[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 232 (Tuesday, December 2, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73381-73382]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-28492]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2008-0362]


Medical Review Board Public Meeting

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

ACTION: Notice of Medical Review Board (MRB) Public Meeting.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces a public meeting of the Agency's MRB. The MRB 
public meeting will provide the public an opportunity to observe and 
participate in MRB deliberations about FMCSA's medical standards, in 
accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA).

DATES: The MRB meeting will be held from 9 a.m.-11:45 a.m. on Monday, 
January 12, 2009. Please refer to the preliminary agenda for this 
meeting in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice for 
specific information.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place at the Embassy Suites Old Town 
Alexandria, 1900 Diagonal Road, Virginia Ballroom--Salon A, Alexandria, 
VA 22314. You may submit comments bearing the Federal Docket Management 
System (FDMS) Docket ID FMCSA-2008-0362 using any of the following 
methods:

[[Page 73382]]

     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions for submitting 
comments.
     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: West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
    Each submission must include the Agency name and the docket ID for 
this Notice. Note that DOT posts all comments received without change 
to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information 
included in a comment. Please see the Privacy Act heading below.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments, go to http://www.regulations.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 FDMS 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 DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement in the 
Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19476). This 
information is also available at http://Docketinfo.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Mary D. Gunnels, Director, Medical 
Programs, (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.

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 
Jennifer Musick at 703-998-0189 ext. 237.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The preliminary agenda for the meeting 
includes:
0900-0915 Call to Order, Introduction and Agenda Review.
0915-0930 Special Presentation to the Medical Review Board.
0930-1000 Stroke and Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Driver Safety 
Evidence Report.
1000-1030 Stroke and CMV Driver Safety Medical Expert Recommendations.
1030-1045 Public Comment to the Medical Review Board.
1045-1145 MRB Deliberations on Stroke and CMV Driver Safety.
1145 Call to Adjourn.
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    * Breaks will be announced on meeting day and may be adjusted 
according to schedule changes, other meeting requirements.
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Background

    The U.S. Secretary of Transportation announced on March 7, 2006, 
the five medical experts who serve on FMCSA's Medical Review Board 
(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 
Commercial Motor Vehicles (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 CMV drivers, and the MRB will provide the necessary 
science-based guidance to establish realistic and responsible medical 
standards.
    The MRB operates in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee 
Act (FACA) as announced in the Federal Register (70 FR 57642, October 
3, 2005). The MRB is charged initially with the review of all current 
FMCSA medical standards (49 CFR 391.41), as well as making 
recommendations for 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 the interested public, including medical 
examiners, motor carriers, drivers, and representatives of medical and 
scientific associations. Written comments for this MRB meeting will 
also be accepted beginning on December 2, 2008, and continuing until 
January 26, 2008, and should include the docket ID that is listed in 
the ADDRESSES section.
    During the MRB meeting (1030-1045), oral comments may be limited 
depending on how many persons wish to comment; and 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: November 24, 2008.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy and Program Development.
[FR Doc. E8-28492 Filed 12-1-08; 8:45 am]
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