Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/08/12/2013-19396/hours-of-service-of-drivers-us-department-of-defense-dod-application-for-exemption
Timestamp: 2015-07-07 02:44:37
Document Index: 271130916

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 395', '§ 395', '§ 395', '§ 395', '§ 395', '§ 395', '§ 381', 'art 395']

Federal Register | Hours of Service of Drivers: U.S. Department of Defense (DOD); Application for Exemption
Hours of Service of Drivers: U.S. Department of Defense (DOD); Application for Exemption
Publication Date: Monday, August 12, 2013
Dates: Comments must be received on or before September 11, 2013.
Comments Close: 09/11/2013
78 FR 48927
-48928 (2 pages)
Document Number: 2013-19396
Shorter URL: https://federalregister.gov/a/2013-19396 Action
FMCSA announces that it has received an application from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC) for an exemption from the minimum 30-minute rest break provision of the Agency's hours-of-service (HOS) regulations for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. The exemption would enable SDDC's contract motor carriers and their employee-drivers engaged in the transportation of weapons, munitions, and sensitive/classified cargo to have the same regulatory flexibility that § 395.1(q) provides for drivers transporting explosives. The exempted drivers would be allowed to use 30 minutes or more of attendance time to meet the HOS rest break requirements, provided they do not perform any other work during the break. FMCSA requests public comment on SDDC's application for exemption.
You may submit comments identified by Federal Docket Management System Number FMCSA-2013-0275 by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: //www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
Ms. Pearlie Robinson, FMCSA Driver and Carrier Operations Division; Office of Bus and Truck Standards and Operations; Telephone: 202-366-4325. Email: MCPSD@dot.gov.
On December 27, 2011 (76 FR 81133), FMCSA published a final rule amending its hours of service (HOS) regulations for drivers of property-carrying commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). The final rule adopted several changes to the HOS regulations including a new provision requiring drivers to take a rest break during the work day under certain circumstances. Drivers may drive only if no more than 8 hours have passed since the end of the driver's last off-duty period of at least 30 minutes.
FMCSA did not specify when drivers must take the break, but the rule requires that they wait no longer than 8 hours after the last off-duty period of 30 minutes or more to take that break. Drivers who already take shorter breaks during the work day could comply with the rule by taking one of the shorter breaks and extending it to 30 minutes. The new requirement took effect on July 1, 2013.
The Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC) manages the motor carrier industry contracts for the Department of Defense (DOD). Certain motor carriers under contract to the SDDC provide protective services while transporting weapons, munitions, and sensitive/classified cargo.
SDDC requests a limited exemption from the HOS regulation pertaining to rest breaks [49 CFR 395.3(a)(3)(ii)] to allow SDDC-contracted drivers providing dual driver-protective services to be treated the same as drivers transporting explosives, as provided in § 395.1(q). Section 395.1(q) states that operators of CMVs carrying Division 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 explosives subject to the requirement for a minimum 30-minute rest break in § 395.3(a)(3)(ii) may use 30 minutes or more of “attendance time” to meet the requirement for a rest break. SDDC believes that shipments moved under the requested exemption would achieve a level of safety and security that is at least equivalent to what would be obtained by following the normal break requirements in § 395.3(a)(3)(ii).
SDDC states that it requires continuous attendance and surveillance of such shipments until they reach their final destination. SDDC states that it has instituted several technical and administrative controls to ensure the efficient transportation of cargo requiring protective services, controls that would remain in effect under the requested exemption. They include the following:
Evaluating carrier authority to operate on United States roadways.
Evaluating carrier compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Compliance Safety Accountability program Safety Measurement System standards.
Further details regarding SDDC's safety controls can be found in its application for exemption. The application can be accessed in the docket identified at the beginning of this notice. SDDC asserts that granting the exemption would allow driver teams to manage their en-route rest periods efficiently and also perform mandated shipment security surveillance, resulting in both safe driving performance and greater security of cargo during long-distance trips.
SDDC anticipates no safety impacts from this exemption and believes that its contract employee drivers should be allowed to follow the requirements in § 395.1(q) when transporting shipments of sensitive DOD cargo. SDDC believes that shipments made under the requested exemption would achieve a level of safety and security that is at least equivalent to that which would be obtained by following the normal break requirement in § 395.3(a)(3)(ii).
SDDC indicated that 40 contract carriers with 1,942 power units and 3,000 drivers would be covered by the exemption. The proposed exemption would be effective for 2 years, the maximum period allowed by § 381.300.
In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315(b)(4), FMCSA requests public comment on SDDC's application for an exemption from certain provisions of 49 CFR part 395. The Agency will consider all comments received by close of business on September 11, 2013. Comments will be available for examination in the docket at the location listed under the ADDRESSES section of this notice. The Agency will consider to the extent practicable comments received in the public docket after the closing date of the comment period.
[FR Doc. 2013-19396 Filed 8-9-13; 8:45 am]