[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 14, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6716-6718]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-03065]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2017-0254]


Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Epilepsy and 
Seizure Disorders

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

ACTION: Notice of applications for exemption; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces receipt of applications from six individuals 
for an exemption from the prohibition in the Federal Motor Carrier 
Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) against persons with a clinical diagnosis 
of epilepsy or any other condition that is likely to cause a loss of 
consciousness or any loss of ability to control a commercial motor 
vehicle (CMV) to drive in interstate commerce. If granted, the 
exemptions would enable these individuals who have had one or more 
seizures and are taking anti-seizure medication to operate CMVs in 
interstate commerce.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 16, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments bearing the Federal Docket 
Management System (FDMS) Docket No. FMCSA-2017-0254 using any of the 
following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 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., 
e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays.
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
    Instructions: Each submission must include the Agency name and the 
docket number(s) for this notice. Note that all comments received will 
be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any 
personal information provided. Please see the Privacy Act heading below 
for further information.
    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., e.t., 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 online.
    Privacy Act: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits 
comments from the public to better inform its rulemaking process. DOT 
posts these comments, without edit, including any personal information 
the commenter provides, to http://www.regulations.gov, as described in 
the system of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed 
at http://www.dot.gov/privacy.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Christine A. Hydock, Chief, 
Medical Programs Division, (202) 366-4001, [email protected], FMCSA,

[[Page 6717]]

Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W64-224, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., e.t., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. If you have questions 
regarding viewing or submitting material to the docket, contact Docket 
Services, telephone (202) 366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315, FMCSA may grant an exemption 
from the FMCSRs for a five-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 
statute also allows the Agency to renew exemptions at the end of the 
five-year period. FMCSA grants exemptions from the FMCSRs for a two-
year period to align with the maximum duration of a driver's medical 
certification.
    The six individuals listed in this notice have requested an 
exemption from the epilepsy and seizure disorders prohibition in 49 CFR 
391.41(b)(8). Accordingly, the Agency will evaluate the qualifications 
of each applicant to determine whether granting the exemption will 
achieve the required level of safety mandated by statute.
    The physical qualification standard for drivers regarding epilepsy 
found in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(8) states that a person is physically 
qualified to drive a CMV if that person has no established medical 
history or clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or any other condition which 
is likely to cause the loss of consciousness or any loss of ability to 
control a CMV.
    In addition to the regulations, FMCSA has published advisory 
criteria \1\ to assist Medical Examiners in determining whether drivers 
with certain medical conditions are qualified to operate a CMV in 
interstate commerce. [49 CFR part 391, APPENDIX A TO PART 391--MEDICAL 
ADVISORY CRITERIA, section H. Epilepsy: Sec.  391.41(b)(8), paragraphs 
3, 4, and 5.]
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    \1\ See http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=e47b48a9ea42dd67d999246e23d97970&mc=true&node=pt49.5.391&rgn=div5#ap49.5.391_171.a and https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2015-title49-vol5/pdf/CFR-2015-title49-vol5-part391-appA.pdf.
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    The advisory criteria states the following:
    If an individual has had a sudden episode of a non-epileptic 
seizure or loss of consciousness of unknown cause that did not require 
anti-seizure medication, the decision whether that person's condition 
is likely to cause the loss of consciousness or loss of ability to 
control a CMV should be made on an individual basis by the Medical 
Examiner in consultation with the treating physician. Before 
certification is considered, it is suggested that a six-month waiting 
period elapse from the time of the episode. Following the waiting 
period, it is suggested that the individual have a complete 
neurological examination. If the results of the examination are 
negative and anti-seizure medication is not required, then the driver 
may be qualified.
    In those individual cases where a driver had a seizure or an 
episode of loss of consciousness that resulted from a known medical 
condition (e.g., drug reaction, high temperature, acute infectious 
disease, dehydration, or acute metabolic disturbance), certification 
should be deferred until the driver has recovered fully from that 
condition, has no existing residual complications, and is not taking 
anti-seizure medication.
    Drivers who have a history of epilepsy/seizures, off anti-seizure 
medication and seizure-free for 10 years, may be qualified to operate a 
CMV in interstate commerce. Interstate drivers with a history of a 
single unprovoked seizure may be qualified to drive a CMV in interstate 
commerce if seizure-free and off anti-seizure medication for a five-
year period or more.
    As a result of Medical Examiners misinterpreting advisory criteria 
as regulation, numerous drivers have been prohibited from operating a 
CMV in interstate commerce based on the fact that they have had one or 
more seizures and are taking anti-seizure medication, rather than an 
individual analysis of their circumstances by a qualified Medical 
Examiner based on the physical qualification standards and medical best 
practices.
    On January 15, 2013, FMCSA announced in a Notice of Final 
Disposition titled, Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; 
Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders, (78 FR 3069), its decision to grant 
requests from 22 individuals for exemptions from the regulatory 
requirement that interstate CMV drivers have ``no established medical 
history or clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or any other condition which 
is likely to cause loss of consciousness or any loss of ability to 
control a CMV.'' Since the January 15, 2013 notice, the Agency has 
published additional notices granting requests from individuals for 
exemptions from the regulatory requirement regarding epilepsy found in 
49 CFR 391.41(b)(8).
    To be considered for an exemption from the epilepsy and seizure 
disorders prohibition in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(8), applicants must meet the 
criteria in the 2007 recommendations of the Agency's Medical Expert 
Panel (MEP) (78 FR 3069).

