Source: http://fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/rulemakings/final/Saddle-Mount-Brake-Final-Rule.aspx
Timestamp: 2013-12-08 08:16:31
Document Index: 286697838

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 393', '§ 31136', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', 'art 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393', '§ 393']

Print [Federal Register Volume 76, Number 177 (Tuesday, September 13, 2011)]
[Pages 56318-56322]
[FR Doc No: 2011-23344]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATIONFederal Motor Carrier Safety Administration 49 CFR Part 393
Safety Administration (FMCSA) amends
Regulations (FMCSRs) to eliminate the
requirement for operational brakes on
the last saddle-mounted truck or tractor
in a triple saddle-mount combination,
except when a full mount is present.
This is in response to a petition for
rulemaking from the Automobile
Carriers Conference (ACC) of the
American Trucking Associations (ATA),
which stated that this requirement
degrades the braking performance of
these combinations because the lightly
loaded axle of the last vehicle tends to
lock up under heavy braking.
DATES: The final rule is effective
ADDRESSES: For access to the docket to
read background documents, including
those referenced in this document, or to
read comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov at any time and
insert FMCSA-2010-1271 in the
"Keyword" box, and then click
"Search." You may also view the docket
online by visiting the Docket
Management Facility in Room W12-
140, DOT Building, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between
9 a.m. and 5 p.m. e.t., Monday through
Friday except Federal holidays.
Brian J. Routhier, Vehicle and Roadside
Operations Division, Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration, 202-366-
1225, or brian.routhier@dot.gov, 1200
DC 20590-0001. Office hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. e.t., Monday through
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:Table of Contents for PreamblePrivacy ActAbbreviationsLegal Basis for the RulemakingBackgroundDiscussion of Public CommentsDiscussion of Final RuleRegulatory AnalysesI. Privacy Act
electronic form for all comments
Transportation's (DOT) Privacy Act
system of records notice for DOT
(FDMS) in the Federal Register published on January 17, 2008 (73 FR
3316) at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-785.pdf.
ABS antilock braking systems.
ACC Automobile Carriers Conference.
ATA American Trucking Associations.
ATC ATC Transportation LLC.
FMCSRs Federal Motor Carrier Safety
NATA National Automobile Transporters
RAI Link-Radlinski, Inc.
This final rule is based on the
authority of the Motor Carrier Act of
1935 and the Motor Carrier Safety Act
provides that "The Secretary of
Transportation may prescribe
requirements for—(1) Qualifications and
maximum hours of service of employees
of, and safety of operation and
equipment of, a motor carrier; and (2)
qualifications and maximum hours of
service of employees of, and standards
of equipment of, a motor private carrier,
when needed to promote safety of
operation" [49 U.S.C. 31502(b)].
The braking amendments in this rule
deal directly with the "safety of
operation and equipment of * * * a
motor carrier" [49 U.S.C. 31502(b)(1)]
and "standards of equipment of * * *
a motor private carrier" [49 U.S.C.
31502(b)(2)]. The proposal, adoption,
and enforcement of such rules were
authorized by the Motor Carrier Act of 1935. This rule rests squarely on that
The Motor Carrier Safety Act of 1984
(the 1984 Act) provides concurrent
authority to regulate drivers, motor
carriers, and vehicle equipment. It
requires the Secretary of Transportation
to "prescribe regulations on commercial
motor vehicle (CMV) safety. The
regulations shall prescribe minimum
safety standards for commercial motor
vehicles." Although this authority is
very broad, the Act also includes
specific requirements: "At a minimum,
the regulations shall ensure that—(1)
Commercial motor vehicles are
maintained, equipped, loaded, and
operated safely; (2) the responsibilities
imposed on operators of commercial
motor vehicles do not impair their
ability to operate the vehicles safely; (3)
the physical condition of operators of
commercial motor vehicles is adequate
to enable them to operate the vehicles
safely * * * ; and (4) the operation of
commercial motor vehicles does not
have a deleterious effect on the physical
condition of the operators" [49 U.S.C.
31136(a)].
