[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 223 (Monday, November 20, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67200-67201]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-19560]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2006-26367]


Announcement of Establishment of the Motor Carrier Safety 
Advisory Committee; Request for Nominations

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

ACTION: Notice of establishment of the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory 
Committee; request for member nominations.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces the establishment of the Motor Carrier Safety 
Advisory Committee as required by the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, 
Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users. The advisory 
committee will provide advice and recommendations to the FMCSA 
Administrator on the needs, objectives, plans, approaches, content, and 
accomplishments of motor carrier safety programs and motor carrier 
safety regulations. This notice also solicits nominations for 
interested persons to serve on the advisory committee. The 
Administrator will appoint up to 20 members to the Motor Carrier Safety 
Advisory Committee. The advisory committee will begin work in 2006.

DATES: Nominations for the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee must 
be received on or before January 4, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Scott Poyer, Chief, Strategic 
Planning and Program Evaluation Division, Office of Policy Plans and 
Regulation, (202) 366-6408, Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Section 4144 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient 
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) (Pub. L. 
109-59, August 10, 2005), requires the Secretary to establish the Motor 
Carrier Safety Advisory Committee. The Committee will provide advice 
and recommendations to the Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier 
Safety Administration (FMCSA) on the needs, objectives, plans, 
approaches, content, and accomplishments of motor carrier safety 
programs and motor carrier safety regulations. The Committee will be 
comprised of up to 20 members appointed by the Administrator for up to 
two-year terms. They will be selected from among individuals who are 
not employees of FMCSA and who are specially qualified to serve on the 
Committee based on their education, training, or experience. The 
members will include representatives of the motor carrier industry, 
safety advocates, and safety enforcement officials. Representatives of 
a single enumerated interest group may not constitute a majority of the 
Committee members. The Administrator will designate a chairman of the 
Committee from among the members. Committee members will not be 
officers or employees of the Federal Government and will serve without 
pay. The Administrator may allow a member, when attending meetings of 
the Committee or a subcommittee, reimbursement of expenses authorized 
under Section 5703 of Title 5, United States Code and the Federal 
Travel Regulation, 41 CFR part 301, relating to per diem, travel and 
transportation. FMCSA anticipates calling Committee meetings at least 
four times each year (excluding the initial year). Meetings will be 
open to the general public, except as provided under the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App 2). Notice of each meeting will be 
published in the Federal Register at least 15 calendar days prior to 
the date of the meeting.

II. Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee Charter [This Is the Text 
of the Charter That DOT/FMCSA Has Filed With the General Services 
Administration.]

    1. Purpose: This charter establishes the Motor Carrier Safety 
Advisory Committee and provides for its operation in accordance with 
provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended (5 
U.S.C. App. 2); 41 CFR part 102-3; DOT Order 1120.3B; and Section 4144 
of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity 
Act: A Legacy for Users, Public Law 109-59. The charter also sets forth 
the principles governing the Committee's operation.
    2. Scope and Objectives: The Committee will provide advice and 
recommendations to the Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier 
Safety Administration (FMCSA) on motor carrier safety programs and 
motor carrier safety regulations.
    3. Duties: The members of the Committee shall:
    a. attend Committee meetings;
    b. gather information as necessary to discuss issues presented by 
the Designated Federal Official (DFO);
    c. deliberate; and
    d. provide written consensus advice to the Administrator.
    4. Support: The Administrator shall provide support staff for the 
Committee. On request of the Committee, the Administrator shall provide 
information, administrative services, and supplies that the 
Administrator considers necessary for the Committee to carry out its 
duties and powers. FMCSA's Strategic Planning and Program Evaluation 
Division shall furnish support services for the operation of the 
Committee.
    5. Designated Federal Officer and Sponsor: The Designated Federal 
Officer (DFO) for the Committee and its subcommittees is FMCSA's 
Associate Administrator for Policy and Program Development, or his or 
her designee.

[[Page 67201]]

The DFO shall designate an independent facilitator for advisory 
committee meetings. The Committee sponsor is FMCSA's Director for the 
Office of Policy Plans and Regulation, or his or her designee.
    6. Cost: The annual operating costs associated with the Committee's 
functions are estimated to be $40,000, including all direct and 
indirect expenses. We estimate that .25 full-time equivalent positions 
will be required to support the Committee.
    7. Membership: The Committee shall be comprised of up to 20 members 
(special government employees and/or representatives) appointed by the 
Administrator for up to 2-year terms. Members serve at the pleasure of 
the Administrator, subject to their stated terms. Members may be 
reappointed to one or more consecutive terms. Members will be selected 
from among individuals who are not employees of FMCSA and who are 
specially qualified to serve on the Committee based on their education, 
training, or experience. The members shall include representatives of 
the motor carrier industry, safety advocates, and safety enforcement 
officials. Representatives of a single enumerated interest group may 
not constitute a majority of the Committee. Members may continue to 
serve until appointment of their replacements.
    8. Officers: The Administrator shall designate a chairman among 
members of the Committee.
    9. Organization: The chairman may recommend subcommittees subject 
to approval of the Agency. Subcommittees will be established for 
limited purposes within the scope and objectives of the full Committee. 
The chairman of any subcommittee shall be a member of the full 
Committee and shall be appointed by the full Committee chairman with 
the approval of the DFO. Members of a subcommittee may be appointed 
from any source by the full Committee chairman with the approval of the 
DFO. Members of a subcommittee do not become members of the full 
Committee and are not eligible for expenses under item 10 of this 
charter. Subcommittees will submit all recommendations only to the full 
Committee. Subcommittees may be terminated by the full Committee 
chairman, subject to approval by the DFO.
    10. Compensation for Members: Committee members are not officers or 
employees of the Federal Government and shall serve without pay; except 
that the Administrator may allow a member, when attending meetings of 
the Committee or a subcommittee, reimbursement of expenses authorized 
under Section 5703 of Title 5, United States Code and the Federal 
Travel Regulation, 41 CFR part 301, relating to per diem, travel, and 
transportation. All travel by individual members when engaged in 
official Committee business shall be approved in advance by the DFO, 
and arranged and funded by the sponsor.
    11. Meetings: The DFO anticipates calling Committee meetings at 
least four times each year (excluding the initial year). The agenda for 
all meetings shall be set by the DFO. Meetings shall be open to the 
general public, except as provided under FACA. Notice of each meeting 
shall be published in the Federal Register at least 15 calendar days 
prior to the date of the meeting. Notice shall include the meeting 
agenda. The DFO or his or her designee shall attend and preside at each 
meeting. The DFO or his or her designee shall adjourn any meeting when 
determined to be in the public interest. Detailed minutes of each 
meeting shall be certified by the DFO or his or her designee and 
maintained by the sponsor. The minutes, as certified, shall be 
available for public inspection and copying in the office of the 
sponsor.
    12. Reports: All Committee and subcommittee reports and 
recommendations shall be submitted by the chairman to FMCSA's 
Administrator through the DFO or his or her designee. The DFO or his or 
her designee shall direct the Committee to prepare such documents and 
any other reports. Within 60 days following the last meeting of each 
calendar year, the DFO or his or her designee shall submit to FMCSA's 
Administrator an annual report describing the Committee's membership, 
activities, and accomplishments for the year. Committee and 
subcommittee reports and other documents, which are made available to 
or prepared by the Committee, shall be included in FMCSA's public 
docket and shall be available for public inspection and copying in 
accordance with the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552).
    13. Date of Termination: The Committee shall terminate on September 
30, 2010.
    14. Charter Filing Date: The filing date of this charter, which is 
also the charter's effective date, is September 8, 2006.

III. Request for Nominations

    FMCSA seeks nominations for membership to the Motor Carrier Safety 
Advisory Committee from representatives of the motor carrier industry, 
safety advocates, and safety enforcement officials with specialized 
experience, education, or training in commercial motor vehicle issues. 
The Agency is committed to appointing members to the Committee with 
diverse professional backgrounds, as well as a broad array of gender, 
ethnicity, demographic, and socioeconomic factors. All Committee 
members must be able to attend three to four meetings each year in 
Washington, DC or by teleconference, and spend approximately five to 
six hours each month providing additional consultation. Interested 
persons should have a commitment to transportation safety, knowledge of 
transportation issues, experience on panels that deal with 
transportation safety, and a record of collaboration and professional 
experience in commercial motor vehicle issues. For further information, 
please contact Scott Poyer at 202-493-0432, or by e-mail at 
[email protected]. For nomination information, please contact Karen 
Lynch at 202-366-8997, or by e-mail at [email protected]. Nominations 
must be received on or before January 4, 2007.

    Issued on: November 13, 2006.
John H. Hill,
Administrator.
 [FR Doc. E6-19560 Filed 11-17-06; 8:45 am]
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