[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 193 (Thursday, October 3, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51669-51670]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-25362]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

49 CFR Part 571

[Docket No. 95-98; Notice No.3]


Public Meeting on School Bus Transportation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a public meeting at which NHTSA will 
seek information about school bus transportation. This meeting will be 
held in cooperation with the National Association of Pupil 
Transportation (NAPT) and National Association of State Directors of 
Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) at their annual conference. 
NHTSA is seeking information from school bus manufacturers, school 
transportation providers, and other members of the public on issues 
related to the transportation of school children. NHTSA is also 
requesting suggestions for actions with respect to NHTSA's regulations 
and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) that govern the 
manufacture of school buses. This notice also invites written comments 
on the same subject.

DATES: Public meeting: The meeting will be held on November 4, 1996 at 
2:00 p.m. Those wishing to make oral presentations at the meeting 
should contact Charles Hott, at the address or telephone number listed 
below, by October 25, 1996.
    Written comments: Written comments may be submitted to the agency 
and must be received by December 9, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Public meeting: The public meeting will be held at the 
following location: Opryland Hotel, 2800 Opryland Drive, Nashville, TN 
37214, Tel: (615) 889-1000.
    Written comments: All written comments (preferably 10 copies) 
should be mailed to the Docket Section, National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration, Room 5109, 400 7th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590. 
Please refer to the docket number when submitting written comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles Hott, Office of 
Crashworthiness Standards, NPS-12, NHTSA, 400 7th Street, SW, 
Washington, DC 20590 (telephone 202-366-0247, Fax: 202-366-4329).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Regulatory Reform

    Calling for a new approach to the way Government regulates the 
private sector, President Clinton asked Executive Branch agencies to 
improve the regulatory process. Specifically, the President requested 
that agencies: (1) cut obsolete regulations; (2) reward agency and 
regulator performance by rewarding results, not red tape; (3) create 
grassroots partnerships by meeting with those affected by regulations 
and other interested parties; and (4) use consensual rulemaking, such 
as regulatory negotiation, more frequently.
    NHTSA previously announced public meetings to create grassroots 
partnerships with regulated industries and other affected parties that 
do not deal with NHTSA on a routine basis. By meeting with these 
groups, NHTSA believes that it can build a better understanding of 
their needs and concerns.
    NHTSA recognizes that manufacturers who build school buses operate 
under different conditions than manufacturers of passenger cars and 
trucks. In addition, the agency is aware that school transportation 
providers and school bus manufacturers share a common interest in 
matters relating to pupil transportation safety. Therefore, the agency 
has decided to hold public meetings to listen to the views of these 
groups and others in order to be better informed of their specific 
needs. The agency is interested in obtaining their views on how it can 
improve its regulations that govern the manufacture of school buses. 
Suggestions should be accompanied by a statement of the rationale for 
the suggested action and of the expected consequences of that action. 
Suggestions should address at least the following considerations:

Administrative/compliance burdens
Cost effectiveness
Costs of the existing regulation and the proposed changes to consumers
Costs of testing or certification to regulated parties
Effects on safety
Effects on small businesses
Enforceability of the standard
Whether the suggestion reflects a ``common sense'' approach to solving 
the problem

    Statements should be as specific as possible and provide the best 
available supporting information. Statements also should specify 
whether any change recommended in the regulatory process would require 
a legislative change in NHTSA's authority.
    This meeting is being held in cooperation with NAPT and NASDPTS at 
their annual conference in an effort to offer pupil transportation 
professionals an opportunity to interact with federal agencies that 
affect operational and industry standards. Both NAPT and NASDPTS are 
voluntary not-for-profit organizations that provide educational 
opportunities and information services for pupil transportation 
professionals around the world. NAPT and NASDPTS collectively represent 
over 2,100 pupil transportation professionals from both public and 
private sectors in the United States, United State territories and 
Canada who promote safe and efficient pupil transportation. The NAPT 
Annual Conference and Trade Show is the United State's largest 
gathering of pupil transportation professionals. Having a public 
meeting in cooperation with NAPT and NASDPTS will give NHTSA the 
opportunity to receive comments from the broadest cross-section of 
industry professionals who desire to express their need and concerns 
about Federal regulations that affect their business.

Other Topics of Interest

    In recent years there have been many changes to the Federal 
requirements for school buses. These new requirements include stop arms 
for all school buses, more emergency exits for most of the larger 
school buses, performance requirements for wheelchair restraints in 
school buses, and mirror systems that are performance based instead of 
design based. Future requirements include antilock brake systems for 
large school buses and may also include requiring small school buses to 
meet Standard No. 221, joint strength.
    Improvements have been made to the safety of the school bus loading 
zones.

[[Page 51670]]

Stop arm and mirror requirements were implemented to reduce the number 
of loading zone injuries and fatalities. However, changes in clothing 
style and design have resulted in snagging and dragging injuries to bus 
occupants departing from the school bus. School bus manufacturers have 
implemented recalls to modify handrail designs.
    The agency is interested in receiving views on how the above 
regulations and developments have affected school bus safety and school 
bus users.
    There have also been many changes to the Federal requirements for 
school bus drivers. School bus drivers are now required to possess a 
commercial drivers license which requires pre-employment drug tests and 
random drug and alcohol tests. Staff from the Federal Highway 
Administration will be available to answer questions at the meeting.

Procedural Matters

    The agency intends to conduct the meeting informally so as to allow 
for maximum participation by all who attend. Interested persons may ask 
questions or provide comments during any period after a party has 
completed its presentation, on a time allowed basis as determined by 
the presiding official. If time permits, persons who have not requested 
time to speak, but would like to make a statement, will be afforded an 
opportunity to do so.
    The agency is interested in obtaining the views of its customers 
both orally and in writing. An agenda for the meeting will be made 
based on the number of persons wishing to make oral presentations and 
will be available on the day of the meeting.
    Those speaking at the public meeting should limit their 
presentations to 15 minutes. If the presentation will include slides, 
motion pictures, or other visual aids, please indicate so that the 
proper equipment may be made available. Presenters should bring at 
least one copy of their presentation to the meeting so that NHTSA can 
readily include the material in the public record.
    A schedule of participants making oral presentations will be 
available at the designated meeting room. NHTSA will place a copy of 
any written statement in the docket for this notice. Participation in 
the meeting is not a prerequisite for the submission of written 
comments. NHTSA invites written comments from all interested parties. 
It is requested but not required that 10 copies be submitted.
    If a commenter wishes to submit certain information under a claim 
of confidentiality, three copies of the complete submission, including 
purportedly confidential business information, should be submitted to 
the Chief Counsel, NHTSA, Room 5219, at the street address given above, 
and copies from which the purportedly confidential information has been 
deleted should be submitted to the Docket Section. A request for 
confidentiality should be accompanied by a cover letter setting forth 
the information specified in the agency's confidential business 
information regulation (49 CFR Part 512.)
    All comments received before the close of business on the comment 
closing date indicated above will be considered. Comments will be 
available for inspection in the docket.
    After the closing date, NHTSA will continue to file relevant 
information in the docket as it becomes available. It is therefore 
recommended that interested persons continue to examine the docket for 
new material.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 322, 30111, 30115, 30117, and 30166; 
delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50.

    Issued: September 30, 1996.
L. Robert Shelton,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 96-25362 Filed 10-2-96; 8:45 am]
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