This rule is based on the authority of
the 1984 Act, specifically the mandate
to ensure that CMVs are maintained,
equipped, loaded, and operated safely
(49 U.S.C. 31136(a)(1)). By allowing the
disconnection of brakes on the rearmost
axle of vehicles towed in saddle-mount
combinations, the rule will enhance the
controllability of such combinations
under hard braking and thus improve
their operational safety. Section
31136(a)(2) requires FMCSA regulations
to ensure that the responsibilities
imposed on operators of CMVs do not
impair their ability to operate the
vehicles safely. This provision is
concerned primarily with potentially
unreasonable demands placed on
drivers by their employers (for example,
schedules that encourage or require
speeding); but to the extent subsection
(a)(2) may refer to unsafe vehicles, the
rule will make triple saddle-mount
combinations safer for drivers to
operate. Section 31136(a)(3) requires
that the FMCSRs ensure that the
physical condition of drivers is
adequate to enable them to operate their
vehicles safely. This rule does not deal
with the physical condition of drivers.
Finally, § 31136(a)(4) requires the
Agency's regulations to ensure that
CMV operations do not have a
deleterious effect on the physical
condition of drivers. This requirement is
related to subsection (a)(3) and is not
directly addressed by this rule, although
safer vehicles are obviously better for
CMV drivers and all others who use the
Before prescribing any regulations,
FMCSA must also consider their "costs
and benefits" [49 U.S.C. 31136(c)(2)(A)
and 31502(d)]. Those factors are
discussed in the Regulatory Analyses
section of this proposal.
ACC, which is part of ATA, represents
motor carriers that transport motor
vehicles ranging from automobiles to
Class 8 trucks. Its members transport
more than 96 percent of all trucks
moved by the saddle-mount method. In
January of 2007, ACC submitted a
petition for rulemaking, contending that
the use of operational brakes on the
final truck or tractor in a triple saddlemount
combination degrades the
braking performance of these
combinations because the lightly loaded
axle of the last vehicle tends to lock up
under heavy braking, potentially
increasing stopping distance.
Stopping distances are specified in
the vehicle brake performance table at
§ 393.52(d) of title 49, Code of Federal
Regulations, which requires many
combination vehicles, including triple
saddle-mounts, to be able to stop within
40 feet or less from an initial speed of
20 mph. The FMCSRs do not specify
minimum stopping distances from
higher speeds. They do, however,
specify performance requirements for
the emergency brakes, which deploy
after the service braking system has
failed. Under the emergency braking
requirements in § 393.52(d), triple
saddle-mounts must be able to stop
within 90 feet or less from a speed of 20
mph. Further, § 393.71(a)(3) requires
operational brakes on any wheel of a
triple saddle-mount combination that is
in contact with the highway.
Based on the results of braking tests
performed on various triple saddlemount
combinations, as described
below, ACC requested that FMCSA
make two regulatory changes: (1)
Amend § 393.71(a)(3) to eliminate the
the last saddle-mounted truck in a triple
saddle-mount combination; and (2)
amend § 393.71(c)(4) to extend to triple
saddle-mounts the existing requirement
that a double saddle-mount with any
vehicle full-mounted on it have effective
brakes acting on those wheels in contact
In 1996 and 2002, ACC, then known
as the National Automobile
Transporters Association (NATA),
sponsored brake performance tests
conducted by Radlinski & Associates, Inc. (RAI) 1 in East Liberty, Ohio. In
support of its petition, ACC submitted
these test results, as well as the results
of supporting tests sponsored by ATC
Leasing Company (ATC) 2 in 2003. RAI
tested a total of 24 triple saddle-mount
combinations in the two tests conducted
for NATA and two additional
combinations in the ATC test. Braking
tests were conducted on various saddlemount
combinations, with and without
antilock braking systems (ABS) on the
lead unit. An overview of the tests and
corresponding results from RAI were
presented in the NPRM, and a copy of
each test report is available in the
docket referenced at the beginning of
As discussed in the proposed rule,
FMCSA agrees that these test results
demonstrated that triple saddle-mount
driveaway combinations (1) Are able to
meet the performance requirements of
§ 393.52(d) at various combinations of
vehicle weight and length with the
brakes disconnected on the rearmost
towed units (fourth truck), and (2) at
higher speeds, perform better when
there are no brakes on the rearmost
towed unit. In addition, ACC's request
to amend the braking requirements for
triple saddle-mount combinations is
based on the same considerations
FMCSA cited in a final rule that permits
motor carriers to disconnect the service
brakes on unladen converter dollies
manufactured on or after March 1,
1998 3 (70 FR 48008, Aug. 15, 2005).