II. Qualifications of Applicants

Eriki M. Galloway

    Mr. Galloway, 48, has a history of a seizure disorder and has been 
seizure free since 1987. He takes anti-seizure medication, with the 
dosage and frequency remaining the same since 1981. His physician 
states that he is supportive of Mr. Galloway receiving an exemption.

Aaron J. Harms

    Mr. Harms, 29, has a history of epilepsy and has been seizure free 
since 2004. He takes anti-seizure medication, with the dosage and 
frequency remaining the same since 2004. His physician states that he 
is supportive of Mr. Harms receiving an exemption.

Matthew Heinen

    Mr. Heinen, 41, has a history of epilepsy and has been seizure free 
since 2004. He takes anti-seizure medications, with the dosages and 
frequencies remaining the same since 2004. His physician states that 
she is supportive of Mr. Heinen receiving an exemption.

Grant M. Johnson

    Mr. Johnson, 31, has a history of a seizure disorder and has been 
seizure free since 1999. He takes anti-seizure medication, with the 
dosage and frequency remaining the same since 1999. His physician 
states that he is supportive of Mr. Johnson receiving an exemption.

Derick Pendergrass

    Mr. Pendergrass, 35, has a history of a seizure disorder and has 
been seizure free since 2005. He takes anti-seizure medication, with 
the dosage and frequency remaining the same since 2005. His physician 
states that he is supportive of Mr. Pendergrass receiving an exemption.

Paul D. Vitous

    Mr. Vitous, 59, has a history of epilepsy and has been seizure free 
since 2007. He takes anti-seizure medication, with the dosage and 
frequency remaining the same since 2013. His physician states that he 
is supportive of Mr. Vitous receiving an exemption.

III. Request for Comments

    In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315, FMCSA requests 
public comment from all interested persons on the exemption petitions 
described in

[[Page 6718]]

this notice. We will consider all comments received before the close of 
business on the closing date indicated in the dates section of the 
notice.

IV. Submitting Comments

    You may submit your comments and material online or by fax, mail, 
or hand delivery, but please use only one of these means. FMCSA 
recommends that you include your name and a mailing address, an email 
address, or a phone number in the body of your document so that FMCSA 
can contact you if there are questions regarding your submission.
    To submit your comment online, go to http://www.regulations.gov and 
in the search box insert the docket number FMCSA-2017-0254 and click 
the search button. When the new screen appears, click on the blue 
``Comment Now!'' button on the right hand side of the page. On the new 
page, enter information required including the specific section of this 
document to which each comment applies, and provide a reason for each 
suggestion or recommendation. If you submit your comments by mail or 
hand delivery, submit them in an unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ 
by 11 inches, suitable for copying and electronic filing. If you submit 
comments by mail and would like to know that they reached the facility, 
please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard or envelope.
    We will consider all comments and materials received during the 
comment period. FMCSA may issue a final determination at any time after 
the close of the comment period.

V. Viewing Comments and Documents

    To view comments, as well as any documents mentioned in this 
preamble, go to http://www.regulations.gov and in the search box insert 
the docket number FMCSA-2017-0254 and click ``Search.'' Next, click 
``Open Docket Folder'' and you will find all documents and comments 
related to this notice.

    Issued on: February 7, 2018.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2018-03065 Filed 2-13-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P