[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 158 (Wednesday, August 15, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40649-40651]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-17567]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2018-0242]


Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Implantable 
Cardioverter Defibrillators

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 four individuals 
for an exemption from the prohibition in the Federal Motor Carrier 
Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) against operation of a commercial motor 
vehicle (CMV) by persons with a current clinical diagnosis of 
myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, coronary insufficiency, 
thrombosis, or any other cardiovascular disease of a variety known to 
be accompanied by syncope, dyspnea, collapse, or congestive heart 
failure. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals with 
implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) to operate CMVs in 
interstate commerce.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 14, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments bearing the Federal Docket 
Management System (FDMS) Docket ID FMCSA-2018-0242 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

[[Page 40650]]

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 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 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, 
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., 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 four individuals listed in this notice have requested an 
exemption from 49 CFR 391.41(b)(4). 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 found in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(4) 
states that a person is physically qualified to drive a CMV if that 
person has no current clinical diagnosis of myocardial infarction, 
angina pectoris, coronary insufficiency, thrombosis, or any other 
cardiovascular disease of a variety known to be accompanied by syncope, 
dyspnea, collapse, or congestive cardiac failure.
    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 D. Cardiovascular: Sec.  391.41(b)(4), 
paragraph 4.] The advisory criteria states that ICDs are disqualifying 
due to risk of syncope.
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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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II. Qualifications of Applicants

David Christiansen

    Mr. Christiansen is a 42 year old driver in Illinois. A May 2018, 
report from his cardiologist indicates that Mr. Christiansen's ICD was 
implanted in May of 2017, and that after a corrective procedure, he has 
experienced no recurrence of arrhythmia on interrogation of his ICD 
which provides ``24/7'' assessment for recurrence.

Christopher G. Harville

    Mr. Harville is a 37 year old Class B CDL holder in South Carolina. 
An undated letter from Mr. Harville's cardiologist reports that his ICD 
was implanted in May 2014, and that as of September 2017, he has 
remained asymptomatic, without complaints of dizziness, 
lightheadedness, near syncope/syncope, or chest pain. The letter 
further states that since ICD placement in 2014, he has never needed/
received deployment of his defibrillator and receives ICD checks every 
3-6 months.

Terry W. Meredith

    Mr. Meredith is a 56 year old driver in Tennessee. An April 2018, 
letter from his cardiologist states that his ICD was implanted in June 
2016, and he has never received therapy from his device. His measured 
ejection fraction was 30% in June 2017, and was 50-55% after a recheck 
in October 2017.

Grady C. Stone

    Mr. Stone is a 67 year old driver in Georgia. An April 2018, letter 
from his cardiologist states that his ICD was implanted in September 
2017, and since the device implantation, he has not had any arrhythmias 
detected.

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 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-2018-0242 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

[[Page 40651]]

period. FMCSA may issue a final determination 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-2018-0242 and click ``Search.'' Next, click 
``Open Docket Folder'' and you will find all documents and comments 
related to this notice.

    Issued on: August 8, 2018.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2018-17567 Filed 8-14-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P