The axle weight of an unladen dolly is
so low that the wheels lock up under
hard braking. The last unit in a saddlemount
combination has higher axle
weights than a converter dolly, but
behaves in much the same way—i.e., the
axle in contact with the road locks up
under heavy braking, reducing
controllability and increasing the
stopping distance of the vehicle.
FMCSA received comments on the
NPRM from ACC, ATC, ATA, and RAI.
All of the commenters support the proposed elimination of the requirement
for operational brakes on the last truck
or tractor in a triple saddle-mount
combination, except when a full mount
is present. They are equally unanimous,
however, in noting that the proposed
amendment of § 393.42(b)(2)(ii) would
undermine the stated intent of the
NPRM. Section 393.42(b)(2)(ii) currently
exempts combinations utilizing one or
two saddle-mounts from the
requirement to have operational brakes
on all wheels—but the proposed
amendment of this provision would
have effectively removed this
RAI noted that the proposed
amendment of Section 393.42(b)(2)(ii)
would have effectively removed the
exemption described above. ATC
observed that the practical effect of the
NPRM would be "to impose a
significant regulatory requirement on
the driveaway industry by imposing
additional braking requirements on
single and double saddle-mount
combinations.* * *" ATC, ACC, and
RAI point out that this regulatory
change would defeat the NPRM's
objective of improving the braking
performance of saddle-mount
combinations. ACC, ATA, and RAI
recommended that § 393.42(b)(2)(ii) be
removed. ATC proposed instead that
§ 393.42(b)(2) be revised using language
that excepts the final towed vehicle in
a triple saddle-mount combination from
the requirement to have operative
brakes on all wheels, while at the same
time linking saddle-mounts implicitly to
driveaway-towaway operations.
FMCSA agrees with the commenters
that the proposed amendment to
§ 393.42(b)(2)(ii) would have introduced
a new and unintended regulatory
burden for single and double saddlemount
combinations. Under
§ 393.42(b)(2), motor vehicles being
towed in single or double saddle-mount
combinations "are not required to have
operative brakes provided the
combination of vehicles meets the
requirements of § 393.52." By removing
this exemption, the proposed rule
would have increased the cost of
operating single and double saddlemounts
while diminishing their safety.
ACC, ATC, and ATA are correct that
the braking performance studies on
triple saddle-mount combinations
discussed in the NPRM would apply
equally to single and double saddlemount
configurations. Under this final
rule, the FMCSRs continue to exempt
single and double saddle-mount combinations from the requirement to
have brakes on all wheels provided the
combination meets the requirements of
§ 393.52, except when a full mount is
present. FMCSA made changes to the
regulatory text to address these
Comments on the Summary in the
ATC takes issue with a statement in
the "Summary" section of the NPRM
that the FMCSRs currently require
saddle-mounted vehicle that is in
contact with the roadway; that
statement is inconsistent with
§ 393.42(b)(2).
ATC is correct in contesting the
NPRM's statement that the FMCSRs
currently require operational brakes on
any wheel of a saddle-mounted vehicle
in contact with the roadway. As
discussed previously, § 393.42 currently
exempts saddle-mounted vehicles,
except triple saddle-mounts, from this
requirement provided the combination
of vehicles meets the requirements of 49
CFR 393.52. For those cases in which
the combination cannot meet the
performance requirements under
§ 393.52, brakes would be required.
ATC, ACC, and ATA agree with the
proposed amendments to § 393.71. RAI,
however, advocates further amendment
of § 393.71(c)(4) to require that not only
double and triple saddle-mount
combinations, but also single saddlemounts,
have operational brakes on the
towed vehicle(s) when a full mount is
FMCSA agrees with RAI's suggestion
to broaden the applicability of
§ 393.71(c)(4) to include all saddlemount
configurations—single, double,
and triple. The Agency amends this
section accordingly.
