[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 62 (Friday, April 1, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16884-16885]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-6488]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration


Public Meeting on Implementation of the North American Standard 
for Cargo Securement

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces a public meeting concerning implementation of 
the North American Standard for Protection Against Shifting or Falling 
Cargo. The meeting's purpose is to discuss a process for ensuring 
consistent interpretation of the harmonized cargo securement standards 
by FMCSA and the Canadian Provinces, such as interpretation issues 
raised by U.S. enforcement agencies and motor carriers and potential 
implementation issues for Canadian Provinces and motor carriers 
operating in Canada.
    On September 27, 2002, FMCSA published a final rule revising its 
regulations on cargo securement for commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) 
operated in interstate commerce; and motor carriers were given until 
January 1, 2004 to comply with the new regulations. The agency's new 
standards were based on the North American Cargo Securement Standard 
Model Regulations, which reflected at the time the results of a multi-
year comprehensive research program to evaluate U.S. and Canadian cargo 
securement regulations, motor carrier industry best practices, and 
recommendations from public meetings involving U.S. and Canadian 
industry experts, Federal, State, and Provincial enforcement officials, 
and other interested parties. Since then, Canada's Council of Ministers 
Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety approved a new 
National Safety Code Standard for cargo securement (September 23, 
2004). Full implementation of Canada's new cargo securement 
requirements is expected by this summer.

DATES: April 21-22, 2005. The public meeting begins on April 21, from 1 
p.m. to 5 p.m., and on April 22, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting is at the Albuquerque Convention Center, 401 
Second Street NW., Albuquerque, New Mexico.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Larry W. Minor, Director of the 
Office of Bus and Truck Standards and Operations, FMCSA, phone (202) 
366-4009; FAX to (202) 366-8842; or e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    FMCSA published a final rule revising its regulations concerning 
protection against shifting and falling cargo for CMVs operated in 
interstate commerce, on September 27, 2002 (67 FR 61212). Motor 
carriers had until January 1, 2004 to comply with the new regulations. 
The regulations were intended to reduce the number of crashes caused by 
cargo shifting on or within, or falling from, CMVs operating in 
interstate commerce, and to harmonize U.S., Canadian, and Mexican cargo 
securement regulations. On September 23, 2004, Canada's Council of 
Ministers Responsible for

[[Page 16885]]

Transportation and Highway Safety approved a new National Safety Code 
Standard for cargo securement. The new Canadian securement requirements 
are expected to be fully implemented by this summer, 2005.

Maintaining Uniformity Between U.S. and Canadian Cargo Securement 
Standards

    FMCSA believes it is necessary to continue working with U.S. and 
Canadian industry experts, Federal, State, and Provincial enforcement 
officials and other interested parties to maintain harmonization of 
U.S. and Canadian cargo securement standards. A major part of this 
effort includes uniformity in interpreting the meaning of requirements 
adopted by the U.S. and Canada. While there are some differences 
between certain provisions adopted by FMCSA and Canada's National 
Safety Code Standard 10, the contents of most of the Model Regulations 
have been adopted, or will be adopted shortly, by almost all 
jurisdictions in the U.S. and Canada. To ensure consistency in the 
interpretation and enforcement of the requirements, FMCSA is working 
with its Canadian partners to develop a process for sharing information 
about requests for interpretation, and exchanging technical information 
that will be helpful to the regulatory agencies in developing their 
responses to such requests. FMCSA will continue to work with its 
Canadian partners to ensure that interpretations are provided in an 
efficient and timely manner to all interested parties.
    As a first step, FMCSA is holding a public meeting to provide all 
interested parties an opportunity to participate in discussions between 
the agency and its Canadian counterparts about interpretations and 
other implementation issues.

Additional Meeting Information

    The meeting is on April 21-22, 2005, at the Albuquerque Convention 
Center (Enchantment 1 Room), 401 Second Street NW., Albuquerque, New 
Mexico. On April 21, the meeting is from 1 to 5 p.m.; and on April 22, 
from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. This meeting is free of charge and open to all 
interested parties.
    The public meeting is being held immediately after the Commercial 
Vehicle Safety Alliance's (CVSA's) 2005 Annual Conference ends. If you 
are interested in attending CVSA's conference sessions and committee 
meetings, you must register with CVSA and pay the appropriate 
registration fee. For further information about registering, you should 
contact CVSA at (202) 775-1623.

    Issued on: March 28, 2005.
Annette M. Sandberg,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 05-6488 Filed 3-31-05; 8:45 am]
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