[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 242 (Wednesday, December 16, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81553-81554]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-27650]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2020-0028]


Qualification of Drivers; Exemption Applications; Hearing

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 20 individuals 
for an exemption from the hearing requirement in the Federal Motor 
Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to operate a commercial motor 
vehicle (CMV) in interstate commerce. If granted, the exemptions would 
enable these hard of hearing and deaf individuals to operate CMVs in 
interstate commerce.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 15, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by the Federal Docket 
Management System (FDMS) Docket No. FMCSA-2020-0028 using any of the 
following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=FMCSA-2020-0028. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Dockets Operations; 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., 
ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays.
     Fax: (202) 493-2251.
    To avoid duplication, please use only one of these four methods. 
See the ``Public Participation'' portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION section for instructions on submitting comments.

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 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., ET, 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. If you have questions 
regarding viewing or submitting material to the docket, contact Dockets 
Operations, (202) 366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Public Participation

A. Submitting Comments

    If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this 
notice (Docket No. FMCSA-2020-0028), indicate the specific section of 
this document to which each comment applies, and provide a reason for 
each suggestion or recommendation. 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/docket?D=FMCSA-2020-0028. Click on the ``Comment Now!'' button and type 
your comment into the text box on the following screen. Choose whether 
you are submitting your comment as an individual or on behalf of a 
third party and then submit.
    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.
    FMCSA will consider all comments and material received during the 
comment period.

B. Viewing Documents and Comments

    To view comments, as well as any documents mentioned in this notice 
as being available in the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=FMCSA-2020-0028 and choose the document to review. If you do 
not have access to the internet, you may view the docket online by 
visiting Dockets Operations in Room W12-140 on the ground floor of the 
DOT West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590, 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 
366-9317 or (202) 366-9826 before visiting Dockets Operations.

C. 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 www.regulations.gov, as described in the system 
of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at 
www.transportation.gov/privacy.

II. Background

    Under 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315(b), FMCSA may grant an exemption 
from the FMCSRs for no longer than a 5-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 5-year period. FMCSA grants medical exemptions from the 
FMCSRs for a 2-year period to align with the maximum duration of a 
driver's medical certification.
    The 20 individuals listed in this notice have requested an 
exemption from the hearing requirement in 49 CFR 391.41(b)(11). 
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 hearing 
found in Sec.  391.41(b)(11) states that a person is physically 
qualified to drive a CMV if that person first perceives a forced 
whispered voice in the better ear at not

[[Page 81554]]

less than 5 feet with or without the use of a hearing aid or, if tested 
by use of an audiometric device, does not have an average hearing loss 
in the better ear greater than 40 decibels at 500 Hz, 1,000 Hz, and 
2,000 Hz with or without a hearing aid when the audiometric device is 
calibrated to American National Standard (formerly ASA Standard) Z24.5-
1951.
    This standard was adopted in 1970 and was revised in 1971 to allow 
drivers to be qualified under this standard while wearing a hearing 
aid, 35 FR 6458, 6463 (April 22, 1970) and 36 FR 12857 (July 3, 1971).
    On February 1, 2013, FMCSA announced in a Notice of Final 
Disposition titled, ``Qualification of Drivers; Application for 
Exemptions; National Association of the Deaf,'' (78 FR 7479), its 
decision to grant requests from 40 individuals for exemptions from the 
Agency's physical qualification standard concerning hearing for 
interstate CMV drivers. Since that time the Agency has published 
additional notices granting requests from hard of hearing and deaf 
individuals for exemptions from the Agency's physical qualification 
standard concerning hearing for interstate CMV drivers.

III. Qualifications of Applicants

Hassan Abdi

    Mr. Abdi, 30, holds a class A CPL in Minnesota.

Matthew Acken

    Mr. Acken, 35, holds a class D license in Utah.

Ryan Bailey

    Mr. Bailey, 28, holds a class E license in Florida.

Gage Burchett

    Mr. Burchett, 28, holds a class D license in Virginia.

Andrew Cho

    Mr. Cho, 26, holds a class D license in New York.

Jeffrey Daniel

    Mr. Daniel, 52, holds a class C license in Nevada.

Tyler Davis

    Mr. Davis, 25, holds a class C license in Texas.

Gabriel Despanie

    Mr. Despanie, 61, holds a class A license in Louisiana.

Zachrey Gill

    Mr. Gill, 23, holds a class E license in Michigan.

Nicholas Grabanski

    Mr. Grabanski, 27, holds a class C license in Texas.

Michael Hartman

    Mr. Hartman, 56, holds a class D license in Oklahoma.

Andrew Hatch

    Mr. Hatch, 41, holds a class D license in Iowa.

Joshua Johnson

    Mr. Johnson, 28, holds a class R license in Colorado.

William Lavender

    Mr. Lavender, 64, holds a class A license in Ohio.

MarcKenzie Loriston

    Mr. Loriston, 31, holds a class E license in Florida.

Ronald Pridgen

    Mr. Pridgen, 57, holds a class C license in North Carolina.

Zachary Reagan

    Mr. Reagan, 40, holds a class C license in Texas.

Michael L. Smith

    Mr. Smith, 66, holds a class A license in North Carolina.

Carlos Sotelo Sanchez

    Mr. Sanchez, 26, holds a class C license in California.

Matthew Spainhoward

    Mr. Spainhoward, 34, holds a class D license in Kentucky.

IV. Request for Comments

    In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 31315(b), 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 under the DATES 
section of the notice.

Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2020-27650 Filed 12-15-20; 8:45 am]
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