This final rule amends § 393.42(a) and
(b) and § 393.71(a)(3) and (c)(4) of the
FMCSRs to exempt the fourth truck in
a triple saddle-mount combination of
vehicles from the requirement to have
operative brakes on all wheels (provided
the vehicles meet the requirements of
§ 393.52), except when a full mount is
present. The basic exemption is
provided in amended § 393.71(a)(3),
with additional amendments under
§ 393.42(b)(2) and § 393.71(c)(4).
In order to reduce confusion, the
current exclusion language in paragraph
(b)(2)(i) has been moved to paragraph
(a). Additionally, new language has
been added to paragraph (a) that
requires brakes on all wheels of a
fullmount, regardless of the number of
vehicles in the configuration.
This rule retains the broad exception
at § 393.42(b)(2), but now clarifies that
it also applies to the last truck of triple
saddle-mount combinations.
Additionally, paragraph (b)(2) now
contains a cross-reference to the
amended regulation for triple saddlemounts
in § 393.71(a)(3).
The final rule amends § 393.71(a)(3)
operational brakes on the last saddlemounted
truck in a triple saddle-mount
combination. In addition, as requested
by RAI, the final rule also includes an
amendment at § 393.71(c)(4) that
removes the qualifier "double." The
requirement thus applies not only to
double saddle-mounts, but also to any
saddle-mount combination. In addition,
the Agency makes an editorial change to
Planning and Review), Executive Order
Regulatory Review), and DOT
This final rule is not a significant
regulatory action under section 3(f) of
Planning and Review, as supplemented
by Executive Order 13563 (76 FR 3821,
Jan. 21, 2011), and does not require an
assessment of potential costs and
benefits under section 6(a)(3) of that
Order. The Agency does not believe
implementing this rule will create new
costs or cause an adverse economic
impact on the industry or the public.
Therefore, a full regulatory evaluation is
FMCSA anticipates that this rule
could result in several benefits, chief
among them the increased safety
performance of triple saddle-mount
combination CMVs. By improving the
braking performance of these CMVs, the
rule could reduce the number of crashes
in which they are involved. This
improved braking ability will increase
the mechanical integrity of these CMVs,
providing a safety benefit.
Tests conducted by RAI in 1996,
2002, and 2003 support the argument
that disconnecting the rearmost axle
brakes of triple saddle-mount combination CMVs improves their
braking performance. FMCSA does not
have quantifiable data, however, that
would allow for an estimation of the
number of CMV crashes this change in
practice will prevent, and therefore
cannot quantify this benefit.
This rule will also reduce regulatory
burden on motor carriers by eliminating
the requirement to connect the rearmost
axle brakes on triple saddle-mount
CMVs. As with any elimination of an
existing regulation, reducing regulatory
burden on motor carriers has the
potential to lower associated
compliance costs. These cost savings are
likely to be modest, however, because
the rule simply amends a practice that
is not particularly laborious or timeconsuming.
In addition, FMCSA does not expect
that this rule will impose costs on
affected motor carriers because the
elimination of the current requirement
will not require motor carriers to
purchase new equipment, parts, or
accessories or to modify or alter existing
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (5
U.S.C. 601 et seq.) requires Federal
agencies to determine whether rules
could have a significant economic
entities. The Agency's economic
assessment demonstrates that this final
rule will yield minor benefits while
imposing no new costs. Consequently, I
certify that this action will not have a
This rulemaking does not impose an
unfunded Federal mandate, as defined
by the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1532 et seq.), that will
or by the private sector, of $141.3
million (which is the value of $100
million in 2010 after adjusting for
Executive Order 12988 (Civil Justice
This action meets applicable
standards in sections 3(a) and 3(b)(2) of
Reform, to minimize litigation,
eliminate ambiguity, and reduce Risks and Safety Risks. The Agency
determined that this rulemaking does
not pose an environmental risk to health
or safety that may disproportionately
Executive Order 12630 (Taking of
This rulemaking does not effect a
taking of private property or otherwise
have takings implications under
Executive Order 12630, Governmental
Actions and Interference with
Constitutionally Protected Property
A rulemaking has implications for
Federalism under Executive Order
13132, Federalism, if it has a substantial
direct effect on State or local
governments and would either preempt
State law or impose a substantial direct
cost of compliance on them. FMCSA
analyzed this action in accordance with
Executive Order 13132. The rule will
not have a substantial direct effect on
States, nor will it limit the policymaking
discretion of States. Nothing in this
document preempts any State law or
The regulations implementing
Executive Order 12372 regarding
Federal programs and activities do not
Executive Order 13045 (Protection of
FMCSA analyzed this action under
Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks. The Agency
(44 U.S.C. 3507(d)) requires that FMCSA
consider the impact of paperwork and
other information collection burdens
imposed on the public. The Agency
determined that no new information
collection requirements are associated
FMCSA analyzed this rule for the
purpose of the National Environmental
seq.) and determined under our
environmental procedures Order 5610.1,
March 1, 2004 (69 FR 9680), that this
action has the potential to produce a
very small benefit to the environment if
any reduction in crashes is realized.
