Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/09/06/2019-19261/qualification-of-drivers-exemption-applications-vision
Timestamp: 2019-09-24 09:24:31
Document Index: 799313309

Matched Legal Cases: ['§\u2009391', '§\u2009391', '§\u2009391', '§\u2009391', '§\u2009391', '§\u2009391', '§\u2009391']

A Notice by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on 09/06/2019
The exemptions were applicable on July 20, 2019. The exemptions expire on July 20, 2021.
84 FR 47056
47056-47057 (2 pages)
Docket No. FMCSA-2019-0010
2019-19261
FMCSA-2019-0010
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2019-19261 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2019-19261
Start Preamble Start Printed Page 47056
FMCSA announces its decision to exempt ten individuals from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate commerce. They are unable to meet the vision requirement in one eye for various reasons. The exemptions enable these individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce without meeting the vision requirement in one eye.
Ms. Christine A. Hydock, Chief, Medical Programs Division, (202) 366-4001, fmcsamedical@dot.gov, FMCSA, Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W64-224, Washington, DC 20590-0001. Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. If you have questions regarding viewing or submitting material to the docket, contact Docket Services, (202) 366-9826.
To view comments, as well as any documents mentioned in this notice as being available in the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov/​docket?​D=​FMCSA-2019-0010 and choose the document to review. If you do not have access to the internet, you may view the docket online by visiting the Docket Management Facility in Room W12-140 on the ground floor of the DOT West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
On June 19, 2019, FMCSA published a notice announcing receipt of applications from ten individuals requesting an exemption from vision requirement in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10) and requested comments from the public (84 FR 28619). The public comment period ended on July 19, 2019, and one comment was received.
FMCSA has evaluated the eligibility of these applicants and determined that granting the exemptions to these individuals would achieve a level of safety equivalent to, or greater than, the level that would be achieved by complying with § 391.41(b)(10).
The physical qualification standard for drivers regarding vision found in § 391.41(b)(10) states that a person is physically qualified to drive a CMV if that person has distant visual acuity of at least 20/40 (Snellen) in each eye without corrective lenses or visual acuity separately corrected to 20/40 (Snellen) or better with corrective lenses, distant binocular acuity of a least 20/40 (Snellen) in both eyes with or without corrective lenses, field of vision of at least 70° in the horizontal meridian in each eye, and the ability to recognize the colors of traffic signals and devices showing red, green, and amber.
FMCSA received one comment in this proceeding. Charity Colleen Crouse submitted a comment expressing concern that these exemptions are being administered to persons other than the individuals listed in this notice, and may be used for illegal activity.
FMCSA verifies the identity and vision deficiencies of individuals through multiple official documents submitted as part of their requests for an exemption from the vision requirements. Individuals must submit a certified motor vehicle record issued from their State Driver Licensing Agency (SDLA) and a copy of a valid CDL or non-CDL license. They must also submit information from their ophthalmologist or optometrist related to a recent medical examination, which verifies the existence and nature of the vision condition. FMCSA finds these steps sufficient for verifying the identity of individuals requesting an exemption and applicability of the exemption.
Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315(b), FMCSA may grant an exemption from the FMCSRs for no longer than a 5-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 5-year period. FMCSA grants medical exemptions from the FMCSRs for a 2-year period to align with the maximum duration of a driver's medical certification.
The Agency's decision regarding these exemption applications is based on medical reports about the applicants' vision, as well as their driving records and experience driving with the vision deficiency. The qualifications, experience, and medical condition of each applicant were stated and discussed in detail in the June 19, 2019, Federal Register notice (84 FR 28619) and will not be repeated here.
FMCSA recognizes that some drivers do not meet the vision requirement but have adapted their driving to accommodate their limitation and demonstrated their ability to drive safely. The ten exemption applicants listed in this notice are in this category. They are unable to meet the vision requirement in one eye for various reasons, including amblyopia, enucleation, hyphema, macular ischemia, retinal detachment, and subluxed lens. In most cases, their eye conditions did not develop recently. Eight of the applicants were either born with their vision impairments or have had them since childhood. The two individuals that developed their vision conditions as adults have had them for a range of four to six years. Although each applicant has one eye that does not meet the vision requirement in § 391.41(b)(10), each has at least 20/40 corrected vision in the other eye, and, in a doctor's opinion, has sufficient vision to perform all the tasks necessary to operate a CMV.
Doctors' opinions are supported by the applicants' possession of a valid license to operate a CMV. By meeting State licensing requirements, the applicants demonstrated their ability to operate a CMV with their limited vision in intrastate commerce, even though their vision disqualified them from driving in interstate commerce. We believe that the applicants' intrastate driving experience and history provide an adequate basis for predicting their ability to drive safely in interstate commerce. Intrastate driving, like interstate operations, involves substantial driving on highways on the interstate system and on other roads built to interstate standards. Moreover, Start Printed Page 47057driving in congested urban areas exposes the driver to more pedestrian and vehicular traffic than exists on interstate highways. Faster reaction to traffic and traffic signals is generally required because distances between them are more compact. These conditions tax visual capacity and driver response just as intensely as interstate driving conditions.
The applicants in this notice have driven CMVs with their limited vision in careers ranging for 4 to 84 years. In the past three years, no drivers were involved in crashes, and one driver was convicted of a moving violation in CMVs. All the applicants achieved a record of safety while driving with their vision impairment that demonstrates the likelihood that they have adapted their driving skills to accommodate their condition. As the applicants' ample driving histories with their vision deficiencies are good predictors of future performance, FMCSA concludes their ability to drive safely can be projected into the future.
Consequently, FMCSA finds that in each case exempting these applicants from the vision requirement in § 391.41(b)(10) is likely to achieve a level of safety equal to that existing without the exemption.
The terms and conditions of the exemption are provided to the applicants in the exemption document and includes the following: (1) Each driver must be physically examined every year (a) by an ophthalmologist or optometrist who attests that the vision in the better eye continues to meet the standard in § 391.41(b)(10) and (b) by a certified medical examiner (ME) who attests that the individual is otherwise physically qualified under § 391.41; (2) each driver must provide a copy of the ophthalmologist's or optometrist's report to the ME at the time of the annual medical examination; and (3) each driver must provide a copy of the annual medical certification to the employer for retention in the driver's qualification file, or keep a copy in his/her driver's qualification file if he/she is self-employed. The driver must also have a copy of the exemption when driving, for presentation to a duly authorized Federal, State, or local enforcement official.
Based upon its evaluation of the ten exemption applications, FMCSA exempts the following drivers from the vision requirement, § 391.41(b)(10), subject to the requirements cited above:
Joseph A. Cardazone (NJ)
Daniel R. Cope, Sr. (IA)
Timothy E. Coultas (IL)
Edwin Figueroa (IL)
Robert F. LaMark (PA)
Con May (IN)
Justin E. Schwada (MO)
Jeffrey A. Sherman (OH)
Chadwick L. St. John (AL)
Clinton A. Vandervoort (TX)
In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315(b), each exemption will be valid for 2 years from the effective date unless revoked earlier by FMCSA. The exemption will be revoked if the following occurs: (1) The person fails to comply with the terms and conditions of the exemption; (2) the exemption has resulted in a lower level of safety than was maintained prior to being granted; or (3) continuation of the exemption would not be consistent with the goals and objectives of 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315(b).
Issued on: August 29, 2019.
[FR Doc. 2019-19261 Filed 9-5-19; 8:45 am]