[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 198 (Friday, October 13, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60605-60606]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-17031]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2006-25853]


Medical Review Board Meeting

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), United 
States Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice; Medical Review Board (MRB) public meeting.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces that its MRB will hold a public meeting. The 
MRB members will continue deliberations about current FMCSA medical 
standards, as well as consider recommendations for new science-based 
standards and guidelines to ensure that the physical condition of 
drivers is adequate to enable them to safely operate commercial motor 
vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. In accordance with the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act (FACA), the meeting is open to the public.

DATES: The MRB meeting will be held from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on 
November 1, 2006.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place at the U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Rooms PL-6244 
and 6248, Washington, DC 20590-0001. The public must enter through the 
Southwest Visitor Entrance and comply with building security 
procedures, including provision of appropriate identification prior to 
being accompanied by a Federal employee to the meeting rooms.
    You may submit comments identified by DOT Docket Management System 
(DMS) Docket Number FMCSA-2006-25853 using any of the following 
methods:
     Web site: http://dmses.dot.gov/submit. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments on the DOT electronic docket site.
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Nassif Building, Room PL-401, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery: Room PL-401 on the plaza level of the 
Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the Agency name and 
docket number for this Notice. Note that all comments received will be 
posted without change to http://dms.dot.gov including any personal 
information provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading for further 
information.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to http://dms.dot.gov at any time or Room PL-401 
on the plaza level of the Nassif Building, 400 Seventh Street, SW., 
Washington, DC between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays. The DMS is available 24 hours each day, 365 days each 
year. If you want acknowledgment that we received your comments, please 
include a self-addressed, stamped envelope or postcard or print the 
acknowledgement page that appears after submitting comments on-line.
    Privacy Act: Anyone may search the electronic form of all comments 
received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or of the person signing the comment, if 
submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). 
You may review the U.S. Department of Transportation's complete Privacy 
Act Statement in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 
FR 19477; Apr. 11, 2000). This information is also available at http://dms.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Mary D. Gunnels, Chief, Physical 
Qualifications Division, 202-366-4001, FMCSA, Department of 
Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. 
Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.

Information on Services for Individuals With Disabilities:

    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact 
Kaye Kirby at 202-366-4001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    The preliminary agenda for the meeting includes:
0900-0920 Call to Order, Agenda Review
0920-1000 Methodology of Meta-Analysis
1000-1200 Evidence Report Consensus Statement Presentation Commercial 
Driving with Diabetes Mellitus
1200-1245 Lunch Break*
1245-1330 Preliminary Report on Schedule II Medications
1330-1415 Data Sources
1415-1500 Public Comment Period
1500-1530 Agenda Setting-January 10, 2007 Other Business
1530 Adjourn
*Breaks will be announced on meeting day and may be adjusted according 
to schedule changes, other meeting requirements.

Background

    The U.S. Secretary of Transportation announced on March 7, 2006, 
the five medical experts who will serve on FMCSA's new MRB. Section 
4116 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation 
Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU, Pub. L. 109-59) requires 
the Secretary of Transportation with the advice of the MRB to 
``establish, review, and revise medical standards for operators of CMVs 
that will ensure that the physical condition of operators is adequate 
to enable them operate the vehicles safely.'' FMCSA is planning updates 
to the physical qualification regulations of commercial motor vehicle 
(CMV) drivers, and the MRB will provide the necessary science-based 
guidance to establish realistic and responsible medical standards.
    The MRB will operate in accordance with FACA as announced in the 
Federal Register (70 FR 57642, October 3, 2005). The MRB will be 
charged initially with the review of all current FMCSA medical 
standards (49 CFR 391.41), as well as proposing new science-based 
standards and guidelines to ensure that drivers operating CMVs in 
interstate commerce, as defined in CFR 390.5, are physically capable of 
doing so.

Meeting Participation

    Attendance is open to all interested parties, including the general 
public, medical professionals, motor carriers, drivers and 
representatives of associations. Written comments for the MRB meeting 
are now being accepted and will continue to be accepted until November 
16, 2006. Written comments should include the docket number that

[[Page 60606]]

is listed in the ADDRESSES section. During the meeting, public oral 
comments will be accepted for 45 minutes (2:15 p.m. to 3 p.m.). 
Individual comments may be limited depending on the number of persons 
who wish to comment. Oral comments will be accepted on a first come, 
first serve basis as requestors register at the meeting. The comments 
must directly address relevant medical and scientific issues on the MRB 
meeting agenda. For more information, please view the following Web 
site: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/mrb.

    Issued on: October 6, 2006.
John H. Hill,
Administrator.
 [FR Doc. E6-17031 Filed 10-12-06; 8:45 am]
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