the proposed rating under § 385.15, or may request upgrade of a proposed safety rating based on corrective action under § 385.17, as provided in § 385.423(a). The carrier may seek administrative review of other grounds for a proposed suspension or revocation as provided in § 385.423(c). A proposed suspension or revocation under § 385.421(c)(2) will not become effective during the pendency of a request for administrative review that is timely-filed during the 30-day timeframe from the date of service of the written notice of proposed suspension or revocation. The 30-day effective date and the tolling of this date by a request for administrative review of proposed suspensions or revocations that are not related to a less than satisfactory safety rating allows the carrier time to take and submit evidence of corrective action.