Therefore, this rule is categorically
excluded from further analysis and
documentation in an environmental
assessment or environmental impact
statement under FMCSA Order 5610.1,
paragraph 6(bb) of Appendix 2. The
Categorical Exclusion under paragraph
6(bb) relates to regulations concerning vehicle operation safety standards that
would apply to how these vehicles are
operated. The Categorical Exclusion
determination is available for inspection
or copying in the Regulations.gov Web
site listed under ADDRESSES.
FMCSA also analyzed this rule under
the Clean Air Act, as amended (CAA),
section 176(c) (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.),
and implementing regulations
promulgated by the Environmental
Protection Agency. Approval of this
action is exempt from the CAA's general
conformity requirement since it does
not affect direct or indirect emissions of
Distribution, or Use. The Agency
determined that it is not a "significant
energy action" under that Executive
Order because it is not economically
significant and is not likely to have an
adverse effect on the supply,
Highways and roads, Motor carriers,
Motor vehicle equipment, Motor vehicle
FMCSA amends title 49, Code of
Federal Regulations, subchapter B,
chapter III, as follows:
1. The authority citation for part 393
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 31136, 31151, and
31502; Sec. 1041(b) of Pub. L. 102-240, 105
Stat. 1914, 1993 (1991); and 49 CFR 1.73.
2. Amend § 393.42 by revising
paragraphs (a) and (b)(2) to read as
§ 393.42 Brakes required on all wheels.Every commercial motor vehicle
shall be equipped with brakes acting on
all wheels. This requirement also
applies to certain motor vehicles being
towed in a driveaway-towaway
Any motor vehicle towed by
means of a tow-bar when another motor
vehicle is full-mounted on the towed
vehicle; andAny saddlemount configuration
with a fullmount.* * *
Motor vehicles being towed in a
driveaway-towaway operation
(including the last truck of triple saddlemount
combinations (see § 393.71(a)(3))
are not required to have operative brakes provided the combination of
vehicles meets the requirements of
§ 393.52.* * * * *
3. Amend § 393.71 by revising
paragraphs (a)(3) and (c)(4) to read as
§ 393.71 Coupling devices and towing
methods, driveaway-towaway operations.
(3) When motor vehicles are towed by
means of triple saddle-mounts, all but
the final towed vehicle must have
brakes acting on all wheels in contact
(4) If a motor vehicle towed by means
of a saddle-mount has any vehicle fullmounted
on it, the saddle-mounted
vehicle must at all times while so
loaded have effective brakes acting on
1 Radlinksi & Associates is now known as Link-
Radlinksi, Inc.
2 ATC Leasing Company is now known as ATC
Transportation LLC.
3 FMCSA noted that with the National Highway
Transportation Safety Administration’s (NHTSA)
March 10, 1995, final rule on ABS (60 FR 13216),
the long-term need for this exception for unladen
converter dollies will diminish. An ABS-equipped
converter dolly will not have the stability and
control problems observed with unladen converter
dollies not equipped with ABS. Therefore,
converter dollies manufactured on or after March 1,
1998, the effective date of the NHTSA requirement
for ABS on converter dollies, are not covered by the