[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 177 (Thursday, September 13, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52422-52424]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-18083]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-98-4334, FMCSA-99-5578, FMCSA-00-7363, FMCSA-00-7918, 
FMCSA-01-9258, FMCSA-01-9561, FMCSA-03-14504, FMCSA-03-15268, FMCSA-05-
20027, FMCSA-05-21254]


Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Vision

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

ACTION: Notice of renewal of exemptions; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces its decision to renew the exemptions from the 
vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 
25 individuals. FMCSA has statutory authority to exempt individuals 
from the vision requirement if the exemptions granted will not 
compromise safety. The Agency has concluded that granting these 
exemption renewals will provide a level of safety that is equivalent 
to, or greater than, the level of safety maintained without the 
exemptions for these commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.

DATES: This decision is effective September 23, 2007. Comments must be 
received on or before October 15, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments bearing the Department of 
Transportation (DOT) Docket Management System (DMS) Docket Numbers 
FMCSA-98-4334, FMCSA-99-5578, FMCSA-00-7363, FMCSA-00-7918, FMCSA-01-
9258, FMCSA-01-9561, FMCSA-03-14504, FMCSA-03-15268, FMCSA-05-20027, 
FMCSA-05-21254, using any of the following methods.
     DOT Web site: http://dmses.dot.gov. Follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West Building, Ground 
Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery: Room W12-140 on the ground level of the 
West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between 9 
a.m. and 5

[[Page 52423]]

p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
    Each submission must include the Agency name and docket numbers for 
this Notice. Note that DOT posts all comments received without change 
to http://dms.dot.gov, including any personal information included. 
Please see the Privacy Act heading below.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments, go to http://dms.dot.gov at any time or Room W12-140 on the 
ground level of the West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 
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 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, [email protected], 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. Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315, FMCSA may renew an exemption 
from the vision requirements in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10), which applies to 
drivers of CMVs in interstate commerce, for a two-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 procedures for requesting an exemption (including 
renewals) are set out in 49 CFR part 381.

Exemption Decision

    This notice addresses 25 individuals who have requested a renewal 
of their exemption in accordance with FMCSA procedures. FMCSA has 
evaluated these 25 applications for renewal on their merits and decided 
to extend each exemption for a renewable two-year period. They are:


Linda L. Billings                         Mark D. Page
John A. Chizmar                           Kenneth A. Reddick
Ronald D. Danberry                        Leonard Rice, Jr.
Weldon R. Evans                           Juan M. Rosas
Richard L. Gagnebin                       Richard C. Simms
Orasio Garcia                             James T. Sullivan
Leslie W. Good                            Thomas J. Sweeny, Jr.
Chester L. Gray                           Steven C. Thomas
James P. Guth                             Edward A. Vanderhei
Rayford R. Harper                         Larry J. Waldner
Britt D. Hazelwood                        Kevin L. Wickard
Joseph V. Johns
Robert C. Leathers
Michael S. Maki
 

    These exemptions are extended subject to the following conditions: 
(1) That each individual have a physical examination every year: (a) By 
an ophthalmologist or optometrist who attests that the vision in the 
better eye continues to meet the standard in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10), and 
(b) by a medical examiner who attests that the individual is otherwise 
physically qualified under 49 CFR 391.41; (2) that each individual 
provide a copy of the ophthalmologist's or optometrist's report to the 
medical examiner at the time of the annual medical examination; and (3) 
that each individual provide a copy of the annual medical certification 
to the employer for retention in the driver's qualification file and 
retain a copy of the certification on his/her person while driving for 
presentation to a duly authorized Federal, State, or local enforcement 
official. Each exemption will be valid for two years unless rescinded 
earlier by FMCSA. The exemption will be rescinded if: (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 
before it was 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.

Basis for Renewing Exemptions

    Under 49 U.S.C. 31315(b)(1), an exemption may be granted for no 
longer than two years from its approval date and may be renewed upon 
application for additional two-year periods. In accordance with 49 
U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315, each of the 25 applicants has satisfied the 
entry conditions for obtaining an exemption from the vision 
requirements (63 FR 66226; 64 FR 16517; 66 FR 41656; 68 FR 44837; 70 FR 
41811; 68 FR 54775; 70 FR 53412; 64 FR 27027; 64 FR 51568; 66 FR 48504; 
65 FR 45817; 65 FR 77066; 68 FR 10300; 70 FR 42615; 65 FR 66286; 66 FR 
13825; 66 FR 17743; 66 FR 33990; 68 FR 35772; 66 FR 30502; 66 FR 41654; 
68 FR 19598; 68 FR 33570; 68 FR 37197; 68 FR 48989; 70 FR 2701; 70 FR 
16887; 70 FR 30999; 70 FR 46567). Each of these 25 applicants has 
requested renewal of the exemption and has submitted evidence showing 
that the vision in the better eye continues to meet the standard 
specified at 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10) and that the vision impairment is 
stable. In addition, a review of each record of safety while driving 
with the respective vision deficiencies over the past two years 
indicates each applicant continues to meet the vision exemption 
standards. These factors provide an adequate basis for predicting each 
driver's ability to continue to drive safely in interstate commerce. 
Therefore, FMCSA concludes that extending the exemption for each 
renewal applicant for a period of two years is likely to achieve a 
level of safety equal to that existing without the exemption.

Request for Comments

    FMCSA will review comments received at any time concerning a 
particular driver's safety record and determine if the continuation of 
the exemption is consistent with the requirements at 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) 
and 31315. However, FMCSA requests that interested parties with 
specific data concerning the safety records of these drivers submit 
comments by October 15, 2007.
    FMCSA believes that the requirements for a renewal of an exemption 
under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315 can be satisfied by initially 
granting the renewal and then requesting and evaluating, if needed, 
subsequent comments submitted by interested parties. As indicated 
above, the Agency previously published notices of final disposition 
announcing its decision to exempt these 25 individuals from the vision 
requirement in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(10). The final decision to grant an 
exemption to each of these individuals was based on the merits of each 
case and only after careful consideration of the comments received to 
its notices of applications. The notices of applications stated in 
detail the qualifications, experience, and medical condition of each 
applicant for an exemption from the vision requirements. That 
information is available by consulting the above cited Federal Register 
publications.

[[Page 52424]]

    Interested parties or organizations possessing information that 
would otherwise show that any, or all of these drivers, are not 
currently achieving the statutory level of safety should immediately 
notify FMCSA. The Agency will evaluate any adverse evidence submitted 
and, if safety is being compromised or if continuation of the exemption 
would not be consistent with the goals and objectives of 49 U.S.C. 
31136(e) and 31315, FMCSA will take immediate steps to revoke the 
exemption of a driver.

    Issued on: September 7, 2007.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy and Program Development.
 [FR Doc. E7-18083 Filed 9-